Six months ago it was announced that a meteor would hit the earth and end all life . However it missed the earth after humanity had prepared for the end .

It is 7:45am. He was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper. 
 
 `` Have you read this?'' 
 
 `` Read what?'' 
 
 He handed her the paper. A pall fell over her face. Her lower lip curled. 
 
 `` Are they sure?'' 
 
 `` They say so.'' 
 
 He exhaled. 
 
 He looked over to his younger daughter. 
 
 `` Evie, what are you drawing?'' 
 
 `` I'm drawing you, and Mommy, and Olive, and we're in our front yard cause our front yard is way prettier than the back one! And here's Mommy's flowers, and here's Josie. She's being really *really* silly though, so Olive is mad at her. That's why Olive looks mad!'' 
 
 `` Is Olivia going to stay mad at Josie?'' 
 
 `` Noooo... I do n't think so. Olive always says sorry to Josie.'' 
 
 A pall fell over his face. His lower lip curled. 
 
 He remembers this. 
 
 -- - 
 
 `` **PLEASE GET THE GIRLS COATS ON, JOHN! PLEASE! **'' 
 
 He turned away from the television, tried to register what he had just heard. 
 
 `` **JOHN. COATS. PLEASE. **'' 
 
 `` Right, sorry honey. I was distracted.'' 
 
 He turned off the television, and walked into the front approach of the house. 
 
 He held his daughters jackets as if he were a taylor so they can more easily put them on. 
 
 Evelyn's coat was quilty, knee length, and navy blue. Perfectly suited for the adorable 6 year old she was. She wore a grey knit scarf that her sister had tried to knit for her. It had its faults, but it certainly had its charm. 
 
 
 Olivia's coat was sharp; a woolen, double breasted, high collared piece that made her look more grown up than she was. She was only 11. Far too young to understand what `` fashion forward'' meant, but he supposed `` We're in a different age'' applied to this. She was beginning to look more and more like her mother, and he was beginning to get more and more worried about that. Like he'd forgotten. 
 
 But he remembers. 
 
 -- - 
 
 `` You know if....*when* this happens... she's going to run.'' 
 
 `` I know.'' 
 
 `` The girls are going to worry about her.'' 
 
 `` I know.'' 
 
 `` Maybe we tell them she's sick?'' 
 
 `` We could.'' 
 
 `` Is that better for her?'' 
 
 `` I do n't want her looking for us.'' 
 
 He told the girls that Josie was sick, and she had to go away for awhile. 
 
 Olivia was old enough. She understood. She went with him. She asked if she was going to be happy. 
 
 `` Of course she will. She'll be looking at you when she falls asleep. You're going to be everything she remembers.'' 
 
 `` Daddy, I do n't want her to go.'' 
 
 `` She wants to go Olive. She's sick. She's going to miss you.'' 
 
 `` I do n't want to miss her. I want her there.'' 
 
 `` She ca n't be there.'' 
 
 `` Why not!?'' 
 
 `` Olivia, listen. This dog is in a great deal of pain, okay? She loves seeing you, and me, and your sister, and your mother, but when she's not seeing any of us, she's sick. She ca n't see us all the time, we're not always there. You love her, right?'' 
 
 `` Y... yes I do Daddy.'' 
 
 `` Do you want her to hurt?'' 
 
 ``... No. No I do n't.'' 
 
 `` Then let her go somewhere else and wait for us. She wo n't hurt anymore. You will see her again, I promise. Just let her go to sleep for now.'' 
 
 Olivia held Josie's paw while a strange man put a needle in her. Josie looked up at Olivia, sighed, and closed her eyes. 
 
 `` I love you Josie.'' 
 
 She kissed her on the forehead, then went back to the car. 
 
 `` Goodbye, Josephine.'' 
 
 He pet her head, fiddled with her ears, and kissed her on the nose. 
 
 `` I'm sorry, girl''. 
 
 He lied to his daughter. 
 
 He remembers this. 
 
 -- - 
 
 `` We do n't want for them for it to be like this.'' 
 
 `` Hm?'' 
 
 He is watching the television. 
 
 *... is estimated to hit between 16:00 and 18:00 hours. We're going off the air now. I hope you are with the ones you love. We thank you for... * 
 
 `` John, **listen**.'' 
 
 He turned off the television. 
 
 `` Sorry honey. I was distracted.'' 
 
 `` We ca n't do it this way.'' 
 
 `` I know.'' 
 
 `` Can we just go to sleep? Can we just put the girls to bed and then just go to sleep?'' 
 
 `` Honey...'' 
 
 `` **PLEASE!? **'' 
 
 He remembers when he first met her. 
 
 Back then, she promised he would die with him. He kissed her nose and told her he would keep that promise just the same. 
 
 They mixed together a mixture of sleeping pills and antidepresstants. 
 
 He remembers. 
 
 -- - 
 
 `` Here, Evie, here's some juice.'' 
 
 His lip trembled. 
 
 `` Ew, this is gross!'' 
 
 `` You have to drink it Evie. It's really special medicine. It'll make you a grown up overnight!'' 
 
 `` And then I can do whatever I want?'' 
 
 `` Whatever you want.'' 
 
 `` I love you Daddy!'' 
 
 She drank it and went to sleep. 
 
 He checked. She was still breathing. 
 
 He kissed her forehead. Her mouth formed a slight smile 
 
 He remembers that. 
 
 -- - 
 `` Olivia, you know what this is.'' 
 
 `` Daddy...'' 
 
 `` I'm scared too little girl.'' 
 
 `` What happens?'' 
 
 `` You'll see her again.'' 
 
 `` Will I see you again?'' 
 
 `` Yes. Yes, absolutely. I love you my baby.'' 
 
 `` I love you too Daddy.'' 
 
 She drank. 
 
 He embraced her. 
 
 `` Be good okay? I love you.'' 
 
 `` You be good too, Daddy.'' 
 
 He remembers 
 
 -- - 
 
 `` They're still here.'' 
 
 `` They are.'' 
 
 `` Let's go to sleep with them.'' 
 
 `` Please.'' 
 
 There were tears in their eyes. 
 
 He kissed her. He held her. They saw one another in each others eyes, held each other, felt each other. And then he kissed her nose and promised he would die with her. 
 
 -- - 
 
 His eyes opened. 
 
 `` I promised. I remember.'' 
 
 He remembers everything.
