I told myself this couldn’t be happening. There was no reason for the Earth to suddenly be consumed in fire. Raising my hand to shield my eyes from the coruscating light, I tried to look into it anyway.

Even with my precaution, it was too bright to see anything near the center. Five thousand miles away and the searing heat still felt like it was cooking my eyeballs and burning my face. Skyscrapers cried rivulets of melted concrete and glass. Trees burst into flame becoming living torches. The world smelled like the end of a week long barbecue. Char and smoke and ash rode on blistering winds. I envied those near the point of impact. Their deaths would have been instantaneous.

This was wrong! There were so many things that I would never finish.

Love never declared.

The stench of boiled fish filled the air as the ocean began to bubble and boil.

I had been rendered blind by the time a small soft hand had crept into mine. I had no idea who she was but that small gesture allowed us to face the end together.