"...YOUR TIME IS UP!

"

Everybody was ready for the green light. All eyes were glued to the tiny
opening in front. The elders called it Door. It was the only exit path that we could
see. None took a break, to see the vista of a few hundred thousand of us,
gathering in this small field. Some even claimed that the number might reach
millions, but I resent such claim. Nevertheless, such panorama would wet anyone
in their pants.

Beyond the Door lies the World. I knew this from an article in the pamphlet
that I was holding; Adnexa Tribune. The pamphlet was given to each of us, as a
guide to the unknown World out there. There was even an article about The Orb,
a final destination for us all. It was described as the Heaven of all Heavens, the
ultimate resting place for us all. Unfortunately, only after a full moon, one of us
will be chosen to enter The Orb. One that truly fits for the throne. With that
condition, everyone was ready for the competition; to be the best of all.
Nevertheless, there have been rumours circulating among the crowd that there
had been a case in which more than one being managed to enter The Orb. I
could not help myself in thinking that if The Orb had a backdoor, maybe I could

cheat my way into The Orb. Who knows, maybe I could carve my name as the
first person who cheated my way into The Orb.

The air was wet, adding to the stickiness of the sweat. Not much of light
can be found in this area except for the reddish ambiance that was illuminated
from the wall of the sky. I could hear the rumbling sound the murky red sky was
making, as if it was pounding its drum of anger. The continuous shaking of the
earth made it impossible for me to balance myself. On the contrary, balancing
well on my left was a Lawyer. He was nicely dressed in grey tux, with a briefcase
in his left hand and a clipboard in the other. He stared straight to the Door without
even blinking his eyes. A very scary person. On my right was a Scientist, trying
hardly to regain his stability while holding a few other people, guiding them with
the theory of relativity and quantum mechanics in his mind, to find the so called
gravity, a myth for a perfect balance. The sound of rumbling was relayed with the
murmuring of the crowd. Everybody could feel the sudden change of the
atmosphere. Starting from a point, the tension build higher and higher, with the
occasional thunder taking up pace faster and faster, until a loud growling of the
sky echoed along every inch of the universe. In a split second, the Door opened
wide, abrupt, and a gust of air and a bright light illuminated from the opening.

Do not go into the light!

Somebody shouted.

The front line froze upon hearing the order. From the middle of the crowd
emerged a figure. The brightness of the light from the opened Door enlightened
the figure and an outline of a man with a broad shoulder and a long beard stood
out. Wearing a reddish cloak with a metallic shaft in his right hand, he pushed his
way through the crowd. All eyes were locked onto the moving figure. At the back
of his cloak, smudged the word Karma painted in white.

He must be a reincarnation from a previous life, whispered the Lawyer that was
standing beside me.
Nah, hes just another hero-wanna-be, forget it, replied the Scientist hastily.

From the look of the mans face, I could see how focused he was. The
deafening silence broke occasionally by the rhythmic sound of his footsteps.
Reaching the edge of the crowd, he turned around, facing the mammoth crowd.
He stood there for a while, letting the silence filled the air. It was when his mouth

was about to open, probably to utter words of wisdom, when a sudden change of
his facial expression struck our consciousness. With his eyes opened wide in
disbelieved, he pointed to the back of the crowd.

Look!

Everybody turned simultaneously. To our most gravely guesses, the wall

behind started to close in on us, fast. The sound of thunder from the red sky was
the loudest but the crowd was in chaos to even care about the decibel level of the
mischievous thunder. Seeing the uncontrollable situation, the man shouted and
waved to the crowd.

Into the Door! Run!

Hearing the order made by the man, the crowd suddenly shifted their
patterns of chaotic running into a sprint towards the opened Door. But our pace
was not a match for the wall behind us. The wall hit us hard and pushed the
crowd out of the Door. Everybody screamed at the end of their throat whilst being
thrown into the air.

*****

Jimmy, what are you doing in the toilet so long? Your father is about to leave
now. Hurry up!
Yes ma, Im coming.

A sound of toilet being flushed and a series of sound of water, tapping the
floor could be heard from the toilet. Jimmy quickly finished his business and
came out from the toilet. His forehead was partially covered with beads of
sweats.

Jimmy, whats that in your hand?, his mother asked, wondering what was
keeping him so long in the toilet while his father waited him in the car, sour faced.

Erkk Nothing mom. Its just a normal magazine replied Jimmy. He rushed out
from the house, grabbing his backpack that he left lying on the floor next to the
door while at it. He stuffed the magazine into his backpack, tied his shoelace and
ran towards the car.

*****
Chapter 2: End
The Death

The World was insanely bright. It was hard for my eyes to accept that kind
of intense light. I could hardly lift my eye lid. Lying flat on my stomach, the first
thing that came to my senses was the unbearable pain that enveloped my entire
body. Every time I tried to force myself to rise, a deep penetrating pain struck my
back. It felt like a razor blade slicing through my backbone, vigorously. I could not
help myself but to stay still. Wanting to see how the World looks alike, I forced
myself to open my eyes. At first, the World was totally bright white. Then
gradually, the outline of things that surrounded me appeared. Around me were a
few piles of something of different sizes. The largest was situated at far right from
the spot where I lied. It was too soon to sort out the image of these piles as my
eyes were still adapting to the bright light. As soon as I could make a meaning
out of the outlines, I was shocked. A rush of fear and a gust of panic dashed
through my veins. To my horror, the piles were of my comrades. They were all
scattered through the floor of the World.

I tried to shout, to see if there was anybody alive, but my throat wont let
me say anything. The dryness of it forced me to cough every time I tried to
swallow my saliva. It was then that I noticed the sticky substance on my fingers,
hands and my face. In fact, the entire World was covered with the sticky
substance. For some reason which I could not comprehend, this bright coloured
substance was neither new nor an alien to me. In fact, it took me a while to notice
its presence. As if it was a native part of me.

I tried to rise again. This time, the pain was too unbearable.
Arrghh!!!!!!. I cried as loud as I can. The pain, was too inhumane to bear. Have I
gone crippled? No! It cannot be! I tried to rise, and for the third time, the message
was clear. Crystal.
In the haze of throbbing pain, a figure emerged within my eyesight. Approaching
in a joyous kind of way, the figure hopped and whistled, while swinging a red
shaft in his left hand. Accompanied by menacing giggles, the figure stood in front
of me. I had to force my head to look up at the figure as he was standing very
close to me. Weird. His shaft was not the only thing red. His whole body was red,
except for the grey cloak he was wearing. The shaft that he was holding in his left

hand was about the same height as him and had 3 pointy ends. Since when does
Poseidon merrily wander on the land? Am I near to a sea? Can I see one?

Hows the landing?. The question broke my string of queries. The figure
grinned, from ear to ear, showing his dark teeth. There was something about his
grin that shivered my intestine. The smile bore a hidden message, one that I
could not comprehend but I could sense a ghastly eerie truth behind it.

It has been a joyous afternoon. I have successfully forced you to come out from
your hiding place. Well, you have another two minutes to complete your one hour
life here in the Realms of Reality. What is your final bidding? asked the figure.
Realms of Reality? Is this not the World that was stated in the pamphlet? Is this
not the place of The Orb? Where am I actually?

Where am I? Whats the Realms of Reality? Wheres the World? Who are you?
Oh, how rude of me to not introduce myself in the first place. His line stopped
there. Silence filled the air. With a smile on his face, the figure continued Dear
seed of Adam, I am the one they call the Devil and your time is up.
*****

Jimmy! I didnt realize that you are my roommate for this semester.

Mark? Oh, come on! Man, Im your best roommate ever!

Its nice to have you back.

Hows your holiday?

Ah its fine. Hey, do you have any good things?

What good things?

Ah cmon man You know what I am talking about

Yeah yeah... Here.

Wow, is this the latest edition?

Yes, and youd better take a good care of it okay? I was nearly caught by my
mother this morning.

Really? Cool dude. Nice figures

Yeah, turn to page 11.

OMG! Is this real?

100 percent real!

Hahahaa Hey, do you know that our sperm can only last outside our body for
only an hour?

Really?

~end.

10