The Judgment Day (?)

My strides may be compared to ten times of galloping horses. I almost lose my breath but I was running for my life and so I dared not halt. Suddenly, I saw trees sway wildly and the birds flew in terror. I stopped. What is happening? Then the earth moved beneath my feet as if to answer my question. Children inside the houses in the neighborhood I happen to be at the moment screamed in fright as they hear the clash of broken windows and chandeliers. One house adjacent to it came down crashing and all its effects inside included.

I am in the open space so I should not worry. I almost forgot I was running from the authorities who were trying to arrest me of the crime of arson which happened two days ago. I went hiding after ten houses in a row got burned. I cannot speak more of something incriminating on my part. I leave this story for you to research on.

As of the moment, while I am catching my breath, I can also see mothers carrying their children outside their houses. Some cried as they watch their homes fall. It was a wonderful sight worthy to be put into a painter’s canvas. I was beholden by such great destruction unfolding before my very eyes that I dropped my jaws to the ground while my eyes twinkle with so much enthusiasm.

I looked behind my back to check if the authorities catch up with me. I see I got lucky today. The earth continues to shake. I can see the cracks on the pavements but the feeling of having to keep the freedom the authorities were trying to steal from me is so much greater than me entertaining any forms of fear. I screamed in the middle of the street, “woohoo!”

I took my time. These are one of those days I am not in a hurried state. While a 60-floor building is threatening to collapse, I cannot contain my smile up to my ears. It is indeed a very beautiful day.

I walked passed broken dreams, shattered souls and ruined properties. I hymn at the moment though trying to avoid the debris falling. People from every corner of this world is bursting with fear; running and enslaved by their emotions; forgetting and trashing their reason – panic is everywhere.

I saw a kid whose age maybe that of four. He was squatting on their garden’s yard with arms folded at his chest. I was at his back without him noticing. Like me, he was amazed by the destruction. As their house, I suppose it is theirs, slowly come to ground, he never blinked an eye at the sight. He was awed, to speak of. I heard him say, “Wow”.

I carry on my journey, not minding falling buildings. For me, it was the heavens punishing those who were judgmental of me even before my conviction was proven and to those who tried to handcuffed me that day to give entertainment to people who draw strength from other people’s instability. It was a judgment day for them but not for me.

The heavens start to cry. I feel it in my skin; teardrops in the form of rain while properties continue to collapse everywhere. The world gets darker and darker. Screams seemed never ending.

“Why have you forsaken us?” I heard a woman screaming and asking at the same time while she was looking up above the dark gray skies with both arms spreading as if embracing her dreadful state that day. I laughed at the sight of her. I laughed my heart out even more when she stopped and turned her gaze at me; glaring with so much wrath as if I was the cause of all the terrible things that happened. There you go, the human’s easy escape for everything – blaming and pinpointing fingers at somebody. I cannot be intimidated by such glare. I had my days in prison didn’t I? What could be worse than to battle the daily hunger, sleeplessness and thirst not to mention the constant punches and kicks your superiors will give you while your case is yet pending? So, no, a glare is nothing.

I walked as slowly as possible; not wanting to miss a single detail of everything that is happening. Until I hear the heavens screamed back – thunder and lightning followed. I supposed there were roughly thousands of homeless people in this state where I stand and to think that they will share the same homelessness with me while the rain pours hard gives me a homey feeling. Those owning palatial residences and those who nearly squat on their neighbors’ yard are now placed in an equal footing – both with no properties and monies to brag about. They are all hopeless and helpless. We all are.

At one house, I heard the television showing the President giving out his “Don’t Panic Speech” but the same was stricken by the lightning, I really mean the TV. Well, I hope the President was included. To add, the trunk of the Acacia tree beside the house fell on its roof, contributing to the house’s electrical glitch. A man in his Dolce and Gabana suit ran out from the house bringing with him his cognac and started cursing at the heavens.

“You can fuck the heavens all you want but you cannot get to see your TV for quite a time”, I suddenly blurted out at him.

“Who the fuck, are you?” The D&G guy asked me and spit on the ground looking like a real gangster now.

“I was the man who was convicted of burning ten houses straight in a row and I am pretty sure I kept you entertained by the news”, I answered with no trace of slight intimidation.

“Go to hell!” He screamed at me, ready to shoot me anytime for sure, if only he was carrying a gun with him.

“As where all of us will go”, I answered almost in a whisper.

The man threw his cognac at me but his aim was too low to even reach me. I laughed at him and I can see how he sees me – the Devil with no name.

The earth stopped to shake. The world seemed to have fallen into the abyss of total silence. Even I stopped for awhile as if waiting for another event to happen. Everyone froze. The coldness of the wind relayed a terrifying message. It speaks of terror. All the hairs in my arm stood up. I ran as fast as I could up the hill 50 meters away from where I stand. I could not recall how many times I stumbled but I did not stop running. While I caught the attention of other people who were at the streets, homeless, I managed to find my voice and started shouting, “Tsunami!” Then it was like the streets were in an auto-marathon. Everybody was running towards a higher ground. Some people though, remained where they were, accepting the fact that they won’t be able to make it. These are commonly the aged, the children and the parents of the children. They put their knees on the ground and said their last words and prayers. In unison, they looked up above the heavens and said, “Thy will be done”.

Like a thief waiting for the right time, the waves from the Pacific enveloped them in a blink of an eye, washing away the slabs and humankind. It got me thinking, were sins washed away too? If those were, were they forgiven?

There were probably a hundred of us on top of the hill. Looking down at what seemed like a world death pool, nobody dared speak a word. I thought for a time I exorcised the devil inside me successfully. Instead, I took a month’s old child from her mother’s arm and carried him up above my head with one hand. The mother screamed at me but on top of the hill, while the rest of us remained witnessed and numbed, I screamed at the heavens and offered the child in exchange for a safety pass. The mother cursed me endlessly and nabbed my chest with her fists, with eyes filled with tears asking me, “Why should it be my child?” But such plea fell into deaf ears. Everyone waited for an answer; at least for a sign. But there was only deafening silence and nothing more. To everyone’s shock, I threw the child at the death pool below and laughed with so much gravity. A man stood up against me, I suppose he was the father of the child I just threw, punched my face but despite me being nailed on the ground, I did not stop laughing.

“Idiots, you all are! Not knowing why your God has forsaken you! Or perhaps you knew after all, but nobody dared confront your conscience and punished yourselves. How impostor can you all become by showing the world what you really are not! Don’t you really have any idea what has just happened? It is judgment day, you fool! Everyone shall answer for their sins and we all are going to die!”

Women embraced each other, crying and in so much despair.

“And who do you think you are? God?” the man who punched my face asked.

I managed to stand up as I say, “I am no God, brother. For even I have also sinned. I am neither the chosen Messiah who shall tell you that we are going to be saved if we keep holding on to our faith. I am also a sinner and like all of us, I am going to answer my sins as well.”

Everyone fell silent. Nigh time falls in no less than a minute. Everyone felt the coldness of the breeze especially with their wet clothes. With no roof on top of our heads, we have nothing else to keep us warm but ourselves. Everyone was hungry I suppose but no one fired up a word.

As I feel my lids near closing, I hear another scream from within our hundred-member flock. A 17-year old girl jumped off the hill towards the death pool. We cannot do anything about it. It was a matter of choice. Sobs reined the top hill as I continue to stare blankly at the dark horizons. I did not even attempt to pray while others start chanting the rosary. What should prayers be for?

I am ready to accept my fate.