At the End of Time

Ginny. Earth, 2045

It was cold on the day I died.

I remember being able to see my breath as I stood waiting for the car to pick me up from the house. The Hilltop was one of the few places left in the world where there was solitude; the rocky, mountain estate an escape from the earth’s overcrowding. And it was probably one of the only things about earth that I was going to miss.

I’d been thinking a lot about it over the last couple of weeks since the announcement. All the things that I would be leaving behind, from Nina’s blueberry scones that I had been gorging myself on, to the clean smell of pine and mountain air that permeated my bedroom in the morning. Part of me hated my parents for the decision but as I leaned against the small metal cane I knew their reasoning behind it.

My parents had told me two weeks earlier as we sat around the table at the weekly family dinner my father had mandated due to our busy schedules. I should have known something was wrong. My mother had cooked my favorite, chicken pot pie, although she knew I was too sick to more than push it around the plate. There was also the resigned looks that my parents had been sharing my mother letting out a small sniffle afterwards.

“Genesis your mother and I have something to tell you.”

The sentence itself should have set off warning bells in my head but instead fighting the foggy fatigue of my head I simply nodded pushing my still full plate from in front of me.

“I know you are aware that in several weeks time the Terra project is launching. Your mother and I have decided that you should be on that ship.”

My father held up his hand before I could protest, his eyes tired and sad.

“It buys us time Genesis. You know they haven’t found a cure for…” He guestured at me and I knew what he was implying.

He was talking about the way my clothes no longer fit having to be held up by belts, the way that I no longer could get down more than a few bites of food before my body rejected it, the way that I could no longer make it around without assistance. He was talking about the N-53 virus that was ravaging earth and had brought my semester at the Tibetan Institute to a definite end a month earlier. It was a disease my parents still refused to outright talk about even though they knew it was killing me.

“So we thought that even if it means giving you up now, it gives you a chance in the future. It will mean that you’re safe.”

With the break in my father’s voice I knew that he was trying to justify it more to himself than me. We didn’t know what the latest mission that my father’s scientists had come up with was going to do but apparently my already dwindling lifespan made me a perfect guinea pig. It was a thought that had my chest tight with sorrow and anxiety although I was determined not to let my father see it. Instead I sent a pleading look to my mother her sniffles hidden behind a curtain of her perfectly coiffed hair. She couldn’t even look at me and feeling my gaze let out a small sob and ran from the room.

That was how two weeks later despite my protest I was stood dressed in nothing more than my dressing gown waiting for a car to take me to my fate. Ignoring the offered arm I leaned heavily on the cane and ignoring the protesting of my achy joints I made my way slowly to the black town car that had pulled up. I would be damned if the last steps I took on hilltop were aided by someone else. Slumping into the backseat I attempted to zone out if only to ignore the line of faces lined along the front porch watching the car like it was a funeral procession.

My father sat tablet in hand doing business, my mother at his side looking at everything but me. I knew that in the fifteen minute drive from Hilltop to the main headquarters of Cache we should have talked about something, anything, as our time together was rapidly coming to a close. Instead we sat in silence my face peering out the open window I had cracked to let in the fresh air. I wasn’t going to get to smell fresh air anytime soon, if ever, and never again Earth air.

Making our way up the steps, I reluctantly got into the wheelchair that they had wheeled to the front entrance for me. Part of me wanted to fight through it, leave Earth strong and able. But my joints couldn’t bear my weight anymore. I kept my head down as the chair weaved through the company. I knew if I looked up I would see people I knew from the years I had spent wreaking havoc at the company, but I didn’t want to see their looks of pity. The rest of those chosen for the mission were volunteers, those who were in circumstances too desperate for them to have much choice. But me, I was the one getting sent because my parents thought I had a better chance in a cryogenesis chamber than alive on Earth.

It was only when the chair wheeled to a stop I looked up and a chill ran down the depths of my spine. The room looked like a surgical quite, white and unforgiving, and in the middle sat a silver machine that to me just looked like a coffin. I was suddenly terrified, the fear suspending any rational thought as my body weak as it was attempted to jerk out of the chair. But a strong hand clasped onto my shoulder supporting me in a standing position. Glancing to my left I saw the blue eyes of my father’s head scientist Richard Horan.

“It’s okay Genesis.” He whispered in an attempt to calm me.

“I don’t want to do this.” I whispered back receiving only a sad smile in return.

“Now I think it’s best that we say our goodbyes now so that we can do this process safely and securely.” Dr. Horan stated directing his comments at my parents.

“You mean we can’t be here when you…you…” My mother’s voice was tearful and glancing her direction she finally met my gaze.

“It’s okay mom.” I said giving all the false confidence I had left into the statement.

Steadying myself and shrugging off Dr. Horan’s guiding arm I opened my arms for a hug that my mother gratefully fell into. I don’t know how long it lasted, a minute, more? But finally she took a step back before smoothing my hair in a caress.

“I love you Genesis.” Were her last words to me before she fled the room.

My father was next, always stoic, as he pressed my head to his chest holding up my shaking legs. His hands absentmindedly traced circles on my back.

“I wish this wasn’t the only way Genny.” He stated and to my surprise I could hear his getting choked up. “I love you dear girl, stay strong.”

With that he released me and helped me over to the edge of the chamber. I sat the cold metal biting into my skin. Looking up I saw sadness and resilience in my father’s eyes, the same sapphire blue as my own. Giving him a nod I released his hands.

“You are the future Genny don’t forget that.” He said before giving me a sad smile and exiting the room.

Then it was just Dr. Horan, a nurse in pink scrubs, and me.

“Will it hurt?” I asked Dr. Horan as the nurse bustled around setting up the IV line and releasing me from the dressing gown leaving me nude in the cool hospital air.

With a shake of his head Dr. Horan turned to me. “Not at all the drug we use to stop your heart will feel just like falling asleep. Now Genesis will you get into the chamber for me.”

Following orders I sunk into the cryogenesis machine hearing the hiss of the freezing chambers. The box was already cold, resembling what I would have imagined a brisk winter’s day would have felt like when Earth had them and causing goosebumps to spread across my skin. With a prick in my lower arm and sensors place all over my exposed skin the prep work was done.

“Ready?” Dr. Horan said his eyes reluctant as he held a needle full of a filmy white substance.

I wasn’t ready. I didn’t know if I ever would be ready. But with a final deep breath I nodded. Dr. Horan pushed the needle gently into the IV tube and as I felt the serum start to course through my vains my senses getting dimmer I heard Dr. Horan’s voice sounding like a whisper.

“Good luck Genesis.”

And then I died.

Notes

So I have been AWOL from writing for a very long time. I would like to make excuses about being busy but I simply had a period where I couldn't write. Despite having a million ideas flowing through my head when I sat down to write I spent hours staring at a blank screen.

Then this story became a thing. I know it's not the typical high school/college/young adult romance thing that's usually on the site but I've always been drawn to more out of the box romances.

Maybe let me know what you think?

Till next time,
Abby