"Time to wake up, my friend."

"What?"

"Wake up!"

"I'm up. I am up. But why am I up?"

"It's time for us to go."

"Where exactly are we going?"

"I've always wanted to see the earth. I hear it's a beautiful planet."

"You're serious. What are we going to do there? Is it time already?"

"We shall find out soon. But I just have this feeling. I hear the call, my friend. You know, when a planet calls, we answer."

"Always."

#

The nagging feeling of doom refused to leave me alone. It was the second day in a row that I had such a strong premonition about something unknown, and I couldn't ignore it anymore. But what else could I do?

"This is too much," I said, standing up abruptly and ready to bolt. I rubbed my eyes in frustration and took a few deep breaths while pacing around the room. When it didn't help, I thought about taking a break from work.

"Waheeb," Nate asked as I rushed past him toward the door, "where are you going?" He was returning from his meeting with the shareholders.

"It's driving me crazy, Nate. I need time to think."

"About what? What's wrong? Did you submit that report I asked you to?" He asked in one breath as if trying to say it before I'm out of sight.

"Not now, Nate. I need time to reflect on some things before my brain shuts down for good." Throwing that final statement over my shoulder, I fled down the corridor.

I knew Nate must be worried about me because—despite anxiety—it was unlike me to storm out before submitting the report. But I had no other choice.

Lately, there had been a restlessness in me, and it had been driving me to madness. Nate had always been there for me. And I could talk to him about anything, but I could find no words to explain myself.

I thought I might need space to sort out my feelings, and maybe then, I could talk to him coherently. Right now, I was in no position to explain to him something I couldn't even explain to myself. Nothing bad had happened since yesterday when I started having the feeling. Perhaps, I was wrong this time, and nothing would happen. But I had never been wrong before. And that was the scary thought that wouldn't let me be.

Hence here I was, on the roof garden of our office building, thinking about things I didn't understand. If I thought hard enough, I might get some answers. It would be nice if people could solve all of life's problems just by thinking.

"So, it's answers and solutions that you want."

The voice startled me, and I looked around but saw no one. Shaking my head, I wondered if I imagined it. Why did problems always seem to multiply?

"He has a point there," someone else said and chuckled.

Once again, I looked around, even checking behind the potted plants, and found no one. I was alone on the roof. Besides, the voices commented on my thoughts as if they could hear them. Were they in my head?

"You can say that," the first voice answered. And the two started laughing.

It scared me a little, and my voice shook when I said, "Who are you?"

My voice was barely a whisper, but the answer came promptly.

"We're no one you can know. But we are the only ones who can give you answers and solutions."

"Show yourself," I looked around frantically, still not seeing anyone.

"I think he can't see us, my friend," one of them said to the other, while I felt like tearing my hair out.

What was happening to me? Had I fallen over the edge?

"Yes, I agree. At least he can hear us," the other replied, "It should be enough."

There was a moment of silence, and then laughter filled my ears.

"Show yourself," I said, but to no avail.

Though I had always had premonitions and visions, I had never heard voices. And I had to admit the experience wasn't fun because I couldn't even tell if I heard them or if they were just in my head—my thoughts wreaking havoc on me.

Maybe there was something wrong with my brain. I should see a psychiatrist or perhaps a neurosurgeon. Having premonitions was one thing, but hearing voices? That couldn't be good. For the first time in my adult life, I seriously considered having my head examined.

"We are here because you called us," one of the bodiless voices said.

"Yes, yes, when someone calls, we must answer. That's the rule," the other chimed in.

Those were two distinctive voices, and I could easily tell them apart. One was more raspy, while the other more throaty and high-pitched. Both sounded equally diabolical.

"I never called anyone," I couldn't help but reply. Inwardly I groaned at the thought of talking to the voices in my head. What was happening?

"Trust us, we always hear the call. And yours was loud and clear," they chorused.

"Who are you?" I shouted at the top of my lungs, "What do you want from me?"

"Geez, calm down man," one said.

"You're asking all the wrong questions, Waheeb," the other added.

"I'm asking what I want to know." Clenching my teeth and fisting my hands, I tried to focus on something tangible. With my eyes shut tight, I heard the cars honking from down below. A siren wailed somewhere close, and tires screeched. Hearing the sounds of rush hour, I momentarily forgot the voices in my head. But who was I kidding? They were there to stay.

"Okay, okay, dude, no reason to get annoyed with us. And why have you closed your eyes? You can't see us, anyway."

"We only came because we had to."

"Please, shut up or explain yourself in a way I can understand," I said through gritted teeth.

"He is an impatient one."

"You're right, my friend."

I said nothing and just listened to them talking about me. Then one of them said, "Waheen, you know how you can always predict bad things about to happen?"

That got my attention, and I said, "Yes. What about it?"

"That's us. We've been letting you know what you have been asking."

"I never asked you anything. These feelings or premonitions, whatever you call them, I get them without wanting them. Why would I ask for such a thing? I don't even know who you are or how to find you." This was ridiculous, I didn't know who these voices belonged to, and they made no sense. Yet, I indulged them with my response.

"You did ask us. You always ask the right question. We like you, Waheeb."

"Yes, my friend, he has never asked the wrong questions until now. Why do you think that is?"

What was I doing? Standing there, trying to reason with disembodied voices, and hoping for an explanation from them. The weird conversation made me rethink my sanity. "Just shut up," I whispered, almost like a prayer.

"Relax dude. It isn't our fault that you can't ask what you truly need to know. But no worries, we're here now. We have come to guide you."

"Right. We can sort this out. Tell us what's been bothering you."

I wondered if there would ever be an end to it. Frustrated, I sighed and said, "Hmm, okay, I don't know if I'm crazy or you're real, but if you're here to help, then help me. I fear something bad will happen, and I don't know what. I only know that my life is about to change and not in any good way."

"Oh, my friend. So, that's why we have been called here. It's time, indeed."

"This is serious stuff. Life-altering!"

I could hear the excitement in their tones. And it felt like they were having a different conversation I wasn't privy to. As much as I struggled to wrap my mind around everything, there wasn't anything I could do about it. Those voices, real or not, were beginning to feel like my only hope. And I was willing to listen to them.

"We are glad because you need to listen to us. This is serious. We don't usually leave our plane of existence, but your call was impossible to ignore. That only happens when the whole planet is on the brink of annihilation."

"What?" That wasn't something I could have predicted.

"I'm still talking. Let me finish first. So, as I was saying, the earth is in danger, and you're the key."

"Key to what?" I was getting more confused than ever before.

"Key to saving the earth, you dummy. And here I thought you looked intelligent."

"He is intelligent."

"Yes, yes, I know how brilliant he is. After all, he has been calling us this whole time. Anyway, something is coming for your planet, and only you can save it. Of course, we will help."

"First of all, why would the whole planet be at risk? Come on, are you going to feed me some end-of-the-word BS? We've been listening to those for the last hundred years, and the planet is still here."

"Duh! That's because someone like you is always able to save it."

"You know we have been here for those hundred years, too."

"What? You have been saving our planet for hundred years?" That was probably the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard, and the thought of considering it as remotely possible had me afraid.

"No, actually more than a hundred. In fact, since the dawn of life, we've been saving this planet. Oh, and many others, from destruction. And I have to say, you people haven't been making it easy for us."

Speechless, I wondered whether to believe the voice or not. I trusted my premonitions, and maybe this was just the next step.

"No need to thank us," they said in unison, voices dripping with sarcasm.