Rising Clouds, City Fallen

The End is Here

The ground shook all at once- the activity and small tremors all making sense. The nearby mountain had erupted into smoke a while before, and now piles of ash jeopardize the lives of those beneath. 

The shaking was now violent. I buried my face into his chest, and I tugged my arms to my chest. I could feel the very Earth falling beneath us. 

"Close your eyes," his voice sounded.

"They're closed."

"Alright," his hands found their way into my hair. I took a deep breath, the suffocating smell of ash becoming painful. 

"What now?" 

"Does it feel like nothing has changed?"

The rumble in the Earth was deafening, yet I chose to hear his voice over it. The smell seemed like nothing now that I focused my senses on him. He was the center of my universe, all I could need. The world around me meant nothing because he lay beside me.

"No, it feels the same."

"Can you smell the perfumes of the street? The wheat, the lavender, and the bread?"

"Oh, I can."

He laid a protective arm over my head, and I tensed. A sound rang, louder than anything I had heard before. It pained my ears- but the cracking hadn't stopped. It's like the mountain shot giant whips into the sky, striking it for sins it hadn't committed. 

I held tightly to the clothes that covered my body, my eyes squeezing shut. The deafening eruption left my ears ringing. "It hurts," I cried, unable to help myself. I swear, outside- you could hear the painful screams of people as they fled. Their voices shrill like damned spirits begging for repentance. 

I opened my eyes finally, looking across from me. He still lay there, brows furrowed. Ash coated us lightly, and outside, a sickening orange glow reminded me of our fate. The mountain- Vesuvius- has sent her punishment.

I took a deep breath, calming myself.

Nothing has changed. He still loved me as I loved him. It was a bond unbreakable by even the strongest opponent. 

We've seen much together- and we've fought side-by-side. This shall be our final battle. We were warriors of our time- for peace of mind, more than physical warriors. He was my ally, and my mind was my opponent. Together, however, it all felt whole.

So let the world crumble beneath us.

I closed my eyes, picturing the days together in the square. It was calming, and the piercing screams in my ear seemed to fall into a decrescendo. 

All seemed steady. 

"My dear," his voice sang in a chorus, a grand build-up as I pictured our sun-filled civilization. The walls crumble outside but stand sturdy in my mind. Ash no longer felt like it was burning my skin as it fell. 

"What is it?"

"I'm glad I had you."

A sweet man and considerate. Often, he held me at night, whispering sweet nothings into my ear. He tugged me to his chest, strong arms around my waist- and he sang. The songs that would soon be lost to the world- unspoken sympathy buried beneath ash and rock.

I grinned.

It felt almost comforting that we shall be lost together. 

"And I'm fortunate that I get to lay here, protected by you. Until my heart fades into the Earth, it is yours. And once you've gone home, you may take it from the Earth and again claim me as your own." 

"Until I take my final breath, each one is for you." His voice was no longer confident. A whisper had taken over. He was trying to stay- just a bit longer. The overwhelming feel of the ash had grown more powerful- as if the house around was gone and we'd been buried.

We may have been.

I kept my eyes closed, afraid of the reality. I pictured the town again- this time, I could see him leading me. His brown eyes lit up as he showed me something nice that he had wished to purchase. 

Oh, and the nights we watched fireflies rise for the small grasses that rest around our home. I would place my head on his shoulder and watch- completely dazzled by such things. Then I look at him, and the universe is open in his eyes. The golden glow of the insects cast such a sparkling light in his eyes that it felt like if I stared much longer, I'd be brought to a world of my own.

And his hair. Long, blonde, and silky- it fell to his shoulders. Compared to my short, dirty blonde hair, his was a beauty comparable to the sun. 

I remember our nights alone when he'd be sleeping so peacefully. I'd run my fingers through his hair, tempted to count the strands. I wanted to trail kisses along his body and tell him how much I loved it. I desired to hold him tightly and tell him how much he meant to me.

Often, I did. 

I remember his face- his eyes lit up when he saw something he enjoyed. They shined warmly when he looked at me. 

I could never erase how his eyes clouded or how dull they could be. The way that dullness would soon explode into a symphony as those eyes filled with love.

It felt so comforting to remember as we lay here, slowly meeting our fate to such a heavy burden. 

"I love you, my dear," I spoke into the barren world. 

"Oh, dear boy, you have no idea how glad I am to die at your side."

"I wouldn't have it any other way. Having you here, even with your hair dusted grey- I am glad you are the one I die beside."

"At least it appears we died old after living fulfilling lives."

I smiled, for he was right. We looked much older now than we did hours ago. Our limbs contract each other, and our skin must seem years old. 

But, just a bit away, bubbling became apparent, and the heat became unbearable. It was time. 

"My dear, I bid you farewell. Thank you for loving me."

"Don't thank me, it wasn't hard," he laughed, holding me tighter. "Goodbye, my pretty boy. I'll see you soon."

I smiled, melting into the feeling.

And soon, our fate came to a close. We died together.

It's how it was meant to be.