Die on the West Coast

"You don't have to leave, Nick. We can run away together."

"You know I don't have a choice, Stella. I'm going to fight this last battle and the war will be over. The enemy is on their last stand. We could leave them alone, but they are planning to do something that will take the lives of as many people as they can, even their own innocent citizens. This has to end now."

"They have so many other soldiers. They won't need this one."

"Stella, my star, I will come back."

Stella gazed into Nick's eyes.

"I promise you, Stella. I promise that I'll come back to you and we can have our happily ever after."

"You know you shouldn't make promises."

They softly laughed together on a green hill as the sun set. They hugged and Stella rested her head on Nick's chest.

The next day, Nick found himself on a helicopter amongst his comrades. 

"We are landing, people! We have pushed the enemy this far and this is their final stronghold, the west coast. Our other men have them busy, so we are entering their lab from the back entrance. As soon as we land, storm the place."

Nick saw fighting below, pure war.

The helicopter landed and Nick and the other men ran out.

"Remember, Nick. They have been working on some kind a new bomb technology. We won't run into as much trouble as the others on the field. We are here to destroy that technology and it's information."

Nick entered the broken down castle-like lab. He traveled through corridor to corridor. 

"Yo, Nick! I found something!"

Nick went to his teammate and they both entered a white room with many computer screens. The largest screen had a countdown timer for twenty minutes. There was also some video recording equipment at a desk.

They looked around. Nick's teammate began reading papers. "It looks like they already started the timer. Their…data says that this bomb will be bigger than anything in history. They have set dormant bombs in other places as well, and when this one goes off, it will trigger the others."

"What?!"

"...They have dormant bombs everywhere. Some near where we live."

"What can we do?"

"I think I found the solution, Nick. Wait…this can't be right."

"What is it?"

"We can't stop this bomb. But we can significantly decrease the explosion radius and the other bombs will remain inactive. We'll locate them once this war is over."

"What do you need me to do?"

"Nick. It says someone has to hold that red button when the bombs explodes."

"What in the world?! You can't be serious! Is there no other way?"

"We don't have the time anymore. It takes about an hour for someone with the experience and equipment to disarm this bomb. They did it that way to deter their enemies from stopping it. They are counting on our fear to take hold. They are expecting us to run and save ourselves and hope for the best for others who will be impacted."

Nick watched as his teammate began to shake.

"I can't do it, Nick! I'm not staying! I want to live! This is my only life! We gotta warn the others so everyone can begin evacuating. We don't have much time!"

Nick's teammate began to run. Nick glanced at the video recording equipment.

"Wait! Before you go, can you take something with you?"

One week later, it was finally declared that the war was over. Two men in uniform arrived at Stella's house. With tears, she listened to the men explain how brave her husband was, the circumstances, the lives he saved, and that he left her a video message. 

Stella was handed a black laptop. She sat on the living room couch and began to play the video.

~See Die on the West Coast

 by Circa Survive

The End