Boyscout Camping Trip on the Eve of the Apocalypse

The sun went missing today. 
There were no rivers of blood or plagues of locusts, first-born
children did not fall ill, nor did frogs descend on the cities. It was
quiet. The black hole stood stagnant. 
We could only watch and wait.

My friend Joseph says the aliens are coming. 
That they will treat you like a specimen. 
You will be put under a microscope and 
pinned and mounted like a shiny black beetle. 
I have never seen a boy-shaped bug before 
but I’m sure it could happen.

Dad’s been watching the 24-hour news broadcasts. 
The scientists searched for explanations, 
drew us intricate graphs and pictures, 
described situations of which there was 
only infinitesimal chance of survival. 
Nothing was for certain, though. 
(A computer can only predict so much.)
 
Grandma says it’s god.
The black hole’s his giant looking-glass. 
(His pupils are the size of stars.) 
She said he’s pissed and wants to start over again,
‘cause everything turned out wrong. 
The whole thing’s gone to the dogs. 
Dad laughed and called her a crazy old witch.
 
The sun went missing today. 
Laying in my sleeping bag, 
I looked up towards the heavens. 
And somewhere among the dark night, 
there was the twinkle of an eye.

Andy Villar is a senior and creative writing student at Pembroke Pines Charter High School. Along with writing, Andy enjoys making art and watching movies.


Published by theatala

the atala is designed, curated, & edited by the Pines Charter Chapter of the National English Honor Society. It showcases original student poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, literary criticism, and art. Like its namesake — the small, bright butterfly that grew from near extinction to rising numbers in our part of the world — this little literary journal aims to grow our love of writing and expand our community’s appreciation for the literary arts.

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