First

Evening was coming on as he stood at the rail, staring up into a grey sky.

It was normally a popular lookout in warmer weather, located as it was, at the boundary of the large open park. Very few people were still around, save for a few dog-walkers. Below, the military base was spread out over a huge area. Here and there lights began twinkling. He had no way of describing the emotions that swamped over him, looking down at it; not even to himself. He had been standing there watching since the middle of the afternoon, hardly moving, getting cold. He sneered at the thought that the chill in the air really didn’t matter. There was so much going through his head that was losing any value, any importance. His reverie was interrupted by a rattling coming nearer. He turned to see a man approaching with his dog.

“Hi!” said the man, in a cheery tone.

“Hi!” he replied, straightening and making an effort to be civil with a smile.

“I must say, you’ve been standing here a long time; I’ve walked the dog round this park twice now. I thought I’d check to see if you were OK. You are, are you? OK, I mean.”

“Not really, but…”

“Look, you don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to. I didn’t mean to pry.”

The watcher sighed. “I’m waiting for the rocket to go up.”

At first, he looked up into the dimming sky, then down at the scene below.

The dog-walker leaned over the barrier. “Ah! I see your looking at the base down there. Are they doing a test or something? Haven’t seen anything on the news about it.”

“No, you wouldn’t. It’s not a test.”

“Not a test?”

“No. I wish it were. It’s the first of the intercontinental ballistic missiles, taking off from the base. It’ll be armed with nuclear war heads.” Pointing down, then up at the darkening sky, he said, “It will rise from over there on the right, then run off in that direction at a slight angle.” He waved his arm to indicate the path of the rocket’s flight.

“Is that right?”

“Yes. It indicates the beginning of the next world war; one that will be truly global.” He went back to peering down. “I could feel the tension down there, among the top brass.” The other could see he was slowly shaking his head. “This launch date has been bandied about for several months now. I wanted to be up here when it happens.”

The man moved closer. “Why?”

“Don’t know really. I should be down there now, still on shift. It’s probably something to do with being outside of it all. Not being a part of the evil of it.” He looked the man full in the face and said, “Once this thing goes nuclear, some say it’ll be all over in a day or two, some say only hours.”

The man didn’t know what to say.

The watcher asked, “Family?”

“Pardon?”

“Do you have family?”

“Oh! Yes, two boys; and a dog of course!”

“I don’t, not really. Only my old dad… in a nursing home now. There’s just me.”

The dog started to pull on the lead. “OK. We’d better be off now. You take care.”

“Thank you, I will.” After a beat, he said, “We all will.”

Halfway across the field, he saw it. He held the lead tighter and turned to watch it.

The first great fiery streak, slowly rising up into a clear night sky.