8Elizabeth was one of the fortunate ones to have lived as long as she did. She lived in the city that was one of the last ones standing.
"Iz! Wait up!" a curly haired boy yelled from behind her. She turned to see who it was, though she knew before she saw him.
"This street isn't that long, Josh."
He walked quickly and caught up with her. They continued walking down the street.
"I know. But you know how I feel about running."
"Uh huh."
He smiled slightly. "So?"
"So?"
He raised an eyebrow and looked over to her walking beside him. She was watching the ground as she walked and was wearing a pair of baggy black pants and a yellow tank top. She finally looked up to him.
"What?"
He sighed and stopped walking. She stopped as well and turned to stand in front of him. "What's new?" he asked, trying to make conversation.
"Not much. You realize that less than 600 people live here right?"
"Yeah, yeah. You just seem down."
Elizabeth looked down and sniffled, her short blonde hair falling into her eyes. Josh put it behind her right ear with his left hand.
"My parents were scheduled for -" her voice broke off suddenly. Josh gasped slightly and put his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry."
She looked back up into his eyes. Her eyebrows raised slightly in disbelief.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Josh lied.
She breathed out quickly. "I thought we were better friends than just a sorry."
"We are!" Josh started, but Elizabeth ran down the street sobbing. Josh closed his eyes in defeat. The world was falling a part, but that wasn't his worst problem. His world was falling a part as his best friend and the girl he had liked since the moment he saw her thought he was snubbing her two days before he was to die.
Elizabeth sat on her bed on the third floor of the apartment she had lived in from the day she was born. Her father had been the manager until they sent him and Elizabeth's mother to die. Elizabeth picked up a photo and let out a soft sob. There was a sharp knock at the door that startled her. She wiped her tears and went to the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's Josh."
She sighed and turned her face away from the door as if she were slapped.
"Please let me in."
She clicked the lock mechanism to unlock the door. She walked away and the door swung open revealing Josh standing in the doorway. She gave him a sad smiled and began packing the photos away.
"You OK?"
"Is that what you came here to ask?"
"No, I'm just wondering."
Elizabeth looked down, ashamed of her misconception.
"I'm sorry. I'm fine."
Josh nodded and sat down on her bed. She sat down beside him and her cat ran into the room.
"So how'd you get in?" Elizabeth asked as she coaxed the tabby up onto the bed.
"Ah, you know me, Izzy. I have my ways."
"Oooh, cocky now are we?"
He laughed and leaned back.
"Josh, how'd you deal with it when your parents had to go?"
"I didn't," he answered simply. She nodded solemnly and picked up the cat.
"Hello there, Atticus," Josh said to the cat. It mewed in the middle of a loud purr. Josh smiled and petted it. Suddenly there was knock from the direction of the main entrance.
"Miss Jones, are you in there?"
Elizabeth jumped up. "Yes, who is it?" She peeked out of her bedroom and saw an older woman standing in the doorway. She waved her in and the woman stepped in.
"I'm Jackie, your door was left open."
Elizabeth shot Josh a dirty look and he shrugged.
"I'll take you to where you'll be staying now."
Elizabeth shook her head. "I'm not ready and I don't want to leave anyways."
"This apartment will be one of the next buildings to go, dear."
"Don't call me dear, you don't even know me! I don't even know why I'm still here!" Elizabeth cried.
"You know it's because of your blood type, dear. And if you didn't know I'm the fFirst Lady."
Elizabeth stepped back and swallowed. The president made all the decisions about who could stay and who had to leave.
"I meant no disrespect."
"I'm sure. Let's go," she said.
Elizabeth grabbed her overstuffed backpack and looked to Josh sitting on her bed with her cat. She grabbed Atticus and her bag of food. Josh smiled and stood up as she left with the President's wife.
Elizabeth sat on her new bed. There was a window beside her that she stared out of. It was dark, but a candle was lit because electric power became non-existent once all the power plants were destroyed. It started to rain and Elizabeth sighed. She stood and walked to the door, but stopped seconds away from opening it. She heard voices.
"-ll be devastated."
"What am I supposed to do? Have them both leave?"
"I just feel sorry for the girl. She lost her parents yesterday and tomorrow her best friend."
Elizabeth gasped and Atticus began to meow mournfully as if she understood. Elizabeth ran over and scooped her up off the floor as tears began to fall from her eyes.
Josh stood at his window in his bedroom staring out into the rain. His last night. He wondered what Elizabeth would do once he was gone. He laughed and concluded that she'd be just as happy just with Atticus. After all, he had hurt her so many times and before the city started shrinking they were only acquaintances. They only knew each other from a few classes at school, nothing more.
He turned at the sound of his door being pushed open. He looked into the darkness to see a thin face. He smiled and motioned for the person to come in. It was his foster mother. She had a small chocolate cake in her hands and tears stained her face.
"Don't cry."
"How can I not? I love you like my own son."
"He nodded. "Thanks, ma."
She laughed and set the cake down beside his bed. "I looked for Elizabeth to invite her, but I couldn't find her. I guess she must be pretty upset."
Josh nodded. "Yeah," he lied through his teeth.
"Of course, she would be if you told her."
Josh looked up at her in mock surprise. She handed him a piece of cake.
"Don't looked surprised. I know your lying."
He nodded and toyed with the frosting on the cake.
"What are you afraid she'll cry and tell you she'll miss you?"
Elizabeth woke up early to get dressed. She set out her black pants and a fresh shirt the night before. She slipped into them and said a quick goodbye to Atticus. She went down the hall and down the stairs to the fridge. She lifted a pre-written note to her face.
"Dear Mr. and Mrs. President,
Thank you for housing me for the night and for offering to let me stay for the rest of my life, but I had decided that it's over. Please feed Atticus, I love her very much. Thank you and goodbye,
- Elizabeth"
She stuck her note on the fridge after reading it over. She slipped on her black jacket and worn out shoes on and stepped out the door. She closed it silently behind her. All people were sent to leave by 9:00. No later. Everyone left it to the last moment. Elizabeth knew exactly were to find Josh with ten minutes to go. She began walking down the road. He heart began to pound with the thought of missing him. She began to run to the street that once led to his house. She turned the corner and saw him walking towards the pulsing gray wall.
"Josh!" she called softly. "Wait!"
He turned to looked at her, shocked.
"Iz?"
"You know how I feeling about running," she said walking up to him.
"But -"
"No buts."
"How'd you find out?"
"I over heard the President and his wife."
Josh nodded. "Come to see me off?"
A tear fell from her eye and she looked down, afraid and ashamed of her weakness.
"No. I'm coming with you."
Josh's heart fell into his feet and his stomach rose to his throat.
"Wha-?"
"You heard me."
"Say again?"
"Josh, your my best friend now. I'm not going to be able to live without you."
He shook his head. "Iz, you have to. The only way I can walk into the barrier is because I know you'll live."
She shook her head and took his hand in hers.
"But I can't live without you," she said urgently.
He swallowed and nodded seeing that he couldn't change her mind. He squeezed her hand and they began walking forward. As they neared the barrier Elizabeth began to breath quickly, tears running from her eyes. Josh stopped and turned. "You can turn back."
"Stop it. You know I wont."
He nodded. "Well, since this is it I guess I'll tell you."
She cocked her head and sniffled slightly.
"I love you."
She smiled shyly at first them grinned with joy. "I love you too."
"No I mean I've had a crush on you since the day we met."
"Same."
The breath was knocked out of him and she smiled sadly. She had known for a while about his crush, and had been ignoring her own feelings.
"I don't want to die now."
"Did you before?"
"No, but this is different."
She nodded as tears fell with more fury than every before. He let go of her hand and his hand slipped from her grip. He stepped closer to her and his arms encircled her as she rested her chin on his shoulder. She slipped her arms around his neck. He pulled away slightly to look down at her. She wiped away a tear and looked up into his eyes. He leaned in closer and she closed her eyes as he tenderly kissed her. Almost instantly he drew back and let go of her. She stumbled back and opened her eyes just in time to see him step though the barrier. She gasped and ran through after him and stepped out on the other side.