THE WAR OF THE WORLDS

THE WAR OF THE WORLDS (PART 1) THE SCROLL

As I walked through the unlit park on that warm summer night, I couldn't remember why I had taken this shortcut home. The stars were the only source of light, and they illuminated my path with a soft glow. Suddenly, a star fell from the sky. I remembered the childhood tradition of making a wish when you see a falling star and decided to make one myself.

At first, my wishes were frivolous, focusing on women, cars, and vacations. But then, another star fell, and I felt lucky to have another chance to make a wish. However, as more and more stars fell, I couldn't help but be mesmerized by the sight. The stars left behind a luminous plume that reminded me of the Chelyabinsk meteorite. Fear crept into my mind, and I imagined the end of the world, with Roscosmos, NASA, and SpaceX unable to stop it.

I started running towards the lighted road, hoping to meet someone who had seen what I had seen. But as I ran, my mind was filled with thoughts of explosions, panic, and screams. I couldn't understand why I hadn't heard any of that, considering the stars were falling to the ground.

Suddenly, a star crashed into me, enveloping me in a column of white bluish light. I was frozen with fear, unable to move, speak, or scream. It felt as though I had taken one giant breath that was keeping me alive. I didn't understand what was happening to me, but I knew that something strange and otherworldly had just occurred.

"But there was one thing I could see, and I couldn't explain what I saw: the shooting stars forming those whitish-blue dust columns. I was a little relieved and beginning to come to my senses when I saw a man approaching me. He was a man of medium build, about 185 cm, looking about 40 years old. But there was one thing about this man approaching me in a gray classic suit: he was translucent, like some kind of three-dimensional hologram, only without the ripples, and he glowed slightly. As he approached me, the image was holding some kind of roll of paper tied with a blue ribbon. I began to finally let go and, finally coming to my senses, I could only utter one word: 'The B-word...'

"Not 'B...'," the stranger said to me, "Konstantin." And then I was hit again. I could not breathe. I began to pant, grabbing greedy lips of air.

"Now the most important thing in your case is not to piss in your underpants, young man," said the glowing stranger, patting my shoulder.

When I came to my senses, I asked, "What? What? I'm sorry."

"Listen to me carefully, young man, and don't interrupt," the stranger said. "What I'm about to tell you is very important. I have a task for you.

"As you see, tonight the stars are especially beautiful," smiling, he said, "and you are not the only one lucky enough to meet me on my way tonight. Tonight is a special night, tonight many people will find the meaning of life."

Handing me a roll of paper tied with a ribbon, he told me: "In this roll of paper is written the name of the man, with the date of his death and some other information you will need. You must find this man and give him this scroll, and if you want this man to have time to change something in his life when he realizes that the inevitable is coming, then hurry up, yes! One more thing, don't forget, you have the same letter waiting for you."

I do not remember how I got home, but I woke up lying on my couch fully dressed. The first thought that came to my mind was, "We had a good time yesterday, nothing I remember ," but the problem was that yesterday my friends and I did not go anywhere, not anywhere at all. It was that rare occasion when we did not go to our favorite bar.

Smiling, and a little embarrassed by my slight amnesia and lack of headaches, I undressed and wandered into the shower. No sooner had the first drops of water touched me than strange thoughts began to come to my mind, as if the morning memory of a recent dream. They came over me more and more, forming into a clear picture of what had happened in reality."