"This is not a game," The speakers announced to the panicked crowd. The voice was robotic and monotonous. Alien. "There are timers on your wrist. They will tell you when you will meet your soulmate. The clock will change depending on your movements. Move further away from your soulmate, the timer becomes longer. Move closer, it shortens. If you already met your soulmate, find them again. Your timer will be the exact same as your soulmate's." The voice paused. "If you do not find your soulmate in five minutes, you will die." A countdown issued from the PA system.
Screaming. Pandemonium. I glanced at my wrist, which read 00:10:04. Ten minutes away from my soulmate. My heart thumped wildly and I bit my lip. I needed to find my soulmate within five. I resisted a laugh. How ironic that love and death would court each other as aliens decided to play games with humanity.
"My timer reads one hour and fifty minutes!" Someone yelled.
"Mine reads two days!"1840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbP8W9FjcA
"Mine reads ten minutes!" I yelled, brushing my hair out of my eyes. I ran towards the left. The timer decreased rapidly, and now read seven minutes.
"Anyone have seven minutes?" My voice was going hoarse. A pretty girl answered my call, but when we checked each others' wrists, the time was off by several seconds. I kept running left, but stopped abruptly as the timer increased to 9 minutes. I swore and ran to the south. The timer decreased by another three minutes.1840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ90Ljv2JygR
"Three minutes and forty-two seconds," the PA stated cheerfully.
"Anyone have six minutes?" I cried as I pushed through the crowd. All the while, I wondered what my soulmate would be like.
The numbers counted down. 00:05:13. 00:05:12. 00:05:11. I ran faster, watching as the numbers fell ever faster.1840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbZh4mKMR0
00:03:14.
I was knocked over by a hysterical man, who was screaming for his wife. His counter read 01:45:32. My eyes widened with shock. How must the married people feel, to have married someone who was not their soulmate? The people in budding relationships?
"Two minutes and sixteen seconds," The PA reminded.
I panicked and pushed through several elderly ladies, one of whom was sobbing while the others comforted her. I quickly spotted that the other senior ladies' wrists had no writing on them. They must have met their soulmates long ago.
I glanced at my wrist. 00:04:32. When had it increased?
"Who has four minutes and thirty-two seconds?!" I screamed.
"I HAVE THAT!" someone cried. I ran towards the source of the voice, but the crowd was thick and in utter chaos.
"One minute and thirty-two seconds," The PA said aimably.
I glanced at my wrist again. "Two minutes sixteen seconds!" I yelled.
"Here! HERE!"
The PA blared, "Fifty-three seconds."
"Where are you?" I could distinguish my soulmate's voice to be a girl's, one with a slight British accent.
"Hello? Twenty-nine seconds?" she called.
"Over here!" I yelled, running towards the voice.
The PA's countdown became much louder. "Ten. Nine."
"WHERE?" she sobbed.
"OVER HERE!" I cried. My timer read 00:00:05.
"Six. Five."
I could see her. I could see her1840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4gAJsjly6G
I reached out my hand towards her, watching her verdant green eyes. Her fingertips brushed my own.1840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZn4GvFLQ1v
"Two. One."
Her hand was in mine, and we collided into each other. Her fiery red hair covered my face. 1840Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRqboqB7Dn
"Zero."
She sat up quickly, to see me better, but I brought her head back down, to keep her from watching the scene.
People were dropping dead on the spot, and the bodies fell with muffled thumps on the ground. Save for the crying, the place suddenly felt quieter. The PA was no longer screaming, and instead, slight static issued from the speakers.
She was panting, just as I was. I let her rise, then grabbed her soft hand and planted my lips on the back of it.
"Nice to meet you, my soulmate," I whispered.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
