Captive of Time

Speedy's name was chosen by his grandfather, who intended for it to represent a carefree and unfettered life, untouched by the mundane pressures of the world. However, in the age of the internet and rapid social changes, the once unique name “Speedy” had turned into something far too ordinary. Yet, Speedy’s biggest problem wasn’t his name-it was his procrastination. He had an almost incurable case of procrastination. His assignments were never completed until the last minute, exams never ended before the final second, and he wouldn’t show up at social gatherings until the very last moment. Everything he did was pushed to the brink of no return. Of course, Speedy wasn’t a god, so he couldn’t always execute this perfectly. There were exams he couldn’t finish, assignments he turned in late, and classes and events he was perpetually late for. His friends had even grown accustomed to his tardiness, joking that he would always be late by just a little. In the first twenty years of his life, Speedy's procrastination hadn’t caused him any serious trouble. A few missed marks in exams, some points deducted for late homework, and a few scoldings from teachers-none of them really affected him. His friends would poke fun at his habitual lateness, but it didn’t hinder his social life or his growth into what society would still consider a “model citizen.” Speedy was aware of his flaw, but he wasn’t overly concerned about it. After all, procrastination has been around for centuries-ancient Chinese poetry even reminded people to seize the day, lamenting how tomorrow brings too many uncertainties. But all of that changed on December 31st of this particular year. He had arranged to meet a few friends at Red Moon City’s famous Time Square to celebrate the New Year countdown together. As usual, Speedy was late. The square was packed with people, as though half the city had gathered there. He scanned the crowd but couldn’t spot his friends. He called his buddy Tom, who told him they were waiting by the bronze clock, the city’s iconic landmark. The bronze clock, as the symbol of Time Square, was surrounded by the largest throngs of people. Speedy began pushing his way through the crowd when, at 11:59 PM, a collective cheer erupted around him as everyone started the New Year countdown. “Ten, nine, eight, seven...” The crowd’s voices filled the air, brimming with excitement. As Speedy weaved through the sea of people, he mumbled along to the countdown, “Ten, nine, eight, seven... three, two, one!” Fireworks exploded overhead, painting the sky with bright, vibrant colors. Speedy stopped in his tracks, lifting his head to gaze at the spectacle, momentarily lost in the display. What he didn’t realize was that he had been counting a second behind everyone else. Soon, the fireworks began to fade, and the night returned to its usual calm. People began dispersing, laughing and chatting as they left the square. Within moments, the crowd thinned out, and Speedy found himself alone. He breathed a sigh of relief and pulled out his phone to call Tom. This time, the phone just rang and rang with no answer. “It’s probably too noisy. He couldn’t hear it,” Speedy reasoned, not too worried. He dialed the numbers of his other friends, but none of them answered either. “They must be trying to find me,” he thought. So, he sent out a few messages detailing his location and sat down, playing with his phone while waiting for a response. He scrolled through his social media, but oddly, all the posts were still from December 31st. “Shouldn’t people be posting New Year’s greetings by now?” he wondered. But he quickly dismissed it, figuring the network was overloaded due to the huge crowd. He tried to send his own status updates, but his phone lagged. The time displayed on the screen was stuck at 11:59 PM, December 31st. “Damn signal,” he muttered, pocketing his phone in frustration. He turned back to the bronze clock, noticing that its hands were still frozen at midnight, just as he had seen them earlier. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Tom and the others walking away toward the edge of the square. Shouting their names, Speedy ran toward them, but despite his calls, they didn’t seem to hear him. No matter how fast he ran, they seemed to move away even faster, as though they were impossibly out of reach. At one point, he even overheard Tom saying, “Speedy’s probably late as usual. Let’s just wait for him at the convenience store by his place.” Despite being so close, they continued walking as if they couldn’t hear him at all. Speedy could only watch as they were swallowed up by the crowd, vanishing completely. Checking his phone again, there were no missed calls or new messages. “Seriously? You guys are going to wait at the store but don’t even tell me?” he muttered, annoyed but not overly bothered. He started the short walk back to his apartment. After all, the square wasn’t far from home, just a fifteen-minute walk. But as he walked, something strange dawned on him. Red Moon City was known for its vibrant nightlife, especially in the heart of the city. Yet, on this particular night-the busiest night of the year-the streets were eerily empty. Not a single car or pedestrian was in sight. “Is it because of traffic control for the New Year’s event?” he wondered, trying to make sense of it. But the more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed. The people leaving the square had all disappeared, leaving the streets deserted. When he finally reached the convenience store near his building, it was lit as usual. Inside, the usual items-hot food, snacks, and drinks-were all on display, but there wasn’t a single customer or cashier in sight. “Probably in the back,” he reasoned, assuming the clerk had stepped out for a moment. He sat down in the corner of the store, waiting for his friends to show up, but no one came. His phone was still stuck at 11:59 PM, and none of his calls were going through. After what felt like an eternity, Speedy gave up and sent one last message to his friends, telling them he was heading home. The apartment he stayed in belonged to his grandfather, though Speedy had been living there while attending university. Tonight, Tom had planned to stay over, but with no sign of his friends and no way to reach them, Speedy resigned himself to a quiet night alone. Feeling the familiar pull of laziness, Speedy climbed into bed, cocooned himself in blankets, and drifted off to sleep. In his dreams, he vaguely sensed someone wrapping his arms, a soft voice whispering awkwardly in his ear, “You’re mine now.” Unaware of the ominous presence beside him, Speedy slept soundly, worrying only about mundane things like fixing his phone. What Speedy hadn’t realized was that while the rest of the world had moved into the New Year, he had been left behind. Forever stuck on New Year’s Eve, December 31st.