Carl and Donna sat outside in the lounge chairs, gazing skyward.
One could see it with the naked eye.
What had once been awkwardly titled "3I/Atlas" had suddenly maneuvered, apparently on its own power, and was now on a bee-line for ... earth.
And it had not slowed down. 33 BILLION TONS of ... something ... was on a collision course with humanity's home.
Scientists and the media were beating the drums, suggesting that perhaps the object would finally slow down and enter an orbit about earth. The Happy Horse-S*** propaganda was in high gear.
But people, deep down, had lost hope. This was it. The hubris of elites had electromagnetically advertised earth's emergence as a civilization ... and someone had noticed.
Carl blinked, and looked harder. "Christ", he thought, "its getting larger by the second -- it must be close".
With that thought, the wind suddenly picked up and began to blow hard ... very hard.
He grabbed Donna by the hand, "Let's go Baby!"
And with that, they, along with their Jack Russell terrier, descended into the tornado shelter.
The shelter was roomy and well stocked, but who knew if it could withstand what was to come. Carl had read enough to know the last time a large object had struck earth, it almost ended ALL life on the planet. Whatever happened, it would be an incredibly powerful shock wave when it hit.
Pulling the hatch closed on the shelter, Carl secured it from the inside. He glanced around. They had rations, water, firearms, and plentiful ammunition. He suspected they would need every bit of their stores in the days to come.
Donna's gaze was intense. "Why us?"
Carl's reply was so light hearted it surprised him. "Its a bug world".
Donna: "What ?"
Carl regarded her with a sad smile. "Didn't you read your Heinlein ?"
--------------------
B---O---O---M
One could see it with the naked eye.
What had once been awkwardly titled "3I/Atlas" had suddenly maneuvered, apparently on its own power, and was now on a bee-line for ... earth.
And it had not slowed down. 33 BILLION TONS of ... something ... was on a collision course with humanity's home.
Scientists and the media were beating the drums, suggesting that perhaps the object would finally slow down and enter an orbit about earth. The Happy Horse-S*** propaganda was in high gear.
But people, deep down, had lost hope. This was it. The hubris of elites had electromagnetically advertised earth's emergence as a civilization ... and someone had noticed.
Carl blinked, and looked harder. "Christ", he thought, "its getting larger by the second -- it must be close".
With that thought, the wind suddenly picked up and began to blow hard ... very hard.
He grabbed Donna by the hand, "Let's go Baby!"
And with that, they, along with their Jack Russell terrier, descended into the tornado shelter.
The shelter was roomy and well stocked, but who knew if it could withstand what was to come. Carl had read enough to know the last time a large object had struck earth, it almost ended ALL life on the planet. Whatever happened, it would be an incredibly powerful shock wave when it hit.
Pulling the hatch closed on the shelter, Carl secured it from the inside. He glanced around. They had rations, water, firearms, and plentiful ammunition. He suspected they would need every bit of their stores in the days to come.
Donna's gaze was intense. "Why us?"
Carl's reply was so light hearted it surprised him. "Its a bug world".
Donna: "What ?"
Carl regarded her with a sad smile. "Didn't you read your Heinlein ?"
--------------------
B---O---O---M
Fire In The Hole