Death on the Horizon

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Death on the Horizon

There are some things that happen, some horrible things that no one expects, where nothing can be done about it. That moment of panic a person has right before they drown. That feeling of terror as a person is being burned alive, still conscious. The thoughts, the fear, the horror as a person is falling to their death. No one knows what a person is thinking before they die. But what if that moment before death was drawn out? What if instead of seconds, there were hours. You can see death coming and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it.

Ben Christmon was thinking just that as he sat on the front porch of his victorian style home. He hugged himself, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared off into the distance. He could not yet see death strolling up the horizon, but he knew it would show it's putrid face sooner or later, brandishing a suit and tie, like proper death should.

At his side, his five year old brother, Mike sat immitating him in all reality. Though Mike's eyes were less glazed than his brother's and he still had color in his face. He held the innocence of ignorance, still unaware of the danger that threatened them. It was no longer danger, Ben thought to himself, now it's a fact.

"Where's mommy?" Mike's voice was small, childish, and quiet. He looked up at Ben with big brown eyes. Ben turned his head slowly, almost breaking underneath the soft gaze of his younger brother. "Is she coming home soon?" He asked, putting his chin in his hands and looking as bored as a five year old could. Ben marvelled in his pureness. He wanted to hug his little brother and say, 'Yes Mike, mom will be here in a while.' He wanted to ensure the child that their mother would come back from the grocery store with his favorite fruit snacks and juice any minute now. But he couldn't. He had never been a liar.

"She's not coming home." Ben whispered, looking out to the driveway where he saw his mother's car parked. Ben had told Mike that Mommy wasn't in the car. In a way, he had been telling the truth. Mommy was no longer here. Her body was, with a bullet hole through her forehead and her eyes staring glossily at the dashboard, but she wasn't really there. She had left them. Too much of a coward to face fate in its truest form.

"Why not?" Mike asked, untying one of Ben's shoes. It was a playful movement, one that Mike did often. Ben usually took his brother in his arms and ruffled his hair, pretending to be aggresive with him for the simple act that had always sparked the true meaning of brotherly love.

Now, Ben only stared at the shoe, wishing that things could go back to the way they were. The way it used to be before that horrible news report had been displayed on every television, every radio, everywhere the news could possible get out to the people.

"It is sweeping the world swiftly. The government is urging people to take shelter in their basements or built in bomb shelters. Take plenty of food to last possibly months. Get there as quickly as possible. My God. It has taken out all of the eastern hemisphere and is spreading west. Take shelter while you can. Sweet Jesus be with you and God Speed." The news had been cut then and the white fuzz and static took place of the anchor's face.

Ben knew the truth. If they took shelter, they would be hidden for longer than mere months. The earth would be destroyed. No oxygen, no living thing would be left. They would be down there for the rest of their lives.

"She went to go see someone." Ben whispered, watching as Mike stood up and stretched his arms, getting bored of just sitting around. Ben watched him, once again falling in love with his innocence.

"What someone?" Mike asked, folding his arms above his head and sticking his stomach out.

On the horizon, a light started to appear above the treeline. Ben raised his head a little, trying to see more, but it hadn't yet reached above the greenness of the trees. A moment of panic gripped his heart, but it was gone quickly. There was nothing he could do about it, not now. He knew what was to come.

A dog ran across the yard, stopping in front of them. He growled insanely and then barked. Mike put his arms down and let out a cry, falling back onto Ben's lap. Ben wrapped his arms around his brother and kicked his foot out, hitting the dog away. He knows what's happening. Ben thought to himself.

There was a noise that brought both Ben and Mike's attention to the sky. Above them, a flock of birds flew. When Ben looked closer, he saw that it wasn't a flock. It was only a group. Robins, crows, seagulls, every type of bird flew together. Some ran into each other, both falling crashing to the ground. Ben watched as one fell to the ground, a sickening crack as its neck snapped.

Mike whimpered and burried his face into Ben's chest, nuzzling his shirt. Looking across the street, Ben saw two dogs fighting. The house that stood there was empty, barren. A cat ran across the porch, jumping off of the railing on landed onto the picked fence. One of the fence's boards pierced the cat's stomach and it stayed there, blood streaming painting the fence anew.

Ben had enough. He picked Mike up and carried him inside the house, closing the door behind them. "What's wrong with the animals?" Mike asked as Ben sat him down at the kitchen table. Ben sat down across from him and looked out the window. The glow on the horizon was getting brighter. Pretty soon he would be seeing the cause.

"They're scared." Ben answered his brother, still glaring out the window.

"Why?" Mike asked, his face looking upset. Ben stared at him before letting a smile come to his face.

"Don't worry about it." He said. "It won't last long." After a moment's pause, Ben stood up and said, "I have an idea. Let's play clue." He said, going into the other room and grabing the board game from a shelf in the closet. He came back into the kitchen and saw Mike standing on a step stool, looking out the window.

"What's that light, Ben?" He asked.

Ben closed his eyes. Why are you doing this? Why are you letting this happen? Opening his eyes he forced another smile to his lips. "It's nothing, come on. I'm Professor Plum."

Mike turned, eyes blazing. "No! I want to be Plum. You be mustard because mustard is yucky." Mike said, hopping down from the stool and sitting at the table, taking his pieces.

Looking out the window as Mike set up the game, Ben saw the orange swirl and lick of flames break above the trees. It was coming. It would be there soon. Another moment of panic gripped Ben's heart and for a second he thought he would lose it. He gripped the edge of the table and closed his eyes.

"Ben?" Mike's voice broke his panic and Ben looked at him, reading his expressions. "What's wrong?" Mike asked.

Ben shook his head. "Nothing. Let's play." He said, rolling the dice.

A bird flew into the window, shattering it and spraying glass across the kitchen. Ben reached over the table and shielded Mike from the onslaught of glass. Mike screamed, terror filling his brown eyes. Ben swore beneath his breath and then all was silent inside the house. The dead bird lay on the kitchen floor. Mike stood perfectly still, his eyes wide with fear. Ben stared outside. The noise was starting to be audible.

"What is that?" Mike asked, looking up at his brother. But his face suddenly looked towards Ben's shoulder. "You're bleeding." He said. Ben looked at his shoulder. A piece of glass protruded from it. He hadn't even felt it. Reaching to the glass, he pulled it out. There was a smacking sound as it popped free from his flesh. "Ben please." Mike sobbed, tears finally spilling from his eyes as a squirt of blood shot from Ben's arm. "What's going on?" He cried.

Ben could only stare at his brother. The noise in the background was getting louder. The orange swirl was getting taller and closer. Ben clenched his hands into fists and nodded. "Okay. Okay, come on, we're going into Dad's office." Ben picked Mike up and carried him into the office, closing the door and turning on the light. They would be losing power soon. He'd need a flash light.

"Ben, I'm scared." Mike whispered, cuddling close to his brother. Ben put a hand on Mike's back, just nodding his head. "Make that noise go away." He sobbed.

The noise was loud now. What had begun as a distant roar was now loud and hard, rough, shaking. Ben put a hand to his eyes, trying to think of any way out of this. There was none. There was nothing he could do to save himself or his brother. He had always believed that when it came down to it, his instinct of survival would allow him to live through anything. But not even instincts could save him from this. Nothing could, not even God.

"Let's sing a song, huh?" Ben said, moving Mike so that he could see his face. Mike shook his head, crying too hard to sing. Ben forced himself to start singing. "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine." He nudged Mike who just sobbed. Ben went on. "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, oh let shine. Come on Mike, please." He whispered, brushing a lock of Mike's brown hair out of his eyes. He started again. "This little light of mine."

Mike sniffed and then started singing with his brother. His voice was soft and Ben felt tears coming to his eyes at the sound of it. If only this cruel thing would take pity on innocence like this. Ben no longer cared if it took him, but he prayed for it to leave his brother alone.

Half way through the song, when Mike stopped crying and Ben was even started to feel a little better, the house started shaking. The singing abruptly stopped and Mike's eyes went wide. A picture fell off of the wall and Ben cursed.

"Make it stop!" Mike screamed, putting his hands over his ears. Tears started flowing again and Ben looked towards the door. He was suddenly filled with rage. He stood up. Mike grabbed at his legs as he opened the door and ran out. "Wait!" Mike screamed, left alone. He got up and ran after his brother.

Ben stalked through the house, a look of anger, pure hatred etched all over his face. The windows were now filled with the orange swirl. He couldn't see the sky anymore. Ben opened the front door and ran down the steps of the porch, staring at the firewall that was now closer than ever. Fear and excitement, adrenaline, anger, sadness, hatred, it all ran through his system then.

"Ben!" Mike screamed from the doorway. He stood still when he saw the firewall. Mike began shaking, clutching the door frame. Ben didn't notice Mike wet himself and collapse to the ground, shaking and breathing irrapidly.

"Go away!" Ben screamed at the top of his lungs, over the roar of the quick moving flames. "I hate you! I hate you!" He screamed, throwing his fists at air. "Leave us alone!" His voice was sucked up by the noise.

The fire consumed the house across the street and Ben braced himself, knowing what was coming. His mind was distantly on Mike, who sat quivering in the door. He wished that it would spare him. He had just begun to live.

Crossing the street, burning at their yard. Ben threw his hands up in front of him in a last moment of panic. It hit him hard. Consuming him. Ben let out a scream but no one heard. He shook his head, death wasn't suppose to be now. All feeling was gone. He couldn't breathe. Death was pulling him deep into it's bowels. Mike! Ben screamed inside of his head as his mind was ripped away.

There was no pain. There was no light. There was no sound. There was only darkness.

I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.

-Genesis 9:11

God never mentioned fire.