jueves, 21 de noviembre de 2013

Ten Minutes - Short Story

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Death used to come unexpectedly, but not anymore. Not for those who were looking at the sky, watching the gigantic rock that was heading inexorably against the planet.
What would you do if the world is about to end? Think fast. In just ten minutes, it will happen.
Surely you can imagine thousands of people running aimlessly through the streets. That they raid shops, perhaps, or that they steal luxury cars. I think that would be better than the terrible reality.
I look to my left. Next to me, looking up, I can see a couple with two children. One of them so young that does not realize what is about to happen. "That's lucky," I think for a moment, but I dismiss that thought almost instantly.
To my right, on the other hand, I see a large group of people who do not seem to have any relationship between them. They are absorbed by the sight and all of them are unable to give comfort, nor receiving it.
Five minutes left.
A heat burst surrounds us for a few seconds. I think it's the end, but not yet. The same way that come, easy go. I listen to my left the crying of one of the kids, and I don’t want to know which one.
I take again my cell phone and I intend to make a call, the last call. Of course, it is impossible, the lines are jammed. Without put it back in my jacket, I turn towards a voice to my right. Among the group of strangers, there's a girl (not more than twenty years) that seems to be praying in a language I do not know. I am tempted to get closer, and try to make her feel better.
But I do not do.
Two minutes, or maybe only one left.
I dropped the mobile to the ground while I can feel my limbs lose strength. The heat comes back, stronger, and now to stay. The child is no longer crying, the girl has stopped praying. I can only hear ... silence.
I do not want to look. I do not want to! But I do, eventually.
It is horrendous. The skin comes off of them (and me) as moist paper. Still, it seems they do not suffer.
Until the screams begin.
Am I screaming too? I do not know, I just want that everything ends. I no longer feel the heat, or the pain, and screams are moving further away from me.
What would you do if the world was about to end?
Wait, mourn, pray, scream...
And lastly, rest.


(If you liked this story, you can read many more HERE)

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