Time's Up

Time’s Up
 
‘The Bravest Man on Earth’ the headline read. It was the twenty-fourth of April �" the eve of his death. He scanned the article about him, and let out a faint smile. It all began eighty-seven years ago.
He was born on a sunny Saturday, no different than any other day. Yet his birth made the day stand out in history. It was said that everyone has a guardian angel that looks over them ever since they were born. His angel went the extra mile. The moment he was born, the angel revealed himself and bestowed a watch on him. The watch seemed normal, but was counting downwards towards zero.
“Time is but a river, and it flows till the ocean it reached.” He said. “The watch marks the time left for this soul on Earth. When the clock reaches zero, the soul will be reclaimed by God, as the ocean claims the river”. Looking at the innocent baby, he smiled. “May you lead a full life, my child.”
Soon after this, he was an international phenomenon. The media could not get enough of the boy with the expiry date. After all, he had an angel’s touch. Everyone wanted to see the watch. Reporters wanted to know what he would do with the ‘remaining time’ he had. And once in a while, there would be a religious lunatic who wanted his blessings. These events would have traumatized any kid, but he was different; he was braver than most kids. He handled these situations gracefully.
He entered his teenage with a fire in his heart. He wanted to leave a mark on this world. He did not want to be known merely as the boy with the magic watch. And so he achieved at every level he could �" academics, sports, the fine arts; he excelled in everything. He conquered them all fearlessly, graduating as the valedictorian.
Soon he was hunted by the best colleges in the world. But he knew his destiny wasn’t to be restrained in a classroom. He wanted to travel �" cruise the world, and learn new cultures. And he did just that. He went to places where most people wouldn’t dare to go. He explored forests and scaled mountains. He entered battlefields without a second thought, to help the ones who were stuck in the crossfire. He adopted slums from third world countries, and tutored the children from there. He was soon famous, as he acted as the shimmering light of humanity in places that had turned inhumane.
Along the way, he met her �" his soul mate. Together, they raised a family, whose humanitarian cause rivaled his own. They were a happy little family that was admired by the entire world. And in time, he lived his biggest dream �" growing old with her.
He had lived a truly wonderful life. He had his watch with him at all times, but never let it interfere with his life. He wasn’t scared of the timer that was announcing his doom; he wasn’t scared of death. After all, he was the bravest man on Earth. But even the best things in life must come to an end. As he finished contemplating his life, his watch showed him he had ten hours left. He got off his rocking chair, to take care of his affairs, and tie up all the loose ends.
Five minutes left
He sat in his home surrounded by his family, gleefully chatting and recounting tales of their lives.
Two minutes left
He hugged his grandchildren, and kissed them affectionately.
One minute left
He said his goodbyes to his children, as they tearfully wished him a peaceful journey in the afterlife.
Ten seconds left
He kissed his wife, holding her tight in his arms.
The watch struck zero
He looked around, and everyone was as puzzled as he was. He didn’t die. He looked at the watch again, and it was blank. His fate was no longer controlled by it. He was free.

And for the first time in his life, he was scared.