Five Second Story - Part 18

It took two minutes to calm my mind down. I could hardly believe it, even though I had felt it with my own lips, and seen it through my own eyes. I had had my first kiss, and it was good (however awkward it was). I really hoped I would see her again. My thoughts seemed to clog my ears and slow my limbs, because I couldn't concentrate on anything else (there were so many of them!). Chris seemed to be trying to say something to me, but I couldn't respond. Then he smacked me in the back of the head.

WHACK! "- are you even listening to me!" Chris yelled in my ear. "Hellooooo? Anybody home?!"

I put my finger in my ear. "Yes, and –" WHACK! "- don't hit me again," I said calmly.

"OWWwww…" whined Chris.

"Hey deal with it. You hit me, I hit you back. How long was I out?"

He looked at the timer – 1:50…:49…:48. "You've been out for about three minutes," he rubbed the back of his head.

"Hm, thought it was two. I guess all we can do now is wait."

"Yeah."

So I leaned back in my seat, closed my eyes, and rested for the first time since time froze. For about one minute, that is.

"EVERYONE SHOULD BE BACK IN THEIR SEATS BY NOW, SO PLEASE BE QUIET!" The announcement resounded throughout the arena, followed by complete silence. You could hear a pin drop. I heard a pin drop. I don't know who dropped it. The timer hovering in the center of the arena had less that half a minute left: 0:28…:27…:26. I decided to keep my eyes open this time.

I was so tired – from the journey here, the multiple conversations, the fight, and the fact that I hadn't slept well the night before – that I wasn't even bored as I watched the timer count down to zero. 0:22…:21…:20. When I thought about the challenges (however few) I had faced so far, I realized there would be many more to come. 0:17…:16…:15. Damn, can that timer go any slower! 0:13…:12…:13…:11. Okay, now God's just toying with us. 0:10…:09…:08…:07…

"Six," I mumbled the countdown to myself. "Five. Four, three, two –"

KABOOOOM!!!