The Event
July 4th, 2020
Starring: Nora (female, 20+), Jean (male, 20+)
Nearing dark. Nora and Jean sit in lawn chairs, holding beers. The flash of a firework, then a pop. Maybe a few more go overhead. This happens sporadically as they talk:
JEAN
What are you tearing up about?
NORA
Life. It’s so easy to take for granted.
JEAN
Makes you sad?
NORA
Sad slash grateful.
The Discovery channel was on last night. If it wasn’t for a big ass asteroid, we’d still be dinosaurs.
JEAN
They kind of did get short-changed, didn’t they?
NORA
It wasn’t even their fault. They were doing great, and the universe screwed them.
JEAN
All the velociraptors were like “aw come on, I just paid off my mortgage!!!”
NORA
I’m serious. It’s pretty fucked up.
…
JEAN
It could always happen again. No shortage of space rocks floating around.
NORA
At this rate, we’ll beat them to it..
JEAN
Probably. But you never know.
NORA
Nope. You never know.
They watch, contently, as more fireworks light up the sky.