[ WP ] Aboard the International Space Station , looking back at Earth , you see atomic explosions detonating across North America .

Oh! Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? 
 SpongeBob SquarePants! 
 
 I groan and open my sticky tired eyes. I can not help smiling. The song reminds me of my daughter in Portland Oregon. She loves Sponge Bob Square pants. I imagine her tiny body wrapped in pink unicorn embroidered sheets. Her silky red hair wild and free because it ’ s Saturday morning and she ’ s a child watching cartoons. I sigh missing her. 
 
 Absorbent and yellow and porous is he! 
 SpongeBob SquarePants! 
 
 I twitch in drowsy rebellion. Mornings are a big no. 
 
 If nautical nonsense is something you wish... 
 SpongeBob SquarePants! 
 
 I unzip my zero G sleeping station and hit the snooze on my old Samsung Galaxy S 12. I move to zip myself back in for just five more minutes. I pause. My mouth feels dry, and my partner is out of her station. I listen for the customary morning cursing. She ’ s a terror before coffee and just the thought of that wonderful pure even prepackaged beverage drives me from my sleep station. 
 
 I wouldn ’ t say that I was energized. More driven. I flowed up to the cooking station. There are twelve of us on board, and I expected the “ kitchen ” to be cramped. But, I was alone. The crew hardly talks to each other, but the silences are respectful. Almost as though we didn ’ t need to speak. I stop waxing philosophical and fumble at a silver pouch of premade coffee. 
 
 I use my teeth and savage the pouch. As the ambrosia starts gushing into my mouth, my instincts kick in. Something seems off. The air is too still. Someone should be awake. 
 
 I glance around and see a foot by the rear lock window. My partner is looking out of it. I can see a corner of Europe, daylight just beginning to set over Rome. I smile, it will be morning in Portland. I think of my daughter watching cartoons in her pink blanket. I move to see beside my partner. Her skin is white. 
 
 Then drop on the deck and flop like a fish! 
 
 My alarm goes off, and I turn. I exhaled annoyed, that's right I hit snooze. 
 “ They're gone, all gone. ” She mutters. Her hand is dead white, and she starts groping at my arm. 
 
 SpongeBob Squarepants! 
 
 I turn my head watching her facial expressions. They were dead pan. The lines in her young face disturbing, macabre. 
 “ Alice, what happened? Who is gone? ” I ask. I can feel my panic rise. “ Is the team ok? ” 
 
 Ready? 
 
 “ What are you looking at- ” and then I didn ’ t care one iota about the rest of the team. The song played in the background. The theme song of my daughter ’ s favorite show. The one she watched in her pink unicorn blanket and wild red hair. In my life, I ’ ve never been this cold. 
 
 SpongeBob SquarePants! 
 
 Because all I saw were mushroom clouds rising in dawn's light. 
 
 Hahaha! Ahahahah ahh 
 

