Stardust

meteor

Can you see them? They're falling, right into your eyes, making them shine with a beauty that is as unfathomable as the ocean.

They used to have houses made of bricks and cars that ran on petrol, but not anymore. When resources ran out, the only things we could use were renewable sources and the energy efficient gadgets that we rely on to this day. 
Rubbish overflowed across our lands, people creating homes among it.
But what did it matter, as the world erupted into chaos, as if the governments and dictators had planned it all, made it seem like it was at the fault of the people.
Some hid in the rubbish, some rose and fought.
We were all about to die anyway from lack of resources and they risked nothing because nothing was all they owned.
The countries became caught in Stalemate, it was just history repeating itself and now we're under the protection of a war that could continue at any moment. 

So I take her hand and hold it tight. 
She is my beautiful girl, I met her here, in one of the ocean cities, Shellsea, off the coast of Old Spain. 
I had gone out into town, looking for trouble one night. Being back from the war, I knew I didn't need to play it safe anymore, war had taught me so.
So I had the courage to approach her and she accepted my proposal of a dance. We danced, and talked and many similar nights followed. Slowly, my heart became full of her and left no room for violence.
Now, we are suspended, unsure whether I will be staying or leaving, usure what she will do next. I tell her not to worry, things will sort themselves out. 
She knows I love her and that's what keeps her sane.
There's not much love left in this society so the few scraps we have, we cling to. 

Shellsea is surrounded by water because it's an ocean city. It's supposed to be safer that the land cities and the waves help to power it. It looks wonderful, like it's made of glistening floating ice. I can't imagine ice sheets as vast as this though, only small bergs remain.
"You're distracted," she says, holding my head in my hands. "My solider, you can talk about it if you want." Her voice is soft and drifts as easily as the breeze.
"I only worry for you," I reply honestly. 
"Don't you dare," she tells me with a small smile, leaning to kiss my lips. "I'll be okay."

Then came the message. My sensor beeps to signal an important event had been entered into my calender. 
There has been a bomb in Old France. We are to go back and help the wounded.
Not that there will be many to help; the atomic bombs can wipe out countries easily.
This is certainly the move that will begin the worlds self-destruction. 

I can't leave without saying goodbye to Daisy.

"Tom?" I look up. She can tell straight away. "No. When do you leave?"
"Tomorrow," I say miserably. It's too close.
"No, no I'm scared."
"It's okay," I tell her. "We'll be okay."

We sit out on the beach that evening, our last we can spend together. We watch the night sky and see second and third Earths lit up in the darkness which is as full of shadows as the sea that almost laps our toes but hits the city's outer wall that shimmers into existence every night to protect the city. It's completely see-through, a giant glass dome: like we're stuck in a snow-globe.

"Look," Daisy gasps pointing to the sky. The stars are falling, quite literally. A meteor shower: it's brilliance astounds me. My sensor beeps, the second time today. I glance down whilst at the same time the image projected from my wrist is projected on the side of the dome.

"People of Shellsea. I have just been informed of a freak meteor shower that has suddenly appeared on our radar. I'm afraid our weapons cannot destroy it and our equipment never detected it. But it will, hit First Earth."
I try to process what I'm hearing. There would not be this warning if it wasn't going to affect us.
"Shellsea citizens, I urge you to meet with your loved ones and find somewhere safe. There is no time to remove the outer wall to assist escape without being at risk to the waves that will follow the aftermath of the meteors. The best we can do is pray the wall can withstand the tidal waves.We're truly very sorry for your losses." The projection fades.
"We're going to die," says Daisy, reaching for me. Although the projection did not tell us so, she understands.
I take her in my arms.
"Stay here with me. Watch the stars fall and hope that the new world will be more beautiful than this one," she whispers.
"If we are to die tonight, then all the beauty will die with you, darling." I hold her tightly. 

And somewhere, we hear the screams of the city behind us. Some join us on the sand, admitting that the outer wall will not be able to withstand the force of tsunami tidal waves. Technology cannot win over nature in the end.
But with Daisy in my arms, I die in the most glorious of ways, looking deep into her eyes as the light, salt water and dark swirl, and finally,
blind me.

a/n: Okay a bit more that 600 hundered sorry but hey this is for _cerulean's Constellation contest, round 3 based off the picture to the side.