Chapter 1 Encounter

30 Minutes To Live

Written By Jerry Smith.

My name is Janet, and I had a boyfriend. His name was Daniel. We started dating three months ago, and in that short time, he had been nothing but sweet, caring, and attentive. Every morning, I would wake up to his good morning texts, and every night, he would call to say goodnight. He always made sure I was okay, always listened to my worries, and never failed to shower me with affection. I thought I had found the perfect man. But what I didn't know was that behind that loving smile, he had something dreadful planned for me.

One Friday evening, he called me and said, "Babe, let's go out on a special date tomorrow. Just you and me."

I giggled over the phone. "A special date? What's the occasion?"

"Just because I love you," he replied in that soothing voice that always made me melt.

I agreed instantly. "Okay, but should I come to your house first?"

"Yes, come over in the morning. We'll spend some time together before we go out," he said.

The next morning, I dressed up in a simple yellow sundress, tied my hair up in a neat bun, and applied light makeup. I was excited. I had no idea where he was taking me, but knowing Daniel, it would be somewhere nice. I arrived at his house around 10 a.m. He welcomed me with open arms, kissed my forehead, and led me inside.

The day passed quickly. We watched movies, ate snacks, and laughed together. Everything felt so normal, so perfect. I didn't notice anything unusual about him-at least, not until later.

As the sun began to set, he finally said, "Let's go, babe."

I grabbed my purse, and we stepped out of his house, walking hand in hand towards his car. That was when I saw her-an old woman sitting by the roadside. She looked frail, her clothes were tattered, and her hands trembled slightly as she rested them on her knees.

Something about her touched my heart. I had always believed in kindness, and without thinking twice, I reached into my purse, pulled out some money, and walked up to her.

"Here, mama," I said, placing the money in her palm.

Her wrinkled face broke into a small smile. She stared at me for a moment, and then, in a low, raspy voice, she said something that sent chills down my spine.

"For this thing you have given me, I will save you," she said.

I frowned. "Save me? Save me from what?"

She ignored my question and instead muttered, "You have 30 minutes to live."

I blinked in shock. "What?"

"You have 30 minutes to live," she repeated, her eyes now piercing into mine.

I turned to look at Daniel, expecting him to laugh or say something to ease the sudden fear creeping up my spine. But instead, his face was hard, expressionless.

"She's crazy," he said quickly, grabbing my wrist. "Let's go."

"But-"

"No, Janet," he said firmly. "We need to leave."

The way he was acting made me even more uneasy. His grip on my wrist was tight, almost forceful, as he pulled me towards his car. I turned back to look at the old woman, hoping she would say something to clarify what she meant, but she only repeated, "You have 30 minutes to live."

This time, her voice was lower, almost like a whisper, yet it echoed in my ears as if she had screamed it.

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry. "Mama, what do you mean? Why do I have only 30 minutes to live?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she just looked at me with pity, shaking her head slightly.

Daniel tugged at my arm. "Come on, Janet."

I hesitated for a moment before reluctantly following him. As we walked toward the car, my mind raced with thoughts. What did she mean? Was she just some crazy old woman speaking nonsense? Or was there something more to her words?

I turned back once more to look at her, She was still sitting there, staring at me. This time, there was a strange sadness in her eyes.

Daniel opened the car door for me, and I hesitated before getting in.

"Babe, don't tell me you believe her," he said, forcing a smile.

"I don't know," I murmured, rubbing my arms. "Something about what she said just... doesn't sit right with me."

He sighed. "Janet, it's just a coincidence. Some of these old people like saying weird things. Come on, get in the car."

I nodded slowly, trying to shake off the uneasiness. Maybe he was right. Maybe I was just overthinking it. I took a deep breath and stepped into the car...