Meaningless! Meaningless!”
says the Teacher.
“Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless.”
Ecclesiastes 1:2
They had been walking for days now. Mostly in the woods, but only a week ago both were doing their last search for life in the city. As they stepped in cracking old branches and leaves she remembered the day it all had started. She was not to leave her room, her father and mother ordered. They never came back. She was 13 at that time.
She did not know where he was when those days came.
Are you sure we are the only ones left? – She asked him with tenderness.
We are – he answered.
How do you know?
I know.
He smiled at her. She smiled back. She would have believed him whatever he told her at that point. Nine years had passed since he took her. They both remembered well, the city was being heavily bombed and he entered her house to protect himself from the fire. He found her anemic and lifeless. He took her to his house in the suburbs where he cared for her until she was healthy again. They never got apart from then on.
She used to read to him, whatever they found on their travels. But they read mostly the Bible. For some reason they could identify with those tragedies and that wrath from the Old Testament. Those were spiritual times despite all, as if the human race were returning to their origin. It could be said that they were some wrecked Adam and Eve in a search for some godforsaken Garden of Eden.
It was five years ago they last saw a human being. And sick old man with no chances.
It was getting late and cold, so they took refuge below a big rock that had a sort of cavity. They took some sleeping bags out of the backpack and ate some canned peaches. They slept a lot that night. Nights were a lot more bearable since they had made their final decision. At least for her.
They kept going for days and days, each day consuming rations of all sorts of canned food, hunting whatever rodent they could get their hands on, but each day closer to finishing it all.
They then got to some desert; both knew it was the place.
He pulled out a pill box he had in his coat, one with a little tree drawing on the label, and gave her a bunch of capsules.
Are you sure you want to do this? – He asked.
Never been this sure in my life – she laughed.
I guess it had to end someway, who would´ve guessed, right? – He chuckled.
He suggested taking them all so they would make effect, as they were kind of old. She took them, he took them and they laughed. Laughter turned into coughs and then into silence.
It was five years ago they last saw a human being. And sick old man with no chances.
It was getting late and cold, so they took refuge below a big rock that had a sort of cavity. They took some sleeping bags out of the backpack and ate some canned peaches. They slept a lot that night. Nights were a lot more bearable since they had made their final decision. At least for her.
They kept going for days and days, each day consuming rations of all sorts of canned food, hunting whatever rodent they could get their hands on, but each day closer to finishing it all.
They then got to some desert; both knew it was the place.
He pulled out a pill box he had in his coat, one with a little tree drawing on the label, and gave her a bunch of capsules.
Are you sure you want to do this? – He asked.
Never been this sure in my life – she laughed.
I guess it had to end someway, who would´ve guessed, right? – He chuckled.
He suggested taking them all so they would make effect, as they were kind of old. She took them, he took them and they laughed. Laughter turned into coughs and then into silence.
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