I learned that the world was ending in a...less than ideal way.

It was three in the morning and I was staring longingly at the coffee supplied in the corner of the gas station. With all of my might, I stayed put behind the counter, knowing that I couldn't afford to pay for any more coffee.

A woman rushed into the building, her hair knotted and makeup smeared. I wasn't faltered by her appearance; I had seen people walk in here looking worse.

She rushed behind a shelf. I placed my elbows on the counter, waiting for her to either leave or to pay. After a couple of minutes, she set a pile of water bottles and snacks in front of me. I scanned everything and gave her the price.

"Preparing for the apocalypse?" I asked as she struggled to shove everything under her arms. She stared at me, startled by my joke.

"Haven't you seen the news? Everyone's freaking out about it." Without explaining any further, the woman left the gas station.

What she had said had piqued my interest. Glancing at the TV in the corner, I began searching for the remote.

"Tracy, where's the remote?" I asked.

My manager didn't respond. She must have been outside. I slipped out from behind the counter and organized the shelves. After some time, a bell sounded, signaling someone's presence. A stout woman with short brown hair and a resting scowl walked in.

I smiled. "There you are. Hey, where's the remote?"

"There isn't one." Tracy stepped on a stepstool and started pressing buttons on the TV. "What are you trying to watch?"

"The news, any channel."

After flicking through a couple of channels, she finally stopped at one with a man in front of a long desk. He was smiling, though it was clearly difficult for him to conceal his distress. Tracy and I stood and listened to what he was saying.

"Scientists have recently discovered a seventy-mile wide asteroid that's plummeting towards Earth," the news reporter said. He adjusted his collar, hardly being able to sit still in his seat. "There is an estimated ten days before this happens. This size asteroid can easily decimate every living thing on Earth. A team of astronauts is doing their best to stop this from occurring. What else do you know about this, Rachel?"

"The world's ending?!" My boss and I turned. A man was staring at the screen, his mouth wide open. I didn't hear him walk in.

Tracy shook her head and walked away from the TV. I also turned away from it, now making my way back behind the counter. The man approached me and handed me a twenty.

"Gas on pump eight." He scratched the back of his neck, staring at the TV incredulously. "'S funny, I was about to go to work, but if this is true, then screw that. I'm going home."

"You do that." I forced a smile. "Have a nice night."

Once he left, my smile dropped. I drummed my fingernails on the counter. Ten days. I shook my head. What could anyone do in ten days?

Something told me not to believe what the news reporter said. After all, how many times have we said that the world was going to end? More times than I could count. This could just be another one of those moments that, after ten days, everyone would feel stupid for believing.

Tracy came back from the other side of the room and stood across the counter from me. She slid a cup of coffee my way.

I held it in my hands, confused. Tracy had never given me a free coffee before. She took a swig from her own cup. The fact that she had gotten one for herself was even stranger.

"Thank you," I said, taking a hesitant sip. "What's the occasion?"

She shrugged. "Doesn't matter what we do if we're going to be gone in ten days, don't you think?"

"You believe in this end-of-the-world stuff?"

"I'm trying not to be skeptical. After all, if it's real, then I'd rather spend these next few days enjoying myself instead of wasting it sitting around and telling people that it's fake."

"I guess, but—"

"And I know you're suspicious about it." Tracy took another sip of her drink. "Don't be. When your shift is done, I want you to go and have fun. Do everything you've always wanted to do. Take this opportunity and don't look back."

I chewed on my lip. A news story didn't fully convince me that any of this was true. Why would we only have a ten days notice? If it was true, then scientists would have known for a long time, right? This was the first time I had ever heard about an asteroid.

Rumors were spread around social media all of the time. This could have just been a prank that went too far.

"Hey, you hear me?"

"Uh-huh, take this opportunity. Right after my shift."

Tracy smiled, showing off two rows of crooked teeth. "That's my girl. Here, why don't we just get off of work now?"

"Wait, seriously?"

The Tracy that was in this gas station yesterday would have flipped if I had even complained about being here for my full shift. I wouldn't have been sipping my coffee unless I would have fished a dollar out of my pocket. Wow, the end of the world can really change someone.

"Sure thing. And if we're still alive by next week, then I'll see you here, ready for work."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you."

I stared at the news reporter, who was still talking to the woman. I pondered about what Tracy had said. What had I always wanted to do? I tried my hardest not to really want things since I usually couldn't get them. I had accepted that my life was going to be me living in a run-down house with my family, going to school, and then working at a gas station or something else with low pay for the rest of my life. It was unappealing to some people, but simple.

I downed the last of my coffee. You could always write a bucket list. My blog had always been an outlet that I used when needed. It wouldn't hurt to use it for this occasion. Maybe other people would enjoy it, too.

I shrugged. It was better than nothing. I sat on top of the counter, slipped out my phone, and began typing.

Hey, everyone, welcome to chapter 1! I'm so excited to write this story. It's different from anything I've ever written before, which is a fun challenge. I hope that you guys enjoy it so far (first impressions are always important, so I hope you like this chapter :P). Sit tight, it's going to be a fun ride!

If you enjoyed this chapter, try to vote for it with a coffee cup. Stay amazing!

This song is called It's the End of the World by R.E.M. Enjoy!