The first to awaken was a short man, his wrinkled face and curly hair betraying his age. He stood calmly in the courtyard of the cave. Moments later, a second man awoke\u2014muscular, with an angry glare. He approached the first, crouched silently, and said nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An hour passed before the third man awoke\u2014a man in his thirties, with a well-built physique. He looked around, startled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Is my sentence over? Can I return to my wife?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No one answered. He looked at the two in frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You two! What are you doing here? Who are you?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They remained silent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Soon, a fourth man stirred. He appeared to be in his forties, mature and composed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“My sentence must be over, right?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Again, silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then the fifth man awoke\u2014a man in his late twenties, of average build. He pleaded aloud:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I swear I\u2019ll never commit a crime again. Just let me live in peace.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They all gathered in the cave’s courtyard. The short man stepped forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Comrades, look at the date etched above.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It’s the year 2200. That means we\u2019ve been asleep for 120 years.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The muscular man frowned. “And how do you know that?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Because our cryo-sleep capsules were sealed in the year 2080.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The man in his thirties examined the capsule timestamps, his companions watching with astonishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“He’s telling the truth!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Watch your tongue,” snapped the short man. “I haven\u2019t even reached seventy yet!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The muscular man turned to him. “There\u2019s no way we slept that long. The maximum sentence was eighty years, and I was sentenced to seventy.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The younger man added, “I was sentenced to twenty years. I feel like I only slept a day or two. I remember everything before I entered that cursed capsule\u2014my entire life.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The muscular man responded sharply, “When a man sleeps, he disconnects from the world. Whether it’s for a day or a hundred years, his last memory is of the moment before sleep.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The older man chimed in, “Whether it’s a day or a century, the real question is\u2014where are the guards?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I\u2019ll check outside,” said the muscular man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You\u2019ll be shot on sight if any soldiers see you,” warned the short man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Only if any are still here!” he said with defiance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He cautiously approached the gate, opened it slightly\u2014no sound. Peeking through, he saw nothing. Turning to his companions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“There\u2019s no one here, comrades.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He flung the door open. The older man urged caution, but the muscular man strode forward. The guard hall was deserted. He burst into laughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“No one\u2019s here. We’re alone in this prison. This is freedom!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We need to be sure we\u2019re truly alone,” said the older man. “And more importantly, we need to figure out what era we\u2019re in.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I\u2019ll look for food, water\u2014anything that can hint at the current time,” said the fifth man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He searched but found nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I’m starving,” said the younger man. “There’s nothing edible here… except us!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We need to open the main gate and see what lies outside,” the short man declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I remember this place,” said the muscular man. “This prison is in a cave in the desert.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He led them to the main gate and forced it open. Before them: mountains and dry hills beneath a scorching sun and harsh winds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You were right,” said the short man. “It’s midday.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The city isn\u2019t far,” said the muscular man. “The paved road is just ten kilometers away.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“So, what now?” asked the younger man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We must leave,” said the older one. “If we stay, we\u2019ll die of hunger and thirst.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“But the heat will drain us,” protested the fifth man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Don\u2019t worry. We\u2019ll go once night falls. For now, let\u2019s rest inside.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They returned to the cave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I’m sure we only slept for a day or two. Nothing\u2019s changed,” said the younger man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Then where are the guards?” the older one asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“There\u2019s nothing to show the time except that dead clock.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“If we’re still in our time,” the younger man pondered, “then maybe I can still return to my wife?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“If she\u2019s still alive,” the muscular man replied. “They told me she’d be forty-five when I woke up.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“But you don\u2019t know how long we were actually in the cave,” added the short man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then he asked, “What did you do to get seventy years?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Caused the death of seven men,” the muscular man said flatly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You\u2019re a monster!” said the older man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He glared but then broke into laughter, and the others joined him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sun dipped, and the refreshing night breeze arrived. They left the cave, led by the muscular man. He listened, scanned the landscape, but there was only silence and stars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Let\u2019s go. Everything\u2019s fine.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Where are we headed?” asked the younger man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I know this area. The road\u2019s this way.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They jogged until the short man asked to slow down. After three hours, they heard the sound of cars. Excited, they embraced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We\u2019ve made it. We\u2019ll survive!” the muscular man declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“What do we do now?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We hitch a ride to the city. Once there, we\u2019ll figure things out. Agreed?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All nodded in unison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They waved at passing cars, but none stopped\u2014until a taxi finally did. They climbed in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“What’s wrong with you guys?” the driver asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Sorry,” said the muscular man. “We\u2019ve been waiting for hours.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Where to?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The city.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Ten pounds each.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They were stunned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Fine. We agree,” said the muscular man confidently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Then pay up.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You\u2019ll get it once we arrive.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The driver eyed them suspiciously but started driving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He stole glances at the muscular man, who was staring silently out the window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“What day is it?” the man asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The driver didn\u2019t respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Didn\u2019t you hear me?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You don\u2019t know?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“No.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Where are you from?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The cave.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“What cave?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“A mountain cave in the desert.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“What were you doing there?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Enough questions.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Why?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Because some questions can get you killed.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The driver slammed on the brakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You\u2019re suspicious. Get out.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You\u2019ll take us to the city, then we\u2019ll leave your pile of junk.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Who are you people?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Want to know the truth?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“We\u2019re prisoners who were sentenced to decades of cryo-sleep. We just woke up today.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“My God!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“What year is it?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He didn\u2019t answer. The muscular man repeated the question, louder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“T-Two thousand two hundred,” the driver stammered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They were all stunned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“My God\u2014we\u2019ve slept for more than a hundred years,” the short man whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“My wife must be dead,” the younger man said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“My entire family too,” the older man added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I have nothing to live for now,” said the fifth man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“What did they do to us?!” the younger man cried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Quiet!” barked the muscular man. “You all committed crimes. You served your time.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They looked at each other, then burst into laughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“But we\u2019ve been punished beyond our sentence,” said the older man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“To me, it’s the same,” said the short man. “I\u2019ll live the rest of my life like Christ when he returned from the heavens.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They all agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Even those Christ resurrected eventually died again. We’re better off\u2014we get a second chance. Isn\u2019t that right, comrades?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Yes! You\u2019re right!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then the muscular man turned to the terrified driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Now that you know our secret… what should we do with you?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The driver couldn’t speak. The man grabbed his throat and strangled him. His lifeless head hit the steering wheel. He dragged the body out and tossed it behind some rocks, as the others watched in shock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He returned to the driver\u2019s seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“You killed him?! You could\u2019ve just knocked him out,” said the younger man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“He\u2019d have reported us. They\u2019d hang us, not freeze us again.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Maybe you’re right,” said the short man. “The more civilized humans become, the more savage they grow.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“They would<\/em> kill us,” said the older man. “They\u2019re criminals too\u2014but they have the law.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “One death to save five,” said the fifth man. “That\u2019s justice.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n They reached the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “This is a completely different era,” said the short man. “Everything has changed.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Everyone we knew\u2014friends, enemies\u2014must be dead,” the older man said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “If you live long enough, you\u2019ll make new friends and enemies,” the short man replied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Enough talk,” interrupted the muscular man. “Let\u2019s reach the city center.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n He parked near a busy street and searched the driver\u2019s belongings, finding a wallet full of strange money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “This confirms it. We\u2019re 120 years into the future. I’ve never seen this currency before.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Perfect timing,” said the older man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He handed the younger man some cash.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Go buy food and drinks. Be discreet.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Me?!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Yes. Be cautious. Report anything strange.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The man returned with food and drinks. They devoured everything. Then sleepiness overcame them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Stay alert,” the muscular man warned. “We have a lot of work ahead.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I\u2019ll obey if you ask,” the older man mumbled sleepily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Annoyed, the leader left to explore. He wrapped his face in cloth and mingled among the crowd. Then, a luxury car stopped outside a glass building. A man stepped out…<\/p>\n\n\n\n “My God\u2026 He looks just like me!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n He followed the man into the building, stunned. He discovered the truth and returned to the others, now reenergized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They asked what he saw, but he remained silent\u2026 until he finally spoke:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I found a solution.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “What is it, chief?!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “We must kill.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n They were stunned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “A second killing? This is a cursed era,” said the short man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “If they catch us, we\u2019ll be executed,” the older man added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I\u2019ll kill myself!” the leader declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They stared in disbelief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You\u2019re mad.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I saw a man who looks just like me. A few years younger\u2014my grandson.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You\u2019ll kill your own grandson?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “If I do, I\u2019ll take his place. Then I\u2019ll find you shelter, a new life.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “And the short one?” asked the younger man mockingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Why not me, you fool? I\u2019m only sixty-five!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n They laughed, then the short man said seriously:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Do you realize what you\u2019re planning?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “What\u2019s the problem? One life for five. I\u2019ll shine in his place.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n They agreed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “He’s right.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “One must die for five to live.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Let the heavens bless us.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “We were buried like seeds,” the muscular man declared, “and now we’ve risen\u2014like wild trees or rebellious worms demanding life and freedom.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n They watched the grandson, learned his schedule, and broke into his home at midnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The muscular man approached the sleeping young man\u2014his grandson. He looked at him with admiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You truly look like me. But you must die so I can live.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n As he began to strangle him, the boy woke up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Who are you?!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “I\u2019m you. And you\u2019re me.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Impossible!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Let us unite as one.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You\u2019re a demon!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You must die to live again.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n He resisted. Then said:<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Wait. I have something important to tell you.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “What?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Five years ago, a man warned me: one day, someone who looks like you might try to kill you. If he does, we will come to help you.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n Suddenly, police burst in. They arrested the muscular man and his companions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “We\u2019ve been searching for him for over fifty years,” said the police chief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “You\u2019re all dead!” the man shouted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They were imprisoned again\u2014to serve an eternal sentence\u2026 after awakening for just a few days, over a hundred years later.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The first to awaken was a short man, his wrinkled face and curly hair betraying his age. He stood calmly in the courtyard of the cave. Moments later, a second man awoke\u2014muscular, with an angry glare. He approached the first, crouched silently, and said nothing. An hour passed before the third man awoke\u2014a man in …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":577,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-576","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-fiction-horror"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kabbos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kabbos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kabbos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabbos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabbos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=576"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kabbos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":578,"href":"https:\/\/kabbos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/576\/revisions\/578"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabbos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kabbos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabbos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kabbos.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}