Stranger

“And where might you be headed?”

Saturday. The twenty-second of May. It felt like each morning she’d been moving slower, even with the few rides she desperately snatched, and the few buses she had enough money to ride- it still felt scarier and scarier every passing day. If she had any idea how long she had left, she’d buckle to her knees in fear.

“Some weather we’re having.”

She’d gotten lost in Utah. It wasn’t the first time, but it felt the most hopeless. To top it all off, the sky was getting redder every day. It looked just like her dream now- more like the insides of an organism than an atmosphere.

“Not one to talk, I hear ya. No prob, no prob.”

Frankie curled up into a ball right in the middle of the sidewalk. Her feet hurt.

“Hey! You alright, Miss…?”

She shook her face behind her legs, finally acknowledging him. The guy walking behind her on the street sounded like a total jerk, but she wasn’t feeling picky right now.

“Oh. I’m sorry, I really am. I’ve been on the road too, you know. My grandpa’s worried about this whole flooding business… thinks it’s the rapture or something, come to get us. He won’t pick up our calls, so… I’m on my way there.” He squeezed out a rough laugh.

Why tell me all this? It won’t matter, soon. Frankie brooded to herself. She bit her tongue. The path had already hardened her heart.

“If you ask me… this is probably just an environmental thing. More continental drowning, you know? Gosh, I’m sure this place’ll be underwater soon… But uh, you know? I’m not too worried about all that. Of course this space rock would fall apart sooner or later. I’m just looking forward to shouting some sense into my gramps when I get to him.”

Who is this idiot? Despite her self-criticism, she instinctively snapped right back to rudeness. She didn’t understand why. She felt bad, but, then again, she hadn’t said a word to the traveler.

He sounded so happy.

“I used to hate this city. But… eh, imagining it going under, be it from… earthquakes, or flooding… does make me feel an ounce more grateful for the sorry thing. I’m gonna miss it.”

Frankie couldn’t think of anything to say.

“Huh, we probably won’t ever see each other again, will we? Funny thought. Well, it was nice while it lasted. I’m gonna run off now. I’ve got a good feeling about this day… now that I’ve gotten that all off my chest. Good luck out there, bud!”

As he ran off, she listened to the footsteps get quieter and quieter until they weren’t there anymore, drowned out by the sound of amusement machines.

She finally grew the courage to stand up, looking all around, but of course, the nameless man wasn’t there.

She thought about what he said. It hadn’t made much sense, and yet…

Something was making her forget the aching of her feet as her fists automatically clenched.

Frankie ran off in the direction of her destination, as fast as she could go.

She never saw his face, but she thanked the nameless man in her head.