The Hourglass

"People always say they wish they could know how they are going to die. The truth is if most people knew, they would just go insane. I thought I could handle it, I thought I was special. I thought I could take information like that, and do something about it. Ironically enough I would have even bet my life on it. You can probably tell by the fact that I am not reading this, that I was wrong. Dead wrong. It's not every day someone writes their own eulogy. It's even stranger still when someone writes one knowing exactly how long they have left on this earth. It gives you a chance, a chance to leave something memorable. To have a chance to know exactly what the your last words are. Maybe I don't think I ever did anything with my time that would be remembered. Towards the end, the end of my time that is I started to lose control. I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, it felt like every second that ticked away was being ripped out of my very being. It's a painful thing having your existence tied to a clock. It's a torture I don't wish on any man. But here, now, today, you have a chance to learn and understand the true essence of living. Now don't get me wrong I'm not trying to say that there is a be all and end all way to life. There is however, a certain clarity that only comes when you can see the end coming."

*18 days earlier*

As a man Sebastien considered himself average. Of course there are always things that people think they do well, but Sebastien list of such things was minute. He was however a man of daily rituals. There was always a structure and an order to his life. He always thought himself in control that way. This however also made Sebastien a boring man, boring by most standards at least.

6 am –

Sebastien didn't need his alarm clock to wake him up anymore, but he saw no need to not set it anyway. He got off of his bed and went about busying himself with his pre run activities. By six twenty he was dressed and ready for his daily four miles of exercise. He never believed in having to pay someone to let him train in a small space when he had the entire world to his disposal. He double tied the laces on his minimalist style running shoes and set his watch to time himself. He averaged about a nine minute mile which got him home before seven.

7:30am-

On any given day he would have a simple breakfast. Eggs and toast, a bowl of cereal, a sandwich. Always something simple and easy to make. Then he would finish getting dressed, grab his bag that he packed the night before and head to work.

8:30am-

Sebastien sat at his desk. He used a yoga ball instead of a desk chair. His data entry position meant he had to spend hours on end just sitting at his desk.

Sebastien stared at his watch, it was now 8:34am. He sighed heavily, his life was finally catching up to him. He felt as if everything he did to stay in shape, and be healthy, even the money he made and saved was for naught. What did he have to show for it? A girlfriend, wife, child or even just a healthy relationship. He had none. The global formula he had been fed by the media was inadequate. Habits however are hard things to shake and Sebastien didn't have the slightest idea what to do about any of this. He was snapped out of his dilemma by Jeffery who was the office courier. He dropped off a letter for Sebastien. A simple small brown envelope marked with one stamp, his name and office address. He ripped off the side of the envelope and removed its contents. It was a single page letter, hand written in black ink, with a simply message. Sebastiens brow furrowed as he read the letter, re-read it and read it again. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, what he was reading. No matter how he read it, or how many times he did, it still read the same.

"Dear Sebastien,

In exactly 18 days, 20 hours, 14 minutes and 47 seconds, you will die. It will be a painful end and you will be powerless to stop it. You cannot run, you cannot hide, this is your fate, your destiny.