Maybe Apocalypse wasn't so bad after all...

This was actually a runner up in the L.Ron Hubbard Sci Fi contest several years ago.

I was six or seven, I couldn't tell, but it felt like six or seven. I lay on the grassy hillside by the school. A blade of the sweet grass was clutched in my lips as I watched the clouds drifting by in the startlingly blue sky. I rolled over and watched an ant carry the leg of some less fortunate insect across the rough surface towards his home.

Lost in thought, I almost missed the bell. As it rang I stood up and...

The dream shattered as I awoke. The darkness was total. I reached blindly for the Big Ben alarm clock, I turned it off and switched on the battery powered light that stood on the bedside table. After the total darkness even the dim light from the battery lamp overpowered my eyes. I clenched them tightly and then gradually relaxed the lids, until I could open them enough to see the peeling walls and ceiling of the bedroom.

My wife stirred, and then, frowning as if unwilling to awake, opened her eyes. They were startlingly blue, like the summer sky from my dream.

"Good morning dear." She stretched. "You really must stop by the hardware store for that paint tonight." She smiled at me.

"Yes dear." My standard answer.

She stretched again and slid out of bed, wincing as her bare feet touched
the cold concrete floor.

She had stopped asking for carpet several days ago. She got her bathrobe from the wallhook and pulled it around her. I watched with saddly as she walked towards the kitchen/living area. In the last month she had lost several pounds and gotten more grey hair. I could hear her working at the small sink and then the flush of the small chemical toilet as I put on my clothes. I combed my hair, dismayed at the amount left in the comb.

"Better hurry or you'll be late for work." She called over her shoulder as she prepared breakfast, oatmeal. "Sunny side up dear?" She asked the same question each morning. At first I thought it a joke.

"Yes honey." I answered.

"Check for the paper dear." She turned and smiled at me.

"Alright." I walked the few short steps to the inner door and opened it. I entered the outer chamber and stood for several moments and then returned to the room. "Not there love." I called to her.

"Well, you had better call the paper, the boy seems to have forgotten us again." She said petulantly.

"I'll call from work." I answered. He has probably forgotten everyone, I said to myself. Aloud I asked, "Breakfast ready yet?", and sat at the rude wooden table. I wished we hadn't run out of white gas the second week. Oh well, it probably would have over loaded the filters anyway.

"Yes, watch out it's hot." She set the bowl of cold oatmeal in front of me. "I'm glad you've stopped using salt, it's bad for you dear."

"I'm glad I please you honey."

I choked down the cold, sticky oatmeal in silence. When I finished she picked up the bowl and took it over to the small kitchen area. Stepping over to cleanup area I began the ritual of shaving.

I used my pocket knife to shave some soap from the bar into the shaving mug. I added a bit of water and, with the brush, worked up a lather. Setting the cup down I applied the lather. After stropping the straight razor a few times I shaved. The first time I had used the silly thing I had nearly bled to death from nicks, but now, several weeks later, I was an old hand.

I had tried to stop the ritual of shaving, but it seemed to upset Rose, so I continued. It added a touch of the real to an unreal situation, I guess. I finished up and rinsed carefully, conserving water.

I dragged into the bedroom area for my tie. It was ratty, but again, Rose got upset if I neglected to wear it. After all, I was a manager, she would tell me. I re-entered the living area and saw that Rose had finished the dishes. I walked over to the sink and, opening the cupboard beneath , removed the bucket holding the now soapy wash water.

"Did the plumber say when he would be here to fix the drain?" Rose asked.

"I told you honey, he's very busy, it may take several weeks." The answer mollified her, she sat down in the one comfortable chair and began her embroidery. It was a very complex piece with dragons and knights and who knew what all. Even working all day it would take her several weeks, thank God.

"You leaving now dear?" She looked up.

"As soon as I take out the trash and waste water." I answered.

"Thank you dear." She went back to her work.

I removed the small bucket from under the sink where I had shaved and emptied it into the one from under the kitchen area sink. I took the leavings from our canned dinner of the previous night and the scrapings from the oatmeal and put them into a second bucket. "I'll be right back."

"O.K. darling, but do hurry, it wouldn't do for the manager to be late, sets a bad example you know." She looked up and smiled.

"Oh, I will hurry honey." I answered. Picking up the buckets I went out the inner door. I dumped the waste water into the filter unit and the garbage into the compost, except for the cans of course. I carried empty buckets back into the living area and put them into their places.

"Well, I guess I will be off honey. Have a good day." I tried to sound cheerful.

"Come on now, give us a kiss." She stood, and putting down the sewing, held out her arms. I walked over and held her tightly and kissed her.

"I love you." I whispered in her ear. Sighing I released her.

"Keep that up and I won't let you go." She teased.

"I could stay home..." I started.

"Oh no dear! That just wouldn't do!" She started to get the vacant look as she had many times before, and then a touch of panic. "It just wouldn't be normal would it dear, for you to stay home?" The touch of panic, and a lesser one of pleading was in her voice.

"No honey, I guess it wouldn't be." I smiled a tired smile. Her eyes were bright again.

"Right you are dear. We'll have pot roast tonight."

I looked at the meager supply of can goods, barely enough for the time left.
"Yes, that would be nice." I answered. "It's my favorite you know."

"Well, you could eat better Roger, I swear you've lost some weight." She patted my thin waist.

We both had, I thought to myself.

"I'll be going now, don't let in any strangers."

"You know I won't, the only strange thing I let in is you!" She laughed.

"Alright honey, I'll see you tonight, regular time." I turned and went out the inner door, closing it behind me.
Walking over to the meter on the outer door I took the reading from it. Plotting the reading on a chart I checked the extrapolated decay curve. It appeared that only the long lived stuff was left. Another month, two at most. I rubbed my stomach, hoping the food held out. I waited ten minutes and re-entered the living area.

Rose sat in her chair, her sewing in her lap. She started slightly at the sound of the door closing, looking up. She glanced past me and went back to her work, humming tunelessly to herself. It lasted about eight hours, that humming, then, gradually she would see me and everything would be "Normal" again.

The endless repetition of her humming nearly drove me crazy the first week, but I had thought to myself, if I went crazy where would we be then?