Metamorph

Butterfly (Part 13)

The next thing they do is enjoying the present time. Appreciating the dark sky, the winds, the calming sound of rustling bushes, and everything they can grasp in the moment.

Justin has braved himself to dangle his feet, sometimes un(intentionally) bumping it with Adam's feet. Every second feels like an hour of talk. They're grieving yet so happy.

"And you know what?? Even after that class she st—"

Justin's words and giggle halted mid-way. Adam's hand dashes away to his shoulder, shaking it hard.

"What's happening, Justin? Hey! Can you hear me?? Is everything alri—"

Everything is alright, nothing bad happens on Justin's side. But the odd part is Adam gradually could see Justin's figure becoming more visible. The purple hair and red hoodie. His shadow is casted on the wall.

There's a light from somewhere. So Adam looks up to the front.

And he finds the source right away. The same case that made Justin stop.

With that, they know the scientist wasn't kidding when they said the meteor is 216 miles long.

The thing is there, right in front of their nose. It was like the moon, full of craters but has blackish-grey color instead of greyish black color. Yet it was also like the sun, for its burned tail similar to sun's prominence flare.

Its arrival is nothing like anyone expected. It's nothing like when they see the sun. The meteor is thousand times closer and brighter. The same feeling as if you hold 'the torch' before your head.

"So ... this is it ...?"

Justin and Adam both turn their head at each other at the same time.

"Yeah ... I guess so ..."

The sudden blazing fire that approaching closer makes an extreme saturation of light that everything seems to turn into alabaster. He can't open his eyes properly, but he has to see the man beside him, once more, for the last time.

"I don't know what to say more, Justin. All I wish is the existence of the afterlife so we can meet one more time in heaven."

"We will, Adam. Please wait for me to come when you reach there first. And I will also do the same." Justin rises up his pinkie, "promise?"

Adam binds it with his, "promise."

The meteor is getting impend second by second, an ear-splitting paroxysm explosion sounds reverberate in their hearing organs. Thick red liquids are disgorged from their ears, left and right.

Maybe the explosion is caused by the other side countries across America that have been destroyed by colliding with the meteor. Justin couldn't even think or remember the name of the countries.

The bursting high pressure of wind blows their hair up, shaking Justin's glasses hard, akin to when he was playing with the leaf blower. And it doesn't bring any calming air, but a scorching heat that makes Adam's skin which fairer than Justin starting to blister.

Justin's heart beating so fast that it could jump from his chest, his lungs are gasping for air as if it was a crowded hall. This view is too much frightening for him, or even for every human. Proving that there's indeed something bigger and more powerful outside this universe, and humanity is just a little dot of dust compared to it.

His fear holds him captive, he can't move, speak, or even blink, it has successfully anesthetized him.

He could only gaze at the flashing life memories behind his mind.

What has happened in the past? What will happen in the future?

Is this it? The end of the earth? Or the end of the whole universe? Who will be alive after everything goes extinct? Will there be another universe? Or the universe will just be an empty blank hole?

Justin's big brain cannot answer any of those questions. His brain knows nothing about the existence or the extinction.

The thunderous sound is now nearer than before. Maybe the other part of the meteor has reached Asia?

Has half of the earth vanished into crumbs by now?

Adam's press on their little finger's ties, bringing Justin back to reality, his skin has become fully pinkish. Agonized face showing his try of holding back the pain.

"I'm still here, remember? ... we're together in this ..."

Justin takes a deep breath, strongly shaking his head.

Again, he always thinking of what he can't grasp.

So he turns his head back to Adam, reminding him to get back to the present.

Adam on the other side is still looking hopefully at him. Wishing that somehow his friend won't lose his mind in this disastrous event.

Justin indeed has not lost his mind yet, he just enjoying his time staring at Adam's eyes, swimming in those graceful colors of azure. Complimenting quietly of how bright and sanguine his eyes are.

"You really have gorgeous eyes, Adam."

"Really? What a coincidence! I was also admiring your stunning cinnamon eyes! A real calming and full of passion color ..."

They chuckle together.

The ground beneath them now begins to quacking vigorously. The roads finally rupturing into the outer core, wreaking overflow hot muds mingled with lava, melting every iron upon it. Destroyed buildings' parts fling to the sky, smashing other structures.

Their house lolling to the left and right, almost slumping. Half of the balcony floor crumbling down, and some concretes hit them. The roof that covered them for that long gets thrown off by the blustery wind.

Justin pull his hand from the 'pinkie promise', "It was really nice to know and meet a person like you, Mr. Adam James McArthur. Thank you so much for everything." Justin gives Adam his most genuine smile, offering a sided hand instead.

The temperature now is more than they can sense, it's boiling their bodies. A tsunami is coming from the south, flatten everything it passed through. Above, the meteor has faced their side, ready to crash. Earth will be debris in a matter of seconds.

"It was also really nice to know and meet a person like you, Mr. Justin Leon Xu 'Kroma'. And you're welcome." Adam winks, replying to the handshake. Also smiling from ear to ear.

Justin can't help but laugh.

This person beside him.

On a situation like this, can keep his serenity and  settle Justin down.

Even winking playfully at him. 

While himself couldn't even open his eyes properly.

Adam is indeed a person Justin could never understand. 

Yet also can.

"Don't forget our promise, okay?"

"I won't."

Justin keeps their hands like that. Foxy and Rocky are on his hug, while Boxy is on Adam's.

"Goodbye, for now, my guy ...."

Together with Adam nods, the world irradiated by a perfectly white bright of light, stabbing their visual organs. An indescribable blare of detonation deafens their eardrums. Their sense becomes numb from the unbearable pain.

There's nothing more to feel, nothing more to think.

Then everything goes black once again, and forever.