COUNTING DOWN THE YEARS

OOPS!

Everything happens too fast after the blast. I wish I were deaf like a monitor lizard. That could be super so helpful right now with my ears ringing like crazy! Guns firing. They are too loud very close and I've never been that close to such a loud shot. People shouting, groaning and crying. Someone thought it best to turn off the lights. 

Or maybe they had night vision goggles so they didn't think we'd mind cause they didn't. I remained on the floor not wanting to catch any stray bullets and also because the impact of the landing after the blast took a toll on my body. And most importantly I couldn't see anything. Everywhere hurt. I wonder whom those second party work for and what they want. And how quick did this night escalate to such chaos. My life is on the line here when it wasn't a minute ago. 

I heard the bots are enslaving humans, I would take that in a blink rather than being here. I don't want to die young in cold blood. Slavery to robots can't be that bad, can it? I know it is bad but I have never been in such a place. 

"I'm gonna die! I'm gonna die! "

Someone who is unmistakably Drew keeps chanting in a trembling voice. I would hold his hand and reassure him but two things stop me. One is we are all definitely gonna die and two is I can't see him. I would call my parents and tell them I love them but mom specifically called to tell me not to step out. First thing I did was step out and report about the machines in my area. And now I'm in a lab where all hell broke loose. I love them but I guess I'll leave everything at I hope they've always known that. And will one day forgive me for not listening to mom. Everyone's kid does that, right? I dread being a parent. 

Suddenly I'm being dragged by my jumpsuit collar. Due to fear, I don't try resisting or turning around to see who it may be. I just let them drag me. I don't even point out how unromantic that is because I don't think my being a lady and liking being pleased is anything in anyone's plate right now.  I want to believe I'm being saved or something so I take everything. By everything I mean all the things I get bumped into. I'm dragged quite some distance before it all stops. I feel somebody's body heat getting closer and closer to me. Here comes my end. He it comes. 

Some calloused pair of hands cups my face and I'm confused. I'm guessing it's a man from his woody cologne. Yum! He huffs out a breath that fans my face. Good for me the guy is keen on dental hygiene. I would have died from gas poisoning. So embarrassing.  He then slowly strokes my cheeks with his thumbs in lazy circular motions. Peter! Has to be. 

"Annie listen, that TM 2.0 is bullet proof. I'm gonna help you in there but you have to promise me you won't touch anything. I was still working on new codes with it when the police stormed in demanding to have it in use. I wouldn't recommend it because I wasn't finished with the codes. It's unstable. Unreliable. You can't touch anything okay? " He asks and I nod like the stupid person I am. 

I realize it's dark and I just nodded because he's still cupping my face but feel I need to strongly affirm that. Right? Well... 

"I won't touch anything. "I let a promise slip through my words because it  must be important not to touch anything way he insists. 

"I'll come back for you when all this is over. Just stay down so nothing attracts attention to you. I'll be hiding in a panic room for a while. They are not here for the machine so you'll be fine in there. Please don't touch anything Annie. "He insists again and I really understand the importance of not touching anything. 

I nod again firmly. I wonder what they could be here for and to have a panic room must mean such ambushes are quite common around here! Strange as that may sound! And why not go panic in the room together? So we duck walk towards the machine I guess because I'm trailing behind Peter who is holding my hand. Turns out we weren't that far away from it. Good riddance. All the gunshots are making me a little bit too anxious. And I'll be deaf soon. 

"What about Drew? Will you bring him in with me or take him to the panic room? "I ask not quite getting why I get VIP treatment here. 

If you could actually call it that! I haven't seen this guy in years too. 

"Who is Drew? "He asks genuinely confused. 

Leave it to me to assume I introduced the guy I work with to one I went to high school with. I even surprise myself with how I just don't know things. 

"My camera guy, we're here together. " I reply quickly then add, "He was close to me earlier. "

But then I realize my sentences are making another sense. 

"As in I heard his voice, my colleague, I heard him close to where I was earlier. "I correct myself.

I wish I could see Peter's face to gauge his reactions. He stays quiet a lot longer than I thought he would. He changed his mind! 

"Careful now. "He guides me with a hand on the small of my back, "Watch your head there. Remember not to touch anything. I'll come get you myself. "He goes through everything once more. 

"Thank you. "I thank him grateful he's taking me to safety. 

I almost have my hands under my armpits to make sure I don't touch anything. I would fall face first without touching the ground to prevent it. So I manage to get in and even when I don't see anything, I know it's a nice and comfy place. I wriggle my butt on the soft leather and feel like the rich do in private jets. And then he shuts the door. After that I hear a string of curses from him outside. What? He already regrets saving me! 

The machine comes online and starts a countdown. I panic with my hands up as a show I didn't touch anything. Peter looks panicked out there too  . What the hell is happening? Count down to what? Blasting me off to space or timelessness? I see Peter struggling to open the door as the countdown in here continues. This is bad. So bad. I try pushing the door too but nothing! Now I'm frightened. Completely scared out of my mind. He said it's unstable. Unreliable too. I'm gonna die! Or maybe I'm already dead and now reliving my last moments. 

I feel a weird shaking in my body like all my cells are vibrating. I feel pulled in and I struggle to get out of something I can't quite explain. But it's there the tug of war. One second I see Peter panicking and saying things through the glass and another I see myself in a dark lonely and quiet place. This is crazy. I'm losing my mind. I must be losing my mind! 

With my hands furiously pounding the glass door looking at Peter panicked, my whole life flashes before me. I don't have much in the name of legacy. I wish I did but that's what I get for not being completely active and getting chained on the YOLO madness everyone seems to be hooked up on. 

Why did I agree to this? Just go ahead and trust the guy you last saw years ago. What's going to happen to me? Is this really how it ends for me? Because it sucks! I want to scream but a heavy lump is caught in my throat. And I also know that no scream could save me from this. I don't want to scream my last. But  a lone tear slowly drops down my face. Last thing I see is a completely terrified Peter and last thing I hear is the shower of bullets distantly hitting the TM 2.0 . The damned TM 2.0 !