[Critique Group 2] All I need is the air that I breathe.docx Early fiction submission for 6-22-23 critique session./BC

[jamesstarfire at gmail.com]

All I need is the air that I breathe

C Brad Corallo 

word count 539

 

The year is 2040. Seventy-four-year-old grandmother, Angie Miano calls to
her grandchildren to "put on their ESARP suits and hurry up or they will be
late for school." As the API (air pollution index) is under 250 today,
school will actually take place onsite. For the last six days it has been
virtual.

 

Angie is remembering when there was no need for "ESARP (environmental skin
and respiratory protection) suits. She is having a vivid recollection of a
picnic at the beautiful beach on Fire Island fifty years ago. She and
Vinnie, her beloved husband to be, sipped chilled Long Island Rose wine and
enjoyed cold barbequed chicken as the warm sun caressed them and the fresh
sea air was like an intoxicant. She crosses herself and whispers" rest in
peace my dear, sweet Vinnie." Angie has lost so many loved ones; especially
in the initial days of the environmental collapse.

 

In addition to Vinnie, there was her delightfully irreverent son in law Tony
and Tony's beloved wife, her dear, dear daughter Marie. Tears come to her
eyes as she dons her own ESARP suit and pictures her beautiful grandbaby
Lorenzo gasping for breath as his little lungs could not extract enough
oxygen from the tainted atmosphere to sustain him.

 

Quickly, she dries her tears and puts on a placid face for her two
grandchildren, Joey and Mary.  All three, now dressed in their ESARP suits
head out through the Dura-Glass air filtered walkway to their electric, zero
emission vehicle. When they are all inside and secured in their safety
harnesses, Angie activates the active air processing system (AAPS),
depresses the starter button and heads off into the hazy early morning rush
hour. The bleared orange sun shines dimly. As she drives carefully toward
their school, Joey points out an advertisement for vacation packages for one
week stays in the blooming Antarctic paradise "Lost American Dreams." He
asks "have you ever been there grandma?" "No," she replies. "It is new. When
I was young no one went there for vacations." 

 

They finally arrived at the Charles Koch Memorial Grammar School and Angie
pulled up to the air filtered walkway which led to the school's entrance.
Patting each of them on the shoulder, the suits made kissing impossible, she
watched as they entered the building. Not for the first time she wondered
"what will the world be like for Joey's and Mary's children? Better not to
think about it" she thought. 

 

On her way home, Angie decided to give herself a treat. She made her way to
the "Free Air Oxygen and Memory Bar. She entered and made her selection at
the "happy choice" kiosk. After swiping her currency card, she entered a
small but comfortable cubicle. She doffed her ESARP suit and sat in the
luxurious, contour   recliner and activated the high oxygen protocol and the
virtual reality imaginarium. Suddenly, Angie found herself back in that
glorious day of the beach picnic with Vinnie. She breathed deeply and
smiled. For at least a half hour, she could once again, feel a sense of
freedom and joy.  

 

NOTE: The title is a line from a song by the Hollies.

 

jamesstarfire at gmail.com

 

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