Skip to main content

EMPATHY

As Mary left work early, the red sun grew larger and brighter. Tom, who had taken the day off from work, was already mixing drinks and setting up lawn chairs on the roof. The moment Mary arrived, he thrust a drink into her hand.

“Tom, remember the first time we met?”

“Of course, you were working on that terraforming rig. And I was there performing a safety inspection. That day you looked very hot in that tight green jumpsuit and red hair.”

“Well not as hot as I am today.” They laugh.

Thousands of drones fly overhead recording and televising to the non-existent.

“It won’t be long now Mary. You don’t get to see this every day.”

“Tom, I have something to tell you.”

Their robotic eyes darken to block out the red giant's increasing luminosity.

“What is it, Mary?”

“What I’m trying to say is, I don’t love you, Tom.”

“Why are you telling me this now?” Tom sounding confused.

The temperature climbs, bleeding the atmosphere from the planet.

“Remember we promised to have those empathy chips installed. Well I lied, I never did.”

“Well Mary, that makes two of us.”

Engulfed in flames Mars vanishes.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

RIVALRY

D eep in the jungle of New Guinea , i n the village of Otsjanep. Two chiefs  are  locked in a bitter rivalry. Chief Mundi boasts that he holds the greate st  number of trophies. While Chief Kepanga can no longer tolerate his rivals big   head. Hoping to negate an escalating conflict. Chief   Kepanga's wife suggests offering their oldest daughter  t o the rival's son  in  marriage.   Seeing the benefits of such an arrangement, the chief yields to his wife's intuition. After six days  past,  Chief Mundi sends word   agreeing to the terms.  And a s per tradition. The celebration would be in the bride's village on the night of the full moon. *** The villagers greet the guests with cheers and flowers as they entered Otsjanep. And as customary, a fire is set in the village center.  T here will be drinking and dancing and music and feast long into the night. Around the great fire , t he time arrives for honoring the bride and groom with a toast. Once agai

A FINE BLACK SUIT

Family and friends gathered at my parents home to pray and pay their respects. After the formalities of tea and crumpets. The guests, one after another, went upstairs to my mother's bedroom to say their goodbyes. It was then that I noticed an elderly gentleman wearing a fine black suit, a kind face and an eerie grin. He appeared oddly familiar, as if from some forgotten dream. He entered the bedroom and stood at the side of my mother's bed. He held her hand as he leaned over to whisper something in her ear. And mother, eyes closed, whispered something back. He turned about now facing the bedroom door and walked past me not saying a word, nor did I for that matter. I watched him at a distance as he retrieved a black hat and walking stick. Donning the hat, he walked out the front door and never looked back. When I asked about the gentleman in the fine black suit, mother knew not of whom I spoke. Shortly after, she passed away.