Eagles - Hotel California

The Last Resort

The Last Resort

They were standing shoulder to shoulder in the church, waiting for the inspiring words of the pastor.

"Where you from?" The redhead with the kids asked.

"Malibu." Aponi didn't take her eyes off the alter.

"Think this will do any good?" The kids were already squirming in the pew.

"No." None of it did any good. They were doomed. You could already see it in the sky, hurtling toward the Earth. They tried blowing it up, nothing worked.

"Then why are you here? The pastor was moving to the pulpit.

"To balance my books, of course." Aponi didn't elaborate, but she'd done a lot of crazy things. Not only on the rez but in the white man's world. People hired her to get the job done. She had a lot of money, but it did no good now.

"Hey...hey... If I die, and you don't, will you take my kids?

Aponi glanced over at the woman's three kids. "If you die, so will they."

"Just say you will." Her eyes were desperate.

"Yeah, sure. No problem." Like she was gonna make it. No one is gonna make it. She wanted to see the sunset one more time. Soon as she walked out of this church and watched the sun go down, she could watch that huge fucking shooting star smash into our planet. This was big. So big it was really hard to wrap your head around it. The scientists kept talking about fireballs and tsunamis. There's no hiding from this craziness. No bunker is gonna keep you safe.

One of the children slipped their little sticky hand into hers. He looked up and said "We're gonna be dinosaurs." Then he smiled.

"That sounds pretty cool, buddy." Aponi smiled back.

The sermon was inspiring and uplifting. The pastor said to accept the inevitable and embrace meeting with God very soon. He touched everyone on the head and blessed them. Many people were crying, hugging their loved ones, and shouting out to God, asking Him to save them.

Then it was over, in eerie silence, the congregation filed out. No one got in their cars, they sat on the hill, facing the sunset. The shadows were long over the cemetery below them. As dusk got deeper, they waited, a few of them looking in the sky with binoculars and telescopes. Kids ran around chasing fireflies and playing hide and seek among the tombstones.

It came just as it was getting dark, a speck at first, then a fireball with a brilliant tail. People pointed at the comet, others wailed and cried in fear. Aponi just leaned back and watched. It grew brighter and a tangible sound crackled in the air. Aponi gripped the blanket she was sitting on and watched. The huge asteroid entered the atmosphere and streamed across the skyline. Aponi could feel the change in the air as it passed over. Just as it flew by, chunks started breaking off and falling to the Earth. More and more pieces broke away in different trajectories. Then it blew up. Like a bomb had been in the center of it and fracture into a million pieces, creating a firestorm in the sky.

Aponi stood and watch as the asteroid self-destructed. The last of it fell to the ground somewhere and shook the Earth. Aponi never felt an earthquake but imagined this is what it felt like.

She folded the blanket and started walking to her car. The redheaded woman walked next to her with the kids in tow.

"That was something, huh?"

"Yep, that was something."

Word count - 595


Lyrics ▼

She came from Providence
One in Rhode Island
Where the old world shadows hang
Heavy in the air
She packed her hopes and dreams
Like a refugee
Just as her father came across the sea
She heard about a place
People were smilin'
They spoke about the red man's way
And how they loved the land
And they came from everywhere
To the Great Divide
Seeking a place to stand
Or a place to hide
Down in the crowded bars
Out for a good time
Can't wait to tell you all
What it's like up there
And they called it paradise
I don't know why
Somebody laid the mountains low
While the town got high
Then the chilly winds blew down
Across the desert
Through the canyons of the coast
To the Malibu
Where the pretty people play
Hungry for power
To light their neon way
Give them things to do
Some rich men came and raped the land
Nobody caught 'em
Put up a bunch of ugly boxes
And Jesus people bought 'em
And they called it paradise
The place to be
They watched the hazy sun
Sinking in the sea
You can leave it all behind
Sail to Lahaina
Just like the missionaries did
So many years ago
They even brought a neon sign
"Jesus is coming"
Brought the white man's burden down
Brought the white man's reign
Who will provide the grand design?
What is yours and what is mine?
'Cause there is no more new frontier
We have got to make it here
We satisfy our endless needs
And justify our bloody deeds
In the name of destiny
And in the name of God
And you can see them there
On Sunday morning
Stand up and sing about
What it's like up there
They call it paradise
I don't know why
You call someplace paradise
Kiss it goodbye