OUR LAST DAY ON EARTH EP4
2703 Words
9:03 PM.
The first thing Lumi heard was the siren.
Not one. Dozens.
_WEE-OOO WEE-OOO_ screaming through the dark, cutting through the ringing in her ears.
Then coughing. Hers.
She was on the ground. Her cheek was against cold tile. The diner was pitch black. No lights. No power.
There was dust in her mouth. Glass in her hair. And the smell — burnt coffee, smoke, and something sharp and chemical.
“LUMI!”
Ethan.
His voice was right above her, panicked.
“LUMI, TALK TO ME!”
Lumi’s eyes flew open but she couldn’t see anything. Just darkness. Then — _flash_ — red and blue light from outside swept through the broken window.
Ethan’s face. Soot on his jaw. Blood on his temple. His eyes were wild.
“Ethan?” Her voice came out as a croak. “What— what happened?”
“I don’t know,” he said fast. His hands were already on her, checking her in the dark. “Can you move? Does anything hurt? Don’t move if your back hurts, okay?”
_Flash_ — blue light again.
Lumi could see the diner now. For one second.
Tables overturned. Chairs broken. The big front window was gone. Food was everywhere. Plates shattered. Coffee on the walls.
“I can move,” Lumi said, and coughed. It hurt. “My arm. And my head.”
“Okay, okay.” Ethan helped her sit up. The world tilted. “Slow. We’re gonna go slow.”
Outside, it was pure chaos.
“EVERYONE BACK! CLEAR A PATH!”
“WE NEED STRETCHERS HERE! IT’S DARK!”
“IS ANYONE TRAPPED?!”
Another _flash_ — red light.
Through the doorway Lumi could see them.
Police cars. 3 of them. Lights spinning, painting the street in red and blue.
Ambulances. 2 of them, parked crooked on the curb. Paramedics running with flashlights.
They were all here. For _this_ block. For _this_ restaurant. At 9PM.
“It was just us,” Lumi whispered. “Wasn’t it?”
Ethan followed her gaze. His jaw tightened. “Looks like it.”
“Ethan, the explosion—”
“I know,” he cut her off. He stood up and pulled her up with him. She swayed. It was so dark she could barely see his face. “I got you. Lean on me.”
He put her arm around his shoulders. She could feel him shaking.
“Can you walk?” he asked.
“Yeah,” Lumi lied.
They made it to the doorway. The moment they stepped outside, the night hit them. Cold air and smoke. And light — strobing, chaotic light from the police cars.
A paramedic with a flashlight was on them immediately.
“Ma’am, sir, are you injured?”
“She is,” Ethan said immediately. His voice was steady but urgent. “Cut on her arm, possible head injury. She was unconscious.”
“And you?”
“Knee,” Ethan said. “I’m fine. Her first.”
The paramedic nodded and guided Lumi to the back of an ambulance. The inside was bright compared to outside. Ethan didn’t let go until she was sitting on the stretcher.
“You’re coming too,” Lumi said.
“I am,” Ethan said. He climbed in after her and sat on the bench next to her. Not across. Right next to her.
The paramedic turned on a light and started cleaning Lumi’s arm. It stung bad.
Lumi hissed.
“Sorry,” the paramedic said. “This is gonna hurt.”
Ethan reached over in the bright ambulance light and took Lumi’s other hand. “Squeeze,” he said quietly. “Squeeze my hand.”
So she did. Hard.
Through the open ambulance doors, they could see the street.
It was dark.
The streetlights on the block were out. But 2 doors down, the coffee shop still had its lights on. People were standing outside, filming with their phones.
It was only _their_ restaurant.
Just this one building. One dark block.
“Why just here?” Lumi asked, her voice shaking. “Ethan, why just the diner? It’s 9PM. No one’s even here.”
“I don’t know,” Ethan said. His thumb was rubbing circles on her hand. “But it’s too quiet. Too specific.”
The paramedic finished with her arm and put a bandage on it. “You’re lucky,” she said. “Could’ve been worse in the dark.”
Lumi didn’t feel lucky.
The ambulance driver got in front and turned on the radio. Static. Then a voice.
_“...this is Channel 7 News. We are live at 9:05 PM at the scene on 5th Street. An explosion occurred inside Miller’s Diner approximately two minutes ago. Emergency services responded immediately. At this time, damage appears contained to the diner and immediate surrounding area. The block has lost power. No other buildings appear to be affected. Multiple individuals have been treated for minor injuries and are being transported to General Hospital. The cause of the explosion is currently unknown. Authorities have cordoned off the block. Residents are asked to avoid the area and stay inside.”_
The radio clicked off
Silence. Except for the siren wailing into the night.
Lumi looked at Ethan. In the dim ambulance light, his face looked older. Tired. Dust on his cheeks.
“It was so sudden,” Lumi said quietly. “One second we were talking and the next…”
“I know,” Ethan said. He was still holding her hand. “I’ve never heard anything like that before.”
Lumi nodded. Her head hurt. “Do you think anyone else was hurt? Besides us?”
“I don’t know,” Ethan said. “The paramedics said it was just the diner block. Just us.”
The ambulance bumped over something and Lumi winced.
“Does your arm hurt bad?” Ethan asked.
“Not bad,” Lumi lied. “Yours?”
“My knee’s fine,” he said. “Stop worrying about me.”
“I can’t help it,” Lumi mumbled.
Ethan didn’t answer. He just squeezed her hand.
10 minutes later the ambulance slowed. Bright lights flooded in as the back doors opened.
“We’re at General Hospital,” the paramedic said.
Nurses were waiting. The hallway was bright, loud, full of people talking and machines beeping.
They wheeled Lumi out first. Ethan limped behind her.
“Miss, we need to get you checked in,” a nurse said. “You’ll be in Room 214. And you, sir?”
“214 is fine,” Ethan said quickly. “I’m with her.”
The nurse looked at him, then at Lumi’s bandaged arm, then nodded. “Alright. Same room. Two beds.”
They were put in a small room. White walls. Two beds. A window with the blinds closed. It smelled like antiseptic.
A nurse came in, checked Lumi’s vitals, gave her some water and pain meds. Checked Ethan’s knee, put a cold pack on it.
“You both need to rest,” the nurse said. “You’re lucky. Minor injuries. We’ll keep you overnight just to monitor.”
When she left, the room went quiet.
Lumi sat on her bed. Ethan sat on the other one, a few feet away.
It was weird. 20 minutes ago they were in a diner. Now they were in hospital gowns, in the same room, at 9PM.
Lumi reached for the remote on her bedside table and clicked the TV on.
Static. Then a channel.
A female newscaster appeared on screen. She was in a studio, not at the scene. Behind her was a photo of the diner.
_“Good evening. We’re interrupting regular programming with breaking news. At approximately 9:03 PM tonight, an explosion occurred at Miller’s Diner on 5th Street.”_
Lumi and Ethan both looked at the TV.
_“According to authorities, the explosion originated from the Central Science Laboratory located two blocks away. Officials report that scientists were conducting a routine chemical experiment when something went wrong. A mixture error caused a containment failure, resulting in a large explosion.”_
The newscaster paused and looked down at her notes.
_“The blast affected Miller’s Diner and the immediate surrounding area. The diner sustained major damage and has lost power. Emergency services responded within minutes and evacuated the area. Several individuals were treated for minor injuries and transported to General Hospital, including staff and customers present at the diner at the time of the incident. Scientists present at the lab were also injured and are receiving treatment.”_
Lumi felt her stomach drop.
_“At this time, the exact cause of the mixture error is still unknown. Investigators are on site. Authorities have stated there is no ongoing danger to the public and that the incident was contained to the 5th Street block. Residents are asked to avoid the area while cleanup continues. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.”_
The TV cut to a commercial.
Lumi clicked it off.
The room was quiet again.
“That’s it?” Lumi said. Her voice was small. “Mixture error? That’s all they’re saying?”
Ethan was staring at the blank TV. “Sounds like it.”
“They said scientists were there,” Lumi said. “Present at the lab. They got hurt too.”
“Yeah,” Ethan said. He leaned back on his bed and rubbed his face. “I guess even they didn’t see it coming.”
Lumi pulled the blanket over her legs. She was still shaking a little. “I can’t believe this happened. At 9PM. In our diner.”
“I know,” Ethan said. He glanced over at her. “You doing okay?”
Lumi nodded. “Tired. And my arm hurts.”
Ethan nodded. “Try to sleep. We’re safe here.”
Lumi lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. The hospital was quiet now. Just the beeping of machines down the hall.
She was just starting to drift off when—
“s**t!”
Lumi’s eyes flew open. Ethan was sitting straight up in his bed, patting himself down frantically.
“Ethan? What’s wrong?” Lumi asked, sitting up too. Her voice was hoarse from sleep.
“My phone,” Ethan said. Panic in his voice. “My phone, my wallet, my ATM card. They’re gone.”
Lumi frowned and checked her own pockets. Empty. “Mine too.”
She looked at him. “The explosion must’ve... taken them. We probably dropped them when we were running. Or they got buried in the diner.”
Ethan ran a hand through his hair. “My siblings are gonna be worried sick. They don’t know where I am. I need to call them. I need to tell them I’m okay.”
Lumi sat up fully. “We can use the hospital phone.”
Ethan looked at her. “It’s 9:30 PM. What if they’re asleep?”
“With an explosion like that?” Lumi said. “They’ll be awake.”
Lumi pressed the call button. A nurse came in a minute later.
“Is everything okay?” the nurse asked.
“Um,” Lumi said. “Can we use the hospital phone? We lost our phones in the... in the incident. He needs to call his family.”
The nurse looked between them, then nodded. “Yeah. There’s a phone at the nurses’ station. Come with me.”
They followed her down the bright hallway. Ethan was limping but didn’t complain.
At the desk, the nurse handed him the phone. “Keep it short, okay?”
Ethan nodded and dialed.
It rang. Once. Twice.
No answer.
He tried again.
This time, it picked up.
“Hello? Who is this?” A girl’s voice. Young. Scared.
“Ada?” Ethan said, and his whole body relaxed. “Ada, it’s me. It’s Ethan.”
There was a pause. Then: “Brother Ethan?! Why are you calling from a hospital number?! Are you okay?! Are you hurt?! Should me and brother come to the hospital right now?!”
Ethan winced. He looked at Lumi, then back at the phone.
“I’m okay,” he said quickly. “I’m fine. I just... I tripped. On the pavement. Minor injury. I’m gonna be home tomorrow.”
“Are you sure?” Ada asked. He could hear worry in her voice. “The news said there was an explosion—”
“I know,” Ethan cut in. “But I’m not there. I was nowhere near it. I’m fine, I promise. Where’s brother?”
“He’s in the living room watching the news,” Ada said. “He’s scared too.”
“Tell him to go to bed,” Ethan said softly. “It’s late. I’m okay. Both of you go to sleep, alright? I’ll call you tomorrow when I’m discharged.”
There was another pause. Then Ada sighed. “Okay... If you say you’re okay. Call us tomorrow.”
“I will,” Ethan said. “Love you. Go to bed.”
He hung up.
The nurse gave him a look but didn’t say anything.
Ethan handed the phone back and walked back to the room with Lumi. Neither of them talked until they were back in Room 214 with the door closed.
Lumi climbed back into bed. “So... can you finally fall asleep now?”
Ethan sat on his bed. “I don’t know.”
Ethan looked at her. “You look... expensive. I don’t know if you’d want to be friends with a tattered boy like me.”
Lumi frowned. “What?”
“I’m just saying,” Ethan said, pulling the blanket up.
Lumi was quiet for a second. Then she said, “I don’t judge people by how they look, and yes we can be friends.”
Ethan smiled a little in the dark. “Good.”
More silence. The machines beeped.
“Ethan?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks. For not letting go.”
He didn’t answer right away.
“Get some sleep, Lumi,” he said finally.
“Okay,” she whispered.
And slowly, in the quiet hospital room at 10PM, they both drifted off.
---
- Writer
