Tomorrow

The end of the world, Judgment day, Armageddon, Rapture, they are all predicaments of the end of the world. However, the date in which this major disaster occurs is unclear. We as people have no idea when existence will diminish. People will talk about the end of the world and the survivors of it, but if there are people still alive then it’s not really the end. The end of the world means everyone and everything is dead. Can such an occurrence really happen?

What if, you did know the year, month, day, down to the hour? Say, you knew the exact events that lead up to the end. Would you try to prevent it? Of course! Anybody would, if it meant saving them, their family, friends and everyone else on this planet, but the real question is: What happens after you stop it all? Does life continue as it were or does everything end in a big flash because that was the day it was supposed to happen?

We often had this discussion in one of my extra curricular classes in high school. My teacher was convinced that he had it all figured out. Everything was already predestined, and there was nothing we could do about it. Events of terrorist attacks to natural disasters were already set to happen and all we had to do was play our parts. He even went to the lengths of saying that no one can prevent the end of the world. Everyone had their roles they had to play, and despite their efforts of changing it, it was meant for them to change it. For example, if it was predicted that there would be a huge fire at the fair tomorrow, people would try their best to keep it from happening. So, the people who were extra cautious would keeping an eye on anybody who would try to cause this fire, and the people who move flammable objects to safer places. However, while being cautious someone accidently causes sparks from the fireworks, thus a flame is lightened. That flame eventually turns into a fire, and the predicament comes true. No matter how hard they tried, the fire happened anyway.

My teacher would argue his point with this example, and then some student brings up the question. "But what if someone actually thought if they tried too hard to prevent they would cause the fire, so instead they just let the day go as it was originally planned?" At this point my teacher would smile and say, "Then the carelessness they possess will cause the fire. Regardless which way they choose, the fire will always be started."

We always had discussions like this in class. Sometimes I would agree with my teacher, and other times I thought his ideas were a little far stretched. Nevertheless, I admired the man. He took the time to think these kinds of things through, and provoked us to think about them as well. He was a very intellectual man.

However, knowing what I know now, there is something I would like to ask him. What if you could relive each and every day twice? I'm curious what he would say. Because knowing what I know, throws destiny out the window. Preventing death left and right, riots, plane crashes, explosions, you think these wouldn't lead to the end of the world, right? Wrong. Who knew saving the world could bring it to its end. Now, it haunts me day and night, if this were destiny would I still be the cause of the end of the world if I didn't have these premonitions?

Nightmare

My whole world was spinning. Round and round it went, passing by. I felt like I was standing outside of time, and I watched it as things progressed. What was happening? Where am I?

Everything stopped. I stood in the middle of the road. Buildings on both sides of me. People walking on the sidewalks, cars driving by. On the horizon I could see the ocean. I was nearby the beach. The sun may have been in the sky, but it hid behind the clouds. No one seemed notice me. I walked to the sidewalk, and began heading towards the beach. Again no one looked at me or even bothered to get out of my way. It was as if I wasn't even there. To test it out I stopped directly in front of a man, and he walked through me. I was a ghost! I died? When? I don't remember dying.

I turned around and everything changed. I no longer stood in a town nearby the beach. I stood on a busy street in the heart of a city. Taxis, cars, buses, bicycles, people were going all over the place. Again, no one seemed to notice me. I walked down the sidewalk with no where to go looking down at my feet. It was at that point I came to the conclusion that this was a dream. Whenever something weird or impossible happens, it is most likely a dream. Well, no one can see me, I'm not dead, and I went from the beach to the city. I must be dreaming!

"Jessica!"

Someone called my name. I looked up to see where it came from, and there stood a man fifteen yards away staring at me. He wore a black suite, and his brown hair was combed back. He smiled at me, and turned around. He walked through the crowds like I did, no one saw him either. I ran after him. Who was he? Why was he in my dream? He kept walking away.

"Hey! Who are you?" I shouted at him, but he ignored me. I ran faster, but I couldn't catch up to him. He took a left turn down an alley. It was so far away, yet so close. What was going on? I finally came upon the alley, and went down it.

My surroundings changed again. I stood in the middle of a road, again. Only this time, I stood out in the middle of no where. There was nothing to look at. From east to west, there was nothing but flat terrain. The road continued on forever in both directions too. The clouds in the sky were dark, threatening to rain. The temperature decreased excessively as well. Goose bumps ran up my arms. I held on to myself. I look around a bit, and found the man that I saw in the city. He stood there smiling at me.

"Jessica," he said in a very caring way, "Why do you keep punishing yourself like this?"

My heart was pounding. Now that I was closer to this man, I recognized him almost immediately. Panic rushed through my body, and a lump formed in my throat. "What are you talking about?"

Even thought those words left my mouth I knew what he was talking about. Everything changed. My surroundings, my clothes, the weather, everything! I sat on the driver's side of my car waiting patiently for my sister. She had to make a phone call, and both of our phones were dead. We were on our road trip that we talked about for so long, and we finally saved up enough money to go. At the time, we were out shopping, and were about to head back to the hotel. I sat listening to music while the sun beamed down on me. It felt like one of the happiest moments of my life.

Ten minutes passed, and my sister hadn't come back. I got out of my car, walked down the street looking for her. Where was the phone booth she was using? I continued to walk down the street looking for her, but she was no where in site. Another ten minutes had passed, and there was still no sign of her. I began to run around frantically looking for her. I came upon a parking lot, and saw a phone booth that someone was using. Without even thinking, I ran towards the phone booth. Maybe, just maybe my sister would be around somewhere. The man talking on the phone saw me. He hung up the phone and walked to his car. I was still so far away from him.

"Wait!" I shouted, "I need to talk to you!"

He looked over to me, and smiled. Why would he do that? He opened the door to his car, and I heard someone screaming. My heart sank into my stomach as I recognized that scream. It was my sister. He shut the door, and started the engine.

"No!"

He pulled out of his parking spot, and just as he sped away I saw my sister in the back, tied up, screaming my name.

Tears flowed from my eyes as I watched helplessly my sister being kidnapped. My hands began to tremble.

The man that kidnapped my sister five years ago, still haunts my dreams to this day.