1 Last Day

Markus was walking home from his part-time job at a convenience store down the road from his home. Beside him was his manager, Rachel. She was a little older, a senior in college compared to his freshmen status. She was cute and studying to become a doctor, taking the job for some side cash. She had light brunette hair tied back in a ponytail, her eyebrows were done, her cheeks toned, and her nails long and bright purple. Markus had choppy black hair and a thin frame, nothing special looking. They both wore the white uniform with the store's logo on their chest.

"Where do you live again?" Rachel asked, popping in a stick of bubble gum and beginning to chew.

"Oh, just a few blocks away, right up there." Markus pointed down the road to a turn further ahead.

"Being so close must be nice." she said.

Markus nodded. "Are you..?"

"Yeah, I was thinking of heading to that cute little shop at the end of this neighborhood."

"Did you find anything good the last time?"

"Um, yeah, some trinkets and things." Rechel looked away towards the sun setting in the sky.

Markus smiled and nodded.

The truth was that no store existed. Rachel had used similar excuses for the past few weeks while walking with Markus while he went home.

Markus looked up at the clouds while they walked. "Oh!" he suddenly said.

Rachel looked at him and followed his eyes. "What is it?" she asked, grinning at his expression.

Markus pointed at the clouds. "Look at that one, that one there."

Rachel followed his finger and saw a cloud, mashed together and drifting apart, half caught in the sun and half shadowed. "What is it?"

"Don't you see?" Markus said, carving his finger in the sky. "It's obviously two men arguing over the last Kabab."

Rachel broke out into laughter. "I don't see that at all!" she let out through her giggling.

Markus shrugged his shoulders and they walked on.

The sun was reaching the horizon, the sky was darkening to a grey, but a bright beam of light still blinded the clouds, painting them orange and pink.

They neared the end of the walkway, where the street ended. Markus had to turn left and Rachel right. They both stopped and turned to one another. Neither had any romantic feelings, when they first met or now, but Rachel enjoyed being around him, and Markus like spending time with someone so nice.

Markus was going to go down the block and enter the townhouse he was able to rent with his mother due to government support. He had to make dinner and crush his mother's medicine into the food, so her stomach could take it. It had been just them for a while, and it would be just him soon. He and his mother knew this for a long time. It could happen any day, he could find out any time he walked through that door, and if so, then he would have nothing left in this life. Walking with Rachel, a friend from work, made it easier.

Rachel was going to walk across the street, go another block until out of view, then call her family's car to pick her up. Her parents would be busy with work and not be home. She would study and eat a good dinner prepared for her. She had friends and family, and had slowly learned that Markus did not. But this walk, still made any day a little better.

"I'll see you tomorrow, right?" Rachel asked.

"Yeah, I'll be there." he said.

They each turned their way, Markus down another sidewalk, and Rachel across the street.

Rechel looked down and thought of what excuse she should make up tomorrow. She would need use something new. She didn't want him to find out and be-

The sound of rumble, tread of tires spinning tore her from her thoughts. she looked to her right and saw a van, speeding down the road. It was coming fast. It was right there, right in front of her. She could see the glare of the lowering sun on the windshield, blocking the driver's vision. There was no way she could move in time. This was it. Her heart lurched. She was going to die.

The loud clapping of feet on pavement. Then something pushed hard against her back, and she flew. In the air, as she fell out of the way, she looked back and she saw, with tears in her eyes, a beaming smile glowing in the sun. She never felt bad for him, never once. She was only astounded at how unbelievable he was.

*Bang*