Beaches have an irresistible way of becoming packed. People crowd to see waves crawl across a sandy shore. In my opinion, night beaches are best. Not that it would have mattered today anyways, it being the end of the world and all. I would have spent the whole day there, but I had things to do. Society doesn't want to leave their homes, even though the bursting sun would evaporate everything in the solar system. Four timber walls wooden do much in the form of protection. Ha. Sorry for the pun, couldn't contain myself. There are also the looters. No sense running around stealing stuff when it's not going to last more than a day. No, I took to the beaches. This is going to be the last sunset I'll ever see, and I want it to be as beautiful as possible. I took her with me, the most sensible patch of Estrogen on the planet. She's scared though, I don't really blame her. I'm a little scared myself. We drove to California for this day, I'm not chickening out now, not after I've come this far. The sands are black, the complete opposite of the postcards, can't expect much less from forty-two years of heavy pollution. She brings some fold-up chairs out of the trunk, good idea, but I want to stand. The sun has taken a green hue as it begins the slow descent into black ocean waters. A wet spot gathers on my shoulder, she has begun to cry. I cradle the sensible girl in my arms. Soft words escape my lips, but my eyes never leave that abominable orb dangling from a thing strand of hope. Red light reflects upon our skin. The horizon shrinks compared to Sol's sudden expansion. Red turns to yellow, yellow to blue. Conglomerations of colors flash an epileptic's nightmare. I realize now she is sobbing horribly, her head hidden in my neck. My lips brush hers, and softly I whisper, "I love you."

Five branches; I'm only allowed to climb five branches. I stared above me into the sun's glaring eye; as the breeze softly cuddled the trees fingers, and the leaves trembled in a cacophony of sound. Shadows skirted across my face. My eyes fell to the moss stretched below me, kneeling as if in reverent praise. I once again led my eyes upward, the canopy loomed above me. I am a king, but perhaps if I were to climb higher; I would shed my skin and become an object much greater. I would climb the sky and become a god! The world seemed spewed out before me; I knew it belonged that way. My hands clutched violently to the rough body towering above me; hungrily I grasped at arms who, so blatantly, chose to stand out. The solid tangible reality swarmed through my nostrils. The rubber soles of my shoes cemented themselves to the sinew branch in which I stood. I have reached the top. The sun's shining globe reached out to me; pleading. Gently my hands caressed its envy; gingerly the world bloomed in my eyes. This was my home; where I would live and die. A chorus resounded about me, sending me into rapture too blissful to describe. I reined above all creatures; all life was mine to watch, and analyze. The song lifted me into the viscous clouds, and out to absent space. The rules of euphoria are limited, and strict. For as soon as I found my ecstasy, it was lost. A scream sliced through my mind, causing my legs to buckle beneath me. For once I looked down, noticing exactly how far I had climbed. The earth rushed to embrace me, crushing me with its breaking reality. I was only allowed to climb five branches high. I lay on the ground, broken by severe causality. A voice falters in the dark, I am mortal.