Think up your existence (part 7)

He heard the rain before he felt it. Slow at first, but soon it came bursting out of the dark sky like there was nothing else on earth that mattered. For a second he thought that it was some sort of sign, telling him to hurry up. He ran through the streets, desperately looking for a phonebooth. He knew there had to be several in the vicinity, but somehow he couldn't remember where exactly. It was as if the rain washed all his memories away. Except for the word "phonebooth" there was nothing in his mind, yet he kept on running.

Suddenly, he stopped.

He fell down to his knees, in the middle of the road, in the middle of a big puddle. He closed his eyes, lifted his face upwards, facing the sky and opened his mouth.

For a minute he devoured the taste of pure, sweet rain. With a shock he opened his eyes and came back to his senses. He stood up, looked to his left and noticed a phonebooth. Quickly entering it he tried to remember what number he was supposed to call. Or who. All he knew was why -it had started. He dialed a random number and let it ring for several times. No answer. He let it ring longer. He became aware of a strange noise, slowly getting louder. He listened intensely when suddenly a voice spoke, scaring the hell out of him.

"The dice has been thrown, the sand has started to fall, things are happening and things will keep happening. You know why, you know what, we know who. You don't need to know, you just do. Remorseless, without questions, without thinking about escape. Without you there is no escape. Without escape there is no us. Without us there is no world. Now go, go and talk to whomever you think can give you valuable information. Talk to the beautiful girl selling flowers, talk to the grumpy mailman, talk to the priest and talk to the thief. Look, also. Look at the cow, look at the scenery, look at the crack in the wall, look at the light and the fading shadows. Listen, too. Not just to people, not just to sounds, listen to every essence around you. Feel. Feel will be the keyword. Now go".

He stepped out of the phonebooth, without even wondering what was going on. He knew now. He had known all along. With his hand on his stomach he turned right and started walking through the rain, disappearing in the cold, wet night.

(to be continued)