Fresh air infused with the sweet smell of lilies that grew in his backyard.
This is one of his best memories that David likes to reminisce about every morning now. He was only eight years old back then, innocently playing in the garden as he watched his grandmother water the lilies. This one memory brings him so much joy and hope. At other times it makes his blood boil with rage and makes him hate his life.
He isn’t sure who he hates more. Is it himself because he still somehow survived? Is it those politicians who thought raging war upon each other would bring them more power? Or is it the people who supported it in the name of distasteful patriotism? He is never sure anymore. All he knows is that every time he needs to put on the gas mask to go out for food and water, he keeps smelling phantom lilies. But he knows there are no lilies. There is nothing anymore. There is only poisonous gas weighing down the air, dust and rubble, some people still surviving, wanting to die as soon as possible.
It is Octavia’s turn today, to go out and get water for them. It is only him and her now. His memory of their meeting is vague and he doesn’t push himself trying to remember it either. She is a good companion. She knows how to survive and that is the only thing he appreciates about her.
“It’s not working. I think its broken.” said Octavia, holding the small cylinder of oxygen they take out as backup.
“Hey! Did you hear me?” she called out again, trying to get David’s attention. But she knows he wouldn't answer. He hardly talks nowadays.
Octavia hates this sudden change in him. One day he came back with a dirty, plastic lily, probably some decoration he had found while he was out hunting for food. They all know real plants don’t exist anymore. He came back, showing it off like a trophy and chattering away about the childhood memories. Then suddenly he became so silent. Now all he does is stares at it like it can somehow magically turn back time. Octavia’s hate grows every day because she knows hoping for better days are a child’s dream. They are here to survive. That's all. She doesn’t think surviving and living are the same either but she has made her peace with it.
Knowing that David wouldn’t help, she leaves the backup oxygen and goes out, to perhaps find something to fix it and obviously get water. They had run out of water about 13 hours ago.
David watches her leave, feeling relieved that there will be no hateful, judging eyes on him. He twirled the plastic lily in his hand, amusing himself with its phantom smell. Maybe if he could go out and take a deep breath, he would smell something nice. It's been more than two decades since he had last smelled anything to be honest.
It took a significant amount of time for David before he realized that it's dark outside. The darkness, however, was merely a problem as the toxic fumes covered the sky most of the time nowadays. The world we used to know is gone long ago and along with it, dusk and dawn both turned into a dreadful reminder of survival.
David stepped off his bed and realized that Octavia is not home yet. This is something that made him get out of his world of imagination as being outside in the dark is close to suicide. The world is ending, but there are still people out there who will not think twice before killing you and taking all your supplies. Most importantly, Octavia was carrying the water pouch with her. What if some lunatic out there saw the water pouch and assaulted her?
“Should I go out and look for her?” David pondered.
“But what if she comes back and sees that I am not here? What would happen then?”
After talking to himself for a couple minutes, David decided that he would go out to look for Octavia. They have been together for a long period and David feels that it is his duty to take care of her, especially if she’s in danger. David gets up, puts the gas mask on, loads his small backpack and heads outside, into the unknown.
For the next one and a half hours, David kept searching for Octavia in all the possible locations. The darkness outside was making it even difficult for him as the small head lamp was not doing much work to cut through the wall of darkness. It was not the first time for David to be out in the dark. As a matter of fact, he has done this a number of times while hunting for food or other supplies. But this time it was different. His partner was out there somewhere and there was no surety that she would come back to him.
David felt nauseous thinking about it. He thought of drinking some water but that is not an option as the toxic gases will kill him in minutes. He was about to go in the other direction when he heard a sound.
It was Octavia calling him.
David rushed towards the sound and soon he saw Octavia, standing on rubble. In her hand, was a bright white Lily? It was shining even in the darkness, and David felt that it was the most beautiful sight he had seen in decades. David took a step towards Octavia and he suddenly noticed that she's not wearing her mask.
“Where’s your mask?” He screamed.
“I wanted to smell Lily”, replied Octavia.
“Take off the mask and come here, I know you like it also”, Octavia smiled.
David never knew what happened after that. All he remembered before blacking out was the toxic fumes entering his lungs, burning his insides.
The last thing that David realized before he embraced death was the fact,
that Octavia had died 20 years ago, when the first missile hit.
Written in collaboration with a friend. S.M
