The text I woke up to today, really made me see the world differently.
See, I’d been pretty depressed. Nothing major, just the whole hamster on a wheel, working for the man kinda thing.
I felt like a cog in a machine. Work. Sleep. Eat. Repeat.
And the fact my wife and I hadn’t been getting along that well.. That just was the icing on the shit cake that was my life.
We spent more time in arguments than we did having fun together, so I was working long hours by choice, because it was better than being home.
Life had felt pretty lackluster lately. But the message I recieved from my colleague early hours of this morning, has really put a spring in my step.
I tried to fight the happiness, then I tried to justify it. I hadn’t felt happy, hell I hadn’t felt anything, in such a long time..
As if picking up on my unusual good mood, Jane zoned in with her venomous critiques.
“My god, you aren’t even dressed yet, Michael? Well if you think I’ve got time to wait around, you’ve got another thing coming. You can get yourself to the station.”
Instead of being hurt by my wife’s demeanor, I simply smiled and did something I wouldn’t have dared, had it been any other day.
I asked if she would like to enjoy breakfast together, it had been such a long time after all.
Her laughter was glass shattering, the screech so loud and brash.
“I’d rather jump off a bridge.”
I nodded slowly. I stood in the kitchen, watching as she hurried about making a smoothie, finding various plastic containers to take food for her lunch. I wanted to tell her how pointless it all was. I wanted to tell her to sit, and enjoy the morning. But after 23 years of marriage, I knew better.
So I just watched.
As she was gathering the last of her things to take to her car, I snuck up behind her.
I hated her, oh how I despised this bitch who had controlled me and made my life hell for the last few decades..but I didn’t want this to be painful.
I didn’t want her to know what was going on, either.
It wasn’t like on the movies. It wasn’t like, one knock and it was all over.
No. It was nothing like that.
She turned her head just as I brought my heavy award down with all my strength.
The planet shaped metal struck her on the side of the cheek, crushing that and her eye socket into a billion pieces.
She screamed.
The next parts all a bit of a blur. It wasn’t pretty. I tried to explain to her about the message, why this was better than the alternative that was coming.
I’m not sure if she understood or not, her moans were the only sounds she could get out with all the broken teeth and jaw.
But, at least she was in a better place. She wouldn’t have to see, to bear witness, to what was coming.
It was my duty as her husband, to protect her. And I did.
I felt more at peace with the silence.
Jane’s body lay bleeding on the floor, but I ignored it for the most part. It had taken longer, far longer and had been much more exhausting than I’d thought.
I went to write a note, but I didn’t think it would survive and I also thought.. Well I guess I wanted to warn others. The ones that will listen, anyhow.
So I thought I’d get on reddit.
You guys deserve to know. You deserve the chance to end it, before it’s too late.
That’s my plan, anyways.
I’ve got the revolver loaded, and at the first sign of it.. I’m pulling the trigger.
But I’m getting ahead of myself I guess.
I’m a scientist. Have been for over 20 years.
I’ve seen some crazy stuff. Stuff that every day civilians don’t know a thing about..
A few weeks ago, my colleague and good friend Jason showed me some research he’d been doing on the down low.
He showed me that he’d been tracking an asteroid, and not just any asteroid, this thing was massive.. It would be worldwide death, should it hand.
He begged me to not tell anyone. He said he needed more time to research before he sent the world into a panic.
I understood.
Our line of work wasn’t easy. I had his back, and never said a word to my boss, or Jane, not that she would’ve listened anyways.
And then this morning.. The text I woke up to.
The one that’s changed everything.
It was Jason. He confirmed the asteroid was coming faster than he first anticipated, and there was nothing that could be done.
We would all be facing a certain death in a matter of hours. He wished me peace, and that was that.
Of course I took matters into my own hand, protecting my wife. It’s what a husband does.
I am about to make a cup of tea, take the gun and sit in the sunshine.
Enjoy the quiet for a bit more before it’s time.
-
Update.
Sitting out the back drinking a Peppermint tea Jane only used on special occasions.
The text was so unexpected, so surprising, that I spilled hot tea all over my leg when my phone chimed.
It was Jason.
“April fools! But seriously, are you on your way in, or what? We’ve a meeting in 15, and you know how the boss hates when we’re late.”