12 Minutes

In a matter of exactly 12 minutes, I was drenched in blood, sweat and earth, from having bashed a rock into the heads of two rather lanky topless fellows in lungis. But I am not a murderer.

No, I was saving a little girl. They were chasing her, with sticks. I ran after them. And I can run, top of my class as I always declared with a mountain of pride. So, I caught up with them. I grabbed the bald one by the elbow and screamed into his face. "Stop!"

A whoosh and a piercing pain on my shoulder warned me of not the bald one. He had stopped, defensive, disapproving and visibly furious. Damn it, I thought to myself. Now they're two and I'm one. That's not good.

I could see the girl. She had stopped to stare at this odd trio from behind a tree. Is that hope in her eyes? I had to do something. But they thought faster.

I heard them scream. "Witch! Witch!" I felt their sticks rain down upon my bones. I witnessed the earth come closer to my face before I crashed into it, tasting blood and earth. That's when I saw the rock, just sitting there, oblivious to its own existence.

I couldn't recount the rest even if I tried, because I don't remember it. But I know it was 12 minutes. I noticed my wrist watch. No, it's not weird. I work under deadlines. Glancing at my wristwatch whenever I can is a survival trait. And that's how I know it was 12 minutes.

I stood over the lifeless men, huffing and panting, like after an intense cardio at the gym. My eyes scanned for the little girl. I just wanted to know she was safe. And sure enough, there she was, smiling at me. Relieved, I smiled back and closed my eyes. I had to do something about the dead men...

I looked down. No dead men. I looked up. No little girl. My heart jumped in joy and I laughed. I stood there, in the middle of the woods, drenched in blood, sweat and earth, and I laughed. Well, what I did tell you? I'm not a murder. And if you don't get it, you simply weren't paying attention.