A Post-Apocalyptic World . . . Minus the Apocalypse

Although I said I wasn’t going to do Story-a-Day May, it turns out I kind of am. On a whim last night, I signed up for the daily prompts from the site. Today’s prompt was to write a story based on a song.

Now, this is very much in tune with the way my mind works, and I’ve been inspired to write or revisit many-a-story because of a song I heard at the right time to shake inspiration loose again. And I just got a new mix CD from my boyfriend, so I have ample fresh music to explore. I chose the song “Brand New Colony” by the Postal Service, which referenced a “let’s prepare for the apocalypse” game I like to play with my loved ones. My boyfriend included a note about how “the world doesn’t have to end” to make a post-apocalyptic colony. Which got me to thinking: what if someone did decide to put all that planning to use, regardless of the imminence of the end of the world? What if one decided to live in a post-apocalyptic world, even without an apocalypse?

I wrote a short story exploring the idea in which a couple tries to revive a troubled relationship by making their “What if the apocalypse comes?” game a reality. I can’t decide whether it’s silly or sad, profound or junk. But I do know one thing: it’s written, and that’s really plenty good for me tonight.