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(Continued)
7:27AM, Pacific. Los Angeles, California.
The equations on the screen were equations that Gideon had already learned. Teach droned on and on about stars, as Gideon continued to draw on the back of his paper. The angel he had begun sketching at the beginning of class finally begun to take shape.
8:27 AM, Mountain. Johnson City, Colorado.
A single report was fired. Eugene gasped, the bags flying from his hands, the money flying into the wind. He dropped to his knees, uttering, “Son of a bitch, oh God, he shot me, oh Son of a bitch.” He pitched forward onto the concrete as a pool of blood began to form under his body.
9:27 AM, Central. Dallas, Texas.
“John, you were amazing last weekend. I bought a new negligee that I would love for you to see... and see through this weekend. Call me when you get the chance, I’m sure another ‘important meeting’ can come up.
XoXo,
Kim.”
Amanda dropped her coffee and the mug bounced on the floor, staining the pure white carpet.
10:27 AM, Eastern. Bangor Maine.
“I have the souls of over sixteen people on my head, the blood of so many,” Anderson wrote. He paused, and pondered before resuming his work. “My tenure at the hospital will be up in a matter of days, and I can think of no other useful purpose than helping people in need here. I hope the souls of those I’ve lost can forgive me.
Have mercy on my soul,
Aaron D. Anderson.”
He smiled and folded the note.
7:28 AM, Pacific. Los Angeles, California.
“Which brings us to our next question. Using the formula on the board, complete the last question on the worksheet please.”
Gideon looked down at his paper. He had already finished that problem last night. He turned the paper over and began adding the finishing touches on his angel.
8:28 AM, Mountain. Johnson City, Colorado.
Eugene gasped in another breath, his face warm with blood. He could move his eyes, but not his arms or his body. It felt like he couldn’t breathe in enough air, like water was being mixed with the oxygen that he was breathing.
“Marks! You hit him in the lung, you idiot!”
Eugene frowned. He closed his eyes. All he needed was a little sleep. A little sleep and it would all be better. He was sure.
9:28 AM, Central. Dallas, Texas.
The hot coffee splashed on her feet as she stared blankly at the screen. She exited the e-mail and thought. Slowly, she moved the cursor and highlighted the message. She right clicked, and selected from the drop down menu, “Mark as unread.” Blinking twice, she walked back to the kitchen, grabbed a roll of paper towels, and began to clean up the coffee. She hadn’t read that. It wasn’t there. What did John want for dinner? Was he a fan of arsenic?
10:28 AM, Eastern. Bangor, Maine.
Aaron D. Anderson slowly and deliberately removed the object wrapped in a rag from the second drawer of his desk. He unwrapped it, and removed the revolver. Keeping his grip on the gun, he reached into the third drawer on his desk and removed a single bullet, then loaded it into the chamber. He stared at the brass destiny at the end of the barrel, and took a deep breath.
7:29 AM, Pacific. Los Angeles, California.
“Who has the solution to problem thirteen?”
Gideon raised his hand.
“Eight.”
“Gideon, please read the question.”
“Applying the above formula, if the sun were to burn out, how long would it be before we stopped receiving light from the sun? Eight minutes.”
7:29 AM, 8:29 AM, 9:29 AM, 10:29AM. Los Angeles, California. Johnson City, Colorado. Dallas, Texas. Bangor, Maine.
And the world was bathed in darkness.
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MICHAEL GETTINGS was born in Midlothian, Virginia, but is currently residing in Manhattan spending his college money on an apartment. He began writing at the age of seven, and he is currently eighteen. He is an aspiring writer and part-time salesman. Michael just finished writing his first novel and is currently in the editing stages.
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