The most surprising thing, in the end, was how easy it turned out to be ....

No one saw this coming, Kemp typed beneath the dateline. Dystopian predictions and Science Fantasy have conditioned us to think in terms of Apocalypses, Final Reckonings, Ends of Days. But what none of us expected, what none of us could have foreseen, was this dying fall, this spiralling ellipsis, as we near the end.

‘What’s an ellipsis?’asked Cory, from behind his shoulder.

‘It’s a dot dot dot.’ Kemp demonstrated by repeatedly hitting the full stop key.

‘Nice word’, Cory said.

‘Useful metaphor. Though I tended to over-use it.’ He shortened the ellipsis by a couple of dots, and looked up at his son. ‘You need more fresh?’

‘Think it’s your turn.’

Kemp took in a shallow breath and twitched his nostrils. ‘I’m fine’, he pronounced.

‘You go.’

‘But it’s your turn.’

He smiled at Cory. ‘I’ll do for a bit longer. Go on. Fill your boots – I mean, your lungs.’

Cory disappeared into the back room, with quicker steps than usual. What’s the matter with the boy? Does he seriously think I’m going to have second thoughts? Doesn’t he know me better than that? Kemp lifted a finger and traced a thoughtful line across his forehead. Well: who’s fault is it if he doesn’t? I’ve not been the best father I could’ve been. Even though there were circumstances, I could’ve done better. ...