The Last Hour Of My Life English Literature Essay

You have exactly 1 hour to tell me where you stashed the bag. Or else. He said that as he cracked his knuckles and he left, leaving me in this darkness, with only the moonlight sky to lighten up the darkness in this dreadful room. Man has this guy ever thought of cleaning up here? It smells like a sewer down here. At least it is better than my elder brother’s closet. I remember once I lost his favorite baseball, as punishment, he locked me in his closet for 10 minutes. I literally took out my socks as a mask (Yes, the smell was that bad.). I completely forgot about that ‘bag’. I told the man that I didn’t know anything. I guess this was one of those ‘wrong time, wrong place’ moments.

So, I guess I have 1 hour to live, 1 hour to breathe, 1 hour to think. I really don’t mind dying, even though I am only 26, I think I am fed up with this life as it is. Who cares anyway? My family doesn’t acknowledge me, my girlfriend dumped me, and my best friend stole my girlfriend. And just when I thought that life couldn’t get any worse, this happened. On the other hand, this may be a blessing from God, not that I believe in him or anything, it’s just that may be whoever is controlling this universe pitied me, and wanted to put me out of my misery.

Then suddenly, the door opened. Has 1 hour passed already? Is it time for me to go? Another man came in; he placed a table right in front of me that has a timer on top of it. Then the man left. According to the timer, I have 50 minutes left. Why don’t they just get it over with?! I don’t know anything! It’s so boring sitting here for 1 hour doing nothing. I thought about my girlfriend, Jennifer, and how she used to be always there for me. Whenever I was short on cash, or just plain old wasted, she would take me home, give me some cash, and stay with me till morning. What happened between us? I can’t remember. All I remember is that we were sleeping, then when I woke up, she wasn’t there, and our photo in her wallet was on the table. I said to myself that she must have forgotten it here, so I will just give it back to her. But when I found her, she was kissing my closest friend. MY BEST FRIEND. The guy who I promised will be my best man, the one who will get us both together, and he just comes up and steals my girlfriend?! That’s when I thought, we are over.

An owl came in from the window, and sat on the timer in front of me. The timer read “00:37:26.” Almost halfway there, then my suffering would end. I wonder how they make it seem so fast in movies. When the bad guy threats the hero, “You will tell me the secret code to the safe, you have 1 hour, or I am gonna kill your son right in front of your eyes,” and in 5 minutes, the 1 hour has passed. Now that I think about it, this is exactly like the movies, the only difference is that this is real life, and that 1 hour, really takes 1 hour. “Hoot hoot.” The owl was staring at me, tilting his head. As if he was confused with my thoughts. It’s not as if owls can read minds or anything, but talking to an owl can surely kill time.

“Owl, I am going to tell you a story, about a man who lost the most important thing in the world. You should know that my parents have always favored my elder brother, because he got to the MLB, all I got is a report card saying that I have graduated from university. Also, when he was 15, he was noticed by one of the big MLB players. From there, his life became so perfect, that I was just a guy who hangs around the home of a future MLB player. My family adored him, they gave him the big fluffy pillow that I always wanted, bought him anything he asked for, and my parents even gave him part of MY allowance. My parents were so caught up in my brother, they completely forgot about me! I even became my brother’s bellboy!

Until finally I got to college and was free from everything for 4 years. I was actually thinking of taking Masters you know, just to stay a bit longer away from my family, but that was too much work. So I settled with my baccalaureate degree. I went back home, and a crowd of paparazzi were waiting at my door step. No, don’t get your hopes up Owl, that crowd of paparazzi weren’t waiting for me; they were waiting for my brother to get out of his home. I went inside, and found out that nothing has changed, except maybe a few posters hanging on the wall, and a baseball bat that hung on the living room wall. I went up to my room, and was in shock. You won’t believe it Owl.

My brother got married, and now his wife is bunking in my room! How is that for a welcoming party? And when my brother saw me, he just said ‘Hey!’ Without even saying my name and just walked towards my room and closed it shut. I looked for my parents, and they were in the kitchen, I went in, and they completely ignored me ‘I’M BACK!’ I said with a smile on my face. All my parents did was look at me with a bored face, and went back to what they were doing. I’m telling you Owl, I just stood there for 10 minutes, and nothing happened. No hug, no kiss, no hello, I didn’t even get a shrug! So Owl! You still think I don’t need to be killed?!” The owl was tilting his head even more, making me more furious than ever. I decided to tell him about my girlfriend.

“Okay Owl, here is another story. After what happened with my parents, I decided to go to the UK, and live there for the rest of my life. I got a decent job, I got a beautiful girlfriend. On top of all that, my best friend was amazing! I was living the dream! And in just one night, all that disappeared. My girlfriend left our photo on the table, and I found her kissing my best friend! After that I just threw our photo in the trash, and walked away. I just wished that I had someone to go to, to get all my hate and worry out. But I didn’t have anyone. No one, like the number of people who cared about me when I came back from 4 years of college, like the number of people who were never cheated on me, like the number of best friends that never hurt me, no one!” I took a moment of silence, to catch my breath, and hope that my conversation knocked some sense into Owl. He just stood there, with an expressionless face. The timer read “00:12:02,” not much time left. When I finally caught my breath, the owl flew away. Not to the window, but to the wall. I was baffled, wondering why. He bashed into the walls a few times, and flew away, disappearing in the night.

Now I am back to square one, with only 10 minutes remaining, I just have to sit around, tied up, wait for my death to arrive. For some reason, my heart started pounding faster than usual, my entire body was sweating, I was afraid. “I’M ONLY 26!” I yelled to the darkness, “I DON’T DESERVE TO DIE! I WANT TO LIVE!” tears started pouring from my eyes, “I WANT TO LIVE! I want to live, I want to live.” There are many things I haven’t done; I wanted a new life, a new home. I will quit alcohol and gambling. I want to find that true love, that woman who is always there for me, the woman that will be my wife. I promise I won’t treat my children the same way as my parents treated my brother and me. I would teach my children to always forgive no matter what. I would teach them that no matter how many times life brings you down, you must stand up, and deal with it. As soon as I looked up, the timer went off. How can those 10 minutes go so fast?

Maybe it was fear. I was so afraid that I lost track of time. The man came in, this time wearing brass knuckles. God, if you really are there, please help me. I looked up at the man, with a smile on my face. Better die smiling, than die miserable. “Are you going to tell me where you stashed the bag?” I shook my head; my face grew to a wide grin. As he pulled his fist up high, I shut my eyes; I don’t like the sight of blood. My heart was pounding even faster than before; sweat was pouring out of my forehead, tears running down my cheek. I never thought that living mattered to me. But as I see it coming to an end, I realized that there are many things I didn’t get to do, become a millionaire, hiking out with my friends, and the most important thing…

My thoughts were cut off by a man barging in the room. “Wait! We have the wrong man!” I stared blankly at the man that came in. Did he mean that I wasn’t supposed to be here? Did he just say that I am free to go? I was filled with excitement, but tried not to show it. My grin has turned into a sob. I was going to live a longer life. “What do you mean we have the wrong man? You’re saying that this man right here is not who we’re looking for?” The man lowered his fist down and stared at me. “No, he was in the scene, but he suffers from confabulation,” said the man by the door.

Confabulation? What the hell is that? “What’s Confabulation?” “It’s when someone produces false memories to fill up gaps in their mind. So even if he tells us where the bag is, we can’t trust him, because he might have made it up.” Made it up?! NO!? I know my life! My family hates me! My girlfriend dumped me! “There is a woman waiting for him outside, claiming to be his wife.” Wife?! Since when did I have a wife?! Then I noticed a ring on my finger. Maybe I am married; maybe I did make everything up. Then… what about the owl? Did he believe all my lies? Or maybe that owl wasn’t even there, and that I just made him up. Maybe, I was alone this whole time, and was silent without saying a word. Maybe… maybe I just started my 1 hour.