IT WILL REMAIN THE SAME

IT WILL REMAIN THE SAME.

Sunday, 1500 PM, August 15th 2030.

The man slowed down his pace until he finally stopped running. He just passed farmers lands with corn still growing, ready to be harvested. In the distance was a small industrial area and an old wildlife observation post which was built when it was all undeveloped land. Still it was very peaceful, except for a few cars and bicyclists. He slowly turned around catching his breath. He looked directly into the sun. This was the third heatwave but yet he enjoyed the exhausting 10 miles as always. He removed his earplugs slowly after he heard the singer softly singing “will it all remain the same”, the end of the song. Today was the day, the day he had prepared for since he received the final results from his doctor a year ago. He walked to the observation post, climbed the stairs and sat down. He began controlling his breath again, closed his eyes, and thought about that very special day many years ago.

Sunday, 1500 PM, August 15th 2001.

This is amazing he thought when he stood watching over the cornfields with the sun directly in front of him. Unlike any run he ever did in his life. He was enjoying the view but especially the sun mixed with the sky. There was no wind, no traffic, not a sound. A bit hazy, but also extremely peaceful. He never noticed this wooden cabin once used to study wildlife. Long ago before civilization took over and the air was still clean and animals could roam where ever they wanted. This almost apocalyptic scene probably will be a one time thing he thought, so I must do something with this. On the other hand he knew that occasions like this are automatically engraved in ones brain. So no need to write it down in his digital running log except for a small note. Sweat dripped on the floor from under his bandana but he didn’t notice it, just like the heat which was even more intense in this closed small cubicle. This is zen, living in the here and now. No future, no past, everything is perfect now. When my time comes, I'll know what to do. The sun will be my friend.

Sunday, 1530 PM, August 15th 2030.

He opened his eyes slowly before he looked at his Garmin running watch. His heart rate still was very low, soon it would be very high, too high. Thirty minutes of deep meditation like he had been practicing for a year focusing on that peaceful moment he experienced exactly 29 years ago. He got up slowly, looked for the last time over the cornfields and sun. Eternal peace...He descended the stairs making sure to keep concentrated on what would happen inevitably. He could not lose focus. His feet touched the ground and he began to run towards a deserted road which nobody knew. Checking his watch regularly for his heart rate he picked up his pace every minute. He passed by beautiful trees, bushes, and flowers. He didn’t notice them because he was completely focused on the end of the road, still in the zen state but now with his eyes open. It would happen at the end of the road, only 2 miles to go. His doctor had told him that in his case, heartfailure, he should never exceed the critical point of 150 BPM. And that he had to make the necessary arrangements. Acceptance, the hardest thing in life. Death could knock at his door now also any moment. But he would go out on his own terms. One mile to go before he would exceed the limit of 150 BPM. The watch read 130 BPM when a crow suddenly flew over his head. It returned to keep on circling over him like a guard protecting him on his journey. He felt the adrenaline while he ran the last 800 yards faster and faster. He noticed that the crow suddenly flew away only to see it sitting on the granite stone in front of him. His watch read 160 by now, he could pass out any moment but the adrenaline prevented this for now. He reached the end of the road heavily panting and saw the crow sitting quietly on a branch on a tree just behind the stone which only read “DeeDee, XXX”. He caught his breath. No turning back now. He felt the crow looking at him while he turned around and sat himself down against the stone facing the sun. He pushed the replay button on the mp3 player. “Baby I get so scared inside and I don’t really understand ” whispered the female voice in his ears. Do you understand death my friend he whispered to the crow which now sat in front of him, 50 yards away. It tilted it’s head sideways and stared back at him. He squinted because he wasn’t sure if this was real or not. It had to be an older one, grey spots on it’s body. He smiled, you are as old as me my friend. It opened it’s mouth as if to answer. He must have doozed off before he noticed it. He focused on the music again. He closed his eyes. He saw endless fields of exotic flowers of all shapes and colours. He saw his wedding and the birth of their daughter. He saw the untimely deaths of very close friends and his mother who died a day before he was about to visit her. And of course the last minutes on that rainy night while he held his wife’s hands before she would die of cancer. But soon we will meet he whispered while opening his eyes. He turned off his musicplayer. To his surprise he saw the crow sitting quietly in front of him just 3 feet away now. It kept staring at him as if it wanted something, as if it could sense what he was going through and felt sorry for him. He smiled and stretched out his hand. The bird hesitated for a few seconds but then settled itself on his right shoulder. Ok then my friend he said silently, let’s go then. For the very last time he stared into the sun enjoying the warmth as he did during every run in the heat. It will remain the same DeeDee he whispered, we are one now again. Time to die..... A last breath before the crow tilted it’s head as if to confirm he really was dead. A ruffle of feathers cut through the dead silence before it flew slowly but steadily towards the sun.

THE END.