Pop On A Sunny Day -FYI 2023- Non Writer

Good afternoon. "It is isn't it?" Said Dave as he handed Mary a basket, "I can't believe we got the day off Mary, it was only a month ago we mentioned the eclipse!".

A perfect day... No work all play! Exclaimed Mary as Dave smugly replied "almost too perfect!" As he pulled a couple of bottles of red from the basket and Mary set a blanket down, as she glanced over she uttered "my favourite" as he proceeded to pop a cork off the bottle.

Dave was always the first to utilize a good opportunity and since neither of them had witnessed an eclipse he figured a picnic on a lovely summer's day would be the perfect opportunity to see the sights. You see Dave knew the whole plant would be closed to everyone but essential personnel this weekend and he already had some plans in place for him and Mary that this picnic idea replaced.

"So what's the deal with the plant this week and what are they actually doing" asked Mary as she casually took the bottle from Dave and took a sip, as she handed it back his head was filled with warm memories of the reasons he loves her. Well it's a bit beyond me but it's something to do with breaking down emissions to make new materials or something, anyways it's nearly time. You did bring sunglasses right?!

"I sure did!" Was Mary's reply as he fumbled around his pockets as if he'd magically appear some glasses up. As she somewhat aggressively plonked them onto his face she shouted "you're missing it!" and as sure as day turns into night... She was right.

It was a perfect clear day as they sat on the side of the bank, right on the crown. Below them sweeping fields that rolled down to a valley where the plant was and where the town was, Dave and Mary always loved this spot since it was 5 minutes from work and home but gave the impression it was miles from civilization. The way the land elevated on that spot put everything out of sight.

As they stood watching the eclipse Dave suddenly remembered what this day was all about, with no need to fumble he digged out of his pocket a box and without being noticed slipped down to one knee...

"Mary, will you"

"What the..." She whispered, she didn't even notice him. "Dave what's that!" Dave now alarmed turned his head and down towards the valley a wisp of smoke was bellowing from a crack in the ground. As they watched the smoke rose in two columns, intertwining as they seemingly circled a center point. As it reached a certain height the two columns seemingly pushed out into every direction looking almost like a mushroom cloud. Then the smoke turned into colours, every colour imaginable but they didn't blend into each other. They kept their colour and the contrast was mesmerising to see.

"Oh wow" muttered Dave in total disbelief, he dropped the ring and totally forgot what he was doing as they both said "what is that" in unison a flash of light shot up in between the columns of smoke illuminating the cloud, now the colours were illuminated and the vortex could be clearly seen as an unbelievable amount of contrasting colours bled out from the top of this cloud and fed back into itself at the base of the mushroom. It appeared that one column was the outlet and the other an inlet for this strange phenomena. As the colours in this self-feeding system finally reached back to the ground someone shouted "take your glasses off quick!".

They both wondered on where the voice came from but listened anyways and as they did they saw the "lightning" coming from the cloud, only it wasn't lightning. It was more like 1000 Roman candles going off at once within the cloud spewing sparks out. As they both watched in disbelief this cloud slowly disconnected from the columns and moved towards them as it began to shrink, all the while getting brighter and brighter as it goes. 1000 colours of smoke twisting and turning. Then as it shrank to an impossibly bright orb...

POP!

"Good morning Dave"
"Where am I?"
"You're in hospital Dave, there was an accident at the plant and you're lucky to be alive!" Said the doctor "There was an explosion and a deadly release of gases, you've been out for 3 days"

POP!
"Dave?!"
"Mary where are you?!"
"Shut up Dave I'm in your head! They'll think you're crazy... You remember the the orb right? Please say you remember the orb and for goodness sake tell them nothing!"

As she said this the doctor saw Dave's perplexed look, let out a sigh and stuck the needle in... "Back to sleep Dave' you still clearly need rest".
As he drifted back to sleep he could hear the faint echo of "not again!" within his mind. He was gone again before she could answer the question he never quite popped.

The end.

Well done

a reply to: RAY1990

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Johnny

a reply to: RAY1990

Well written, good edge and a twist. Unhappy ending, but life is like that sometimes.