“Untimely” is dedicated to my dear cousin, Michael, who left this world too soon.
The man walked with his head bowed down. He was more like trudging than walking, to be precise. He seems to be studying his feet and then suddenly, he looks up as if a new thought struck him. He stops. “I remember feeling angry,” he whispered. And then he looked around him as he just realized he was alone. He turns around and searched for anything, anything that might indicate where he was and WHAT happened. Nothing. Everything was still and enveloped in some kind of white haze. He remembered something else. “I was also happy ... at the same time.” This time he kept the thought to himself as if he felt like his voice belonged to a stranger, and not his own anymore. He shuffled his feet and grateful to be able to do this simple and familiar act. His dark and lanky form created stark contrast with the place.
“Are you troubled, my son?” a voice spoke.
The man took an involuntary step back as he looked up with a start.
At first, he thought he imagined it. All he could see was the same white mist. And he was still alone. “I know now. I am going crazy. This is what crazy feels like.” He heaved a euphoric sigh of relief. The thought of going crazy over knowing not what happened to ones self obviously the situation he preferred.
“I’m afraid not, my child. You are saner than most, if truth be told.”, the voice spoke again, this time with more volume than the man can stand. He gave a shout and cowered with his hands stretched in front of him.
“Who are you?” he whimpered. He could hear himself whimper and willed it to stop but couldn’t.
What happened next wouldn’t have shocked him more if he suddenly sprouted wings. A white-clad figure materialized in front of him. Its presence came with a blinding glare that made him close his eyes, but not without catching a glimpse of its face.
