Flash Fiction Entry

The last keystrokes she entered rhythmically, tap tap tap.

From the core of the grey, concrete room surrounding them came a dull alarm, a groan of realization. A cold sweat broke across her forehead and she exhaled for what seemed like the first time in hours.

“You know, you could get fired for this.” His whisper was detached and floated through the heavy air surrounding them, The alarm blared louder now, and she leaned back to smile at him.

He was younger than her, British and tall. He made her laugh. She pulled the Haywell Nuclear Security badge from around her neck and tossed it to him, “my resignation, may as well make it official.”

He laughed now too and the countdown hit thirty seconds, the alarm was blaring. He reached into his backpack, pulled out a sticker which he then fixed to the monitor.

“We probably should have splurged for a Just Stop Nuclear one, but they’ll get the message I suppose”.

She nodded, leaned forward and kissed him. Then, grasping both sides of his face she held his gaze.

“They won’t understand why we’ve done this, but you still believe me, right?”

His eyes closed and then, when the countdown hit ten, he found her again.

“Thousands will die, but the planet will survive. People will survive because of what we’ve done today.”

She nodded again and rested her head in his embrace. In the distance she thought she heard sirens, they sounded like children in a choir.