(A man has ten minutes to say goodbye to his loved ones forever. How will he react? What even is he? Is he dead? Alive? Read on and discover the truth.)579Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34RIRl2YgR
In this world, there is nothing. Nothing to see, hear, smell, taste, or touch. It is as if I am floating in space and have no control over my body. I haven't moved in what seems like years. My limbs have stiffened, my eyes gone dry. I don't think I've even breathed, to be honest.
But today...today was different. For what was the first time, I felt air rush into my lungs, filling me whole, a soft breeze caressing my cheek.
I couldn't even be sure if my eyes worked or not, because all I saw was a black abyss encircling me. Something in my chest throbbed hard, and I realized that I needed to breathe - manually, that is. Taking in a large gulp of air, I reminded myself to do that more often.
Then there was a light. Soft, calming, distant. A distant memory of a phrase popped in my head for a second, but it was quickly overtaken by my curiosity. There had never been a light before. Nor had I ever been able to move any of my limbs. But miraculously, they stretched out of the fetal position I had been compacted in for God knows how long. Even in the wretched state I was in, I could hear every bone crack, every joint popping into place. It didn't hurt as horrid as it sounded.
I reached towards the light, the faint image of a limb with five separated joints coming into my vision.
Then I fell. My face full of something...grimy. I weakly lifted myself to my feet and saw a brown powdery substance. Something clued in my mind, telling me that this was called...dirt.
I gasped, forgetting to breathe again, as I looked around me. Large brown towers with a bushy green top stood proudly on some green dirt. Trees? I blinked, staring at the moving creatures that surrounded me. They all had limbs with the five digits too!
These things were like me! I clumsily ran to the nearest one who's eyes were scanning over an object with a foreign language printed on it.
"H-Hello!" My voice cracked as I used it for the first time. The one that looked like me said nothing, staring at the black markings.
"Hello!" I repeated, my voice steady this time. No answer. I tried stumbling over to another one, who was jogging at a fast pace.
"Excuse me!" I bellowed, shouting words I barely understood. They ignored me as well, no matter how many times I called out. I fell to the ground, breathing fast and hard. Why would that one run like that if it causes such a pain in their side! I tried to shake off the feeling of the dizzy spell and let the world straighten itself out.
The more pressing matter that bothered me was that none of these things paid any attention to me! I'm not being rude, am I? I'm fairly certain someone would have even looked at me, but none of them did. Why? Was I evil? Grotesque? The more people I passed the less hope I had.
Ten minutes remaining. A booming voice said in my ear. I swiveled around, trying to find who could have said that. No thing, or creature was remotely interested in me at all. I panicked, realizing that I had a limit. A limit until what, I had no idea. I didn't know how long ten minutes was, but I could only assume it was short.
I paced around, running my hand through some odd strands of material that was atop my head. Ten minutes? Until what? Was I on a mission? What was I supposed to do?
"Excuse me..." A higher, more shy voice spoke. I stopped in my tracks, turning around and looking down at the small creature that stared at me. That actually looked at me. She had small brown pigtails and big, curious blue eyes. I narrowed my eyes, the tiny creature striking something inside my head.
A flash from nowhere caused me to jump backwards, falling on my back. I saw images - thousands at once, and in the span of a second I knew. I knew who this girl was. I knew who I was. And I knew why I was here.
"Cassandra..." The name of such familiarity rolled off my tongue like I'd said it many times before.
"Daddy!" The girl jumped into my lap, tears flowing from her eyes. "Why did you go away, Daddy? You were sleeping in the ground! Mommy said you couldn't come back!" she clung to my snow-white shirt tightly with a fist that was half the size of my own. I followed my instincts and wrapped my arms around her, a heavy feeling in my chest. It hurt, sinking me like an anchor in a vast ocean.
"Shh, it's okay, baby doll. Daddy's here. It's all right now." I rocked her back and forth, her sobs getting quieter each time I did. I had - have a daughter. Her name is Cassandra, she's beautiful, she loves to draw, and-
Five minutes remaining. The same booming voice from before thundered in my ears, remaining as monotone as ever. I gulped down the lump in my throat, realizing what I had to do in the time I had left.
"Cassandra," she looked at me. "Daddy needs to go again, okay? I can't stay."
Her face sank into a gut-wrenching sadness that made something inside of me throb. "You can't leave, Daddy! You just got back..."
"I know, I know," I felt a moisture form in my eyes. "I came to say a proper goodbye. I couldn't leave you like that." An image of Cassandra clinging to a woman's black skirt with tears flowing down her face surfaced in my head. Wetness spread onto my cheeks as it came.
"B-But-"
"No buts. I have to go, sweet pea. There's nothing I can do about it."
"Cassandra!" A woman called. "Where are you?!" she ran up to Cassandra, who was still wrapped in my arms.
"Where have you been, young lady?! I was worried sick about you!" she put her hands on her hips. "We're going home, now."
"But mom! Daddy's here!" she clung to my hand, her small yet firm grip refusing to let go.
"Hush, that's impossible. Sir, if you would please-" she stopped herself from uttering another word as she looked into my eyes, an expression of amazement and disbelief crossing upon her features. Long, wispy black hair that had been tied in what was now a rather loose ponytail showed off her pointy chin, full cheeks, and blue eyes. Much like her mother, Cassandra resembled the features of her mother, but had a more chubby look to her face, a more crooked nose, and chestnut hair. My hair.
"Jeff..." she trailed off, words failing her.
"Clarice." Her name brought a warm feeling to my chest. It lifted the anchor, leaving me to feel strong.
Three minutes remaining. I felt myself go pale. My time was almost out! I had to do something, say something, before I never got the chance to again.
"But you're..." Clarice walked closer to me.
"D-Dead, I know. I...remember. Now, I'm running out of time, I need to talk to you, and Cassandra-"
"Running out of time? Can't you come home?" My wife gazed at me in confusion. I shook my head sadly. "I'm going to pass on in-"
Two minutes remaining.
"...Two minutes."
"That's not enough time!" she exclaimed. "There's so much to explain...to...to ask, to..."
"Clarice," I grabbed her shoulders firmly. "I need this time to say goodbye."
Her face dropped. She understood.
"I love you." I said, bringing my face closer to hers. We kissed, for what I knew to be the last time.
One minute remaining.
"Cassandra," I knelt down to her.
"Y-Yes, Daddy?" she was trying not to cry, but evidently that plan had failed.
"I need you to do something for me. Something very important I know only you can do." I shifted my weight to my right knee.
"O-okay..." she sniffed.
"Please, be strong. Remember how to have fun again. You'll always be my little girl." I tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear as she sobbed again, pulling me into a hug. Clarice knelt down as well, her warm embrace giving me a new life.
Ten seconds remaining.
Where had all of the time gone? All those minutes down to seconds in what seemed like an instant.
Nine.
But I was lucky enough to find my family again.
Eight.
And say goodbye.
Five.
"Clarice, Cassandra," I felt I needed to have a last word.
Three.
Clarice gazed at me with grim eyes, Cassandra with endless tears.
Two.
"I love you."
One.
"Goodbye."
Then I felt like something had grabbed me around the waist, and was gently pulling me away from my daughter and wife. I welcomed it, my time here done. Clarice held Cassandra in her arms, watching as I faded away, to somewhere where there was more light. Somewhere where the warm feeling expanded to the tips of my fingers, the ends of my toes, and in every working part of my body, where there was no anchor. I could finally see again.
I am free.
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