2. Of All the Places in the World, I Had to Run Into You

Ethan

The next morning was the first time in a while that I woke up and didn't have a care in the world. There was no point in going to work. Money isn't valuable anymore. All that is valuable now is food and water. Unless you have a car, then you also need gas. Luckily I always used Uber or public transportation. As far as I was concerned I could be considered a wealthy man in terms of the new values.

I decided to stay in and day drink but my streaming services were offline. I also tried playing my games but the servers were offline as well. And drinking alone in your apartment with no online access is just depressing. So I decided to venture out.

There would be one place for me to go to spend my final days. My public library. Yes, I said it. I would rather spend my final days in the library reading books to pass the time. Although I had put it off for years, I might as well finish off my reading list.

I took a shower, happy that the hot water was still running. I wonder when this will stop. I never had to think about such things. With the world ending, it'll start looking like one of those apocalypse movies where everything is in ruins and people are killing each other for whatever reason. Seriously, I have no time for the likes of a disaster movie outside.

I get dressed and pack a backpack full of water and snacks. Who knows how long I'll be out. I remove the barricade on my front door and look through the peephole. Nothing going on outside as far as I can see. I unlock the door and fling the backpack over my shoulders and venture out into an unknown world.

Honestly, it didn't appear that out of the ordinary. Aside from a bunch of drunk people on the streets and the stores being looted, everything appeared relatively normal. This however, didn't last too long. A gunshot in the distance sounded and everyone began to panic. Not going to lie, I wanted to run away and start crying with all the chaos running around in the city. But what good would that do? I had no one to turn to, no one to comfort me, nor anyone to protect me and vice versa. I just held it all in and moved forward, like I always did.

The library was a good three miles from my apartment, but it felt like three hundred. I must've drank a bottle and a half of water before finally reaching the library. I dreaded to think that with everything happening, that the library would be closed. I was surprised when I saw that it wasn't.

I went inside and saw the librarian, a kind woman in her forties with a welcoming smile.

"Hello, good afternoon," She said. "Feel free to stay as long as you want."

"I didn't think you would be open."

The librarian kindly smiled and responded, "Well, I wasn't going to. But then I realized that there might be some people who have no place to go, or escape to."

"Well," I said to her. "This place was always a sanctuary for me."

"As it is for all of us." She simply extended her arm to the shelves and said, "Feel free to take anything home with you."

"Thank you." I said. Before I made my way to the shelves, I opened my pack and pulled out a granola bar, a bag of chips, and a bottle of water and handed them to her.

"Oh, thank you, it's not necessary."

"All the same," I said, "This is my thanks to you."

She smiled and accepted my gift and went behind her desk, while I went for the shelves.

I don't know how many hours I spent there, but I had already found at least ten books that I wanted to read. I believe six of them were on my list. I was so lost in the shelves, it felt unreal. Coming here made me feel like what was happening outside was all a dream. I truly meant when I said this place is a sanctuary for me. Once I stepped in, I no longer felt scared, I felt safe, that I never wanted to leave.

To some, spending your final days in a library reading books may sound sad or boring. But to me, dying while reading books sounds quite romantic. I know it's rich coming from me, since I haven't experienced romance in years. But this place brings back all those good feelings. Sure wish I had come back sooner.

Other people started to come in and look around. I guess I wasn't the only one. But for some reason, I felt I was being watched. There were only a handful of people in the library and all were browsing the shelves. I couldn't shake this feeling and kept looking around. I couldn't find the cause of this feeling. I decided to ignore it and take my books back with me to my table and started reading.

I finished four books from my stack and all the while I still felt eyes on me. I don't know how, even in my escape to these worlds in the books, that someone would be watching me read. Especially for hours.

I had finished another book and decided to take a break and rest my eyes. I collected my trash from the snacks I ate and threw it away. I casually glanced around to see who was watching me, but I couldn't find anyone. I figured if I am being watched, whoever is watching me is probably hidden amongst the shelves. So I decided to reshelve the books I finished.

I decided to take the long way around. I know this library well. So well in fact that I can give whoever is watching me the slip and catch them. I went down one aisle and hurriedly circled back. I went as fast as I could that I ran into someone without thinking. We both fell to the floor as well as my books.

"I'm so sorry." I said as I was picking up my books.

The other gentleman started picking up my books and said, "It's ok."

That moment we reached for the same book and our hands touched. It was that touch and that voice that made me really look at him.

"Ethan?" he asked.

"Riley." It was him.

"Ethan!" the excitement in his voice couldn't be contained. "It's really you!"

After so many years, seeing him again brought a myriad of emotions that I never wanted to feel again. But here we were, at the end of the world with the one person I ever loved, the one I truly hate now.

Riley

The news of the meteor was the icing on this disaster cake that is my life. Before all this, people would look at me and say how I am living the life. I have a couple of luxury cars, go home with a different woman every night, and rub elbows with the celebrities.

Behind closed doors, I'm just a worthless asshole who hurts people. In public, everyone is nice to me because I help produce their show or project. Those that do know me only tolerate me because I'm beneficial to their career. My so-called friends only call me because they need help promoting their show or album. Something that I can arrange for them quite easily. But when I need someone to talk to, no one has time for me.

Then there was Dani. She was this pop star that I met during her days with her band. She was the only true friend I had that truly accepted me. Her and one other person.

But Dani was the only one I had at the time. Although I did try, she rejected all my advances but she still was my friend. Now she's gone. Now I have no one left.

"There's still hope." Her last words spoken to me when I saw her last.

I never believed in anything. Bullshit like religion, superstition, hell; even other people I never believed in. Except for two people I did believe in. She told me to believe in something. Hope.

"Well, here goes." I said as I went to the public library. Truth be told, I wasn't expecting anything but I took that leap of faith and took a chance on hope. I went inside and saw this older lady behind the desk.

"Welcome." she said.

Before I could say anything back, I saw him. Still as beautiful as ever, even though everyone may not think so, but to me he was the most beautiful person in the world.

He didn't see me, so I followed him and watched him from afar. What would I even say to him? How would I explain being here to him? Does he still hate me?

I stood there, pretending to read while watching him. I remained hidden behind the stacks so he wouldn't see me. But I could tell, he felt me watching him. It made me smile every time he knew I was watching him.

After a few hours, he got up, threw away his trash, and took the books he finished. I tried to follow him but I think he caught on to me. Luckily I still know how he thinks. So I went around to try and beat him before he caught me but I ended up bumping into someone.

The moment he said, "Sorry." my heart stopped beating for about a minute.

"It's ok" was all I could say.

He looked at me with those beautiful brown eyes and I was lost.

"Ethan?" Saying his name once again, felt like breathing again after being trapped in an airtight room for so long.

"Riley." When he said my name, I felt that he wasn't pleased to see me. Not that I blame him. What I did to him was horrible. But hope brought me here, and I dare say, fate brought him here back to me.

"Ethan! It's really you!" I put my hand on his shoulder to make sure I'm not dreaming. "You haven't changed one bit."

The look on his face warmed my heart but also drove in red hot nails through it. I had to ask him because I had no idea.

"How long has it been?"

He shrugs off my hand and stands up, his back facing me, avoiding eye contact.

"It's been ten years." His voice was breaking, he was holding in sadness, anger, and pain.

There are two things for certain in this moment. One, I am still in love with him. Two, he truly hates me.

I'm sorry, Ethan, I think to myself. I promise you, no matter what or how much you hate me, I will not let you go this time.