Seventeen days and nine hours had already passed. James had only slept a maximum of three hours a day. He hadn't had a bath, and his beard and mustache were already starting to cover up his entire face.
It started when James was about to go to work, and his cell phone rang. What the person said on the other line completely shocked him, and he immediately turned off his phone. Then, after taking just a few steps, a public payphone rang, and he was forced to answer it. It was the same voice with the same message, so he slammed the receiver. He decided to increase his pace when someone tapped his back, "Are you James? Someone called me and asked me to tell you he wants to talk to you", an old lady said, handing her cell phone to James. "No!" James said and ran. He had been in hiding since.
While hiding, when James dozes off to sleep, he has terrible nightmares of apocalyptic proportions, and his phone rings as soon as he turns it on.
Yesterday, James finally decided to turn on his phone. It rang immediately. He hesitated for a while but pulled his courage and answered. The same voice again. James didn't say anything. He just listened. When the other line ended, his phone got so hot he threw it, and it exploded before it hit the ground.
Now, his feet felt heavy as he dragged himself to their house on Third Street. Guilt was slowing him down, but at the same time, conviction was fueling him. The instruction was apparent. It's the only way to save the planet. If he fails today, then it's goodbye to Earth tomorrow. James convinced himself that he needed to obtain that device no matter what.
He found his dad lying on the couch, asleep. James rushed towards his dad hitting the center table on the way, which created noise.
"You're here. I've been waiting for you," his dad said, staying still. "I know what you came here to do. I've been told. Don't be scared. Try my liver first," his dad told him.
James took a long deep breath and took out something from his pocket.
