The Crown of Ashes and Blood

Part I Xena Apoc

When it happened, no one knew the consequences. They say hindsight is twenty-twenty. Humanity had fought many wars, overcome plagues, droughts, floods, fires, and anything else nature threw our way. A few asteroids had flown close by, like Apophis in 2029 and SG344 a year later. Scientists were always predicting the end of the world from an asteroid, the next Chicxulub, but they would pass by harmlessly. Humanity became less concerned about any looming threat from the heavens.

Eventually, however, that luck ran out when Xena Apoc appeared on the radar in 2248. It was predicted to make landfall in nineteen years and was on a direct collision course with Earth. Strangely, no one seemed excited or worried; many didn’t even care about the multiple warnings of impending doom. Our sensationalist evening news made every doom story feel passé, and people yawned openly at the supposed end of the world.

By 2265, Xena Apoc was still on course and now visible in the night sky—a glistening beauty of destruction. A growing number of people began to express concern. A man walked down the street with "Repent, Sinner" scrawled in red across his bare chest. In 2266, the faith of many was shaken, and hundreds of churches were burned as Xena Apoc grew larger in the sky. People began to ransack businesses, and suicide rates surged. In 2267, Xena Apoc was so bright in the sky that it could be seen even during daylight.

The news was bleak, with 24/7 live reports pleading for humanity to seek shelter underground and stock up on food and water. It was a constant drone of pointless procedures designed to give a sense of control when most of us knew survival was slim. I often looked up at Xena and wondered what my future would have been like. At just twenty-three, I had so much life ahead of me, but it was all going to be cut short. My friends, whom I had deemed fellow intellectuals, became addicted to narcotics, spending their days slumped in a blissful coma. I decided to stay clear-headed.

I stared at Xena Apoc, named by NASA after Greek words meaning "stranger lifting the veil." Why bother giving our doom such a flowery name? Why not call it "Doom Rock" or "Death Ball"? Streets became deserted, and holographic clocks counted down the days to impact. There was no grand space launch to stop it; no nuclear attack would succeed—it was far too large and beyond our technology to deflect. Some wealthy citizens prepared to leave Earth on a shuttle, but there was nowhere to go. Their plan was to remain in orbit or possibly try the Moon, but with limited oxygen and supplies, it only meant a different death, not an escape.

While others stocked their shelters as the final months ticked away, I wandered the streets, watching Xena Apoc, the sickle of doom hanging brightly over my head.

“I could have been something, you know!” I yelled at it. “But no, you had other plans. What will you do when we’re all gone, and you’re just a smoldering crater, huh?” I glared at the unresponsive orb. “What then? This is as much your grave as ours.”

I kicked a rock into a shuttered business, shattering the glass door into tiny, sparkling shards. I walked over to the pile of glass and, reached through the door to grab the rock, accidentally cutting my wrist. “Ouch!”

“Are you alright?” A guy stood there, looking at me. “I talk to it too, you know. So far, no answer either.” He chuckled.

“Are you making fun of me?” I snapped.

“Not really,” he smirked.

What a jerk. I wondered how long he had been following me and what the deal was with that red cross necklace. Maybe he was part of one of those end-of-the-world cults? “I’m fine, really.” I got up and walked away. But I kept glancing back through my peripheral vision; he was still standing there.

I turned down an alley, out of his view, and started to run. The alley was clogged with trash and debris since nothing was really running anymore; people were too busy hiding, and as a result, garbage pickup had ceased. I wasn’t going to hide, but I certainly didn’t want to get caught by some weird cult fanatic.

I climbed through a window into an empty apartment. The walls were spray-painted with profanity, and doors were ripped from their hinges. An eerie silence enveloped me, and I could hear my heart thudding in my ears. I climbed over some furniture into the hallway, which was still relatively clear, and ran to the other side of the building. I slipped into the corner apartment, propped the door back on its hinges, and locked it.

I walked over to the windows, making sure they were all secure, and drew the shades. The apartment must have belonged to an elderly woman, with décor at least fifty years old. Her television was an old holo model, and the furniture was a garish silver. Some of her clothes were still in the closet, crushed velvet dresses with thin ruffles. Gross. I wondered if she was in one of the underground communal shelters. At least she had lived most of her life, I thought, looking at the floating family photo wall. I waited in the ugly apartment for a few hours and took the opportunity to eat the food I had in my backpack.

I had figured that guy would have moved on by now, and decided to leave. I could not stand the thought of being underground or even inside. I liked the fresh air and seeing Xena Apoc as if my eyes stopped it from advancing. I wanted to be there and see the impact; it would be the most exciting thing to happen in my whole life, and I might as well be there. The news announcements continued to drone, and the clocks kept their countdown, but then something changed. A sonic bang, and a large flash of light. Had Xena crossed early?

Next- Part II Saved