2✦Rapture but all is invited✦

The summer breeze was the most bearable it had been in ages. A minority of people with time and luxury sunbathed on the beaches, trying to get a tan on their otherwise pale skin.

Meanwhile, the workforce, lacking such luxury, remained in their air-conditioned rooms, their brows creased with sweat despite the cool air—a sign they were not entirely happy to be indoors when their friends and partners were out enjoying the warmth of this once-in-a-year summer. This particular summer seemed special, offering warmth instead of the scorching heat they were used to.

On the other side of the world, the rains and snow were as minimal as they had been in ages. Despite it being the middle of winter, cars moved without trouble; the weather was the best it had been in years.

Children played in rain puddles, while others, in areas with snow, could barely build a snowman as the snowfall was minimal, only slightly freezing the roads and sidewalks.

This weather inadvertently placed a sense of security and hope for a bright future in the hearts of everyone on Earth.

From the poor to the rich, the religious to the atheist, all felt a sense of ease—a fishy feeling no matter how one looked at it.

It felt like the calm before a storm, as such tranquility had not been recorded in a long time, especially considering global warming and other natural disasters that had become a part of life, making unpredictable and harsh weather conditions the norm.

Nobody suspected a thing, and even if they did, they would never have anticipated what was to come.

As they went about their daily activities, an unseen eye watched them with disdain—a giant eye that covered the sky, as big as the sun but much closer. The golden iris and slit pupils gave it the look of a monster's eye, perhaps that of a dragon or something similar, though no one could see it.

The eye eerily focused on one man, a bear of a man who was coincidentally engaged in a fight.

"It's time. I can't wait any longer. It's better to make a profit off them than just completely annihilate them", the unseen eye said to itself. The eye narrowed as it made its decision—it was time for the rapture, but this time, all were invited.

Its iris lit up, the golden hue enveloping the entire world. Just like the eye, the brilliant blinding light couldn't be seen, but its effects were undeniable. The instant it touched a human, they let out a heart-wrenching scream, the sensation of their head being split open by a saw overwhelming them—a pain greater than getting one's balls crushed or a woman giving birth.

In a horrifyingly synchronized moment, they all blacked out, losing consciousness at the same time.

People on their feet fell, those asleep did not wake, and those in chairs seemed to relax—but in reality, it was their muscles giving in as their consciousness was snuffed out.

Transport operators, from cyclists to pilots, lost control of their vehicles.

Bicycles crashed into trees and houses, while cars collided with each other and buildings.

The sounds of horns honking and alarms filled the air with an eerie dread, as houses began to catch fire, the uncontrollable flames from gas cookers claiming the houses as their own.

The fire alarms warned, but there was no one present to heed the call. As they sprayed water, the water only aggravating the flames, as if an unseen hand were fanning the fire.

The bustling streets had lost their usual clip-clap of footsteps, occasional honking of horns, and lively shouts of life. Now, people lay motionless, an eerie silence replacing the lively, noisy streets from moments ago, except for the occasional honking of horns, as their operators had fallen heavily on them.

These sounds added to the horrific scene, proof that no one was around, as at least one passerby would have thrown a tantrum at the drivers.

Skyscrapers had lost their luster, with fire blazing atop many as aircraft had crashed into them, large chunks of broken glass falling from the skies, mutilating the motionless bodies below.

Blood and guts plastered the ends of the planes, as the bodies unlucky enough to be it's parking space were trampled upon. The frequent tapping of keyboards was no longer heard, as a heavy, gloomy silence filled the rooms.

The seas were calm, with aircraft and ships littering them, swaying to the gentle waves as there was no one to man them, lying motionless in what was supposed to be a cruise.

Bodies lay on the beaches, with most floating atop the water. The inhabitants of the sea seemed to have been given a heads-up of what was to come, as they rallied to the beaches to get their fill, crimson red painting the clear waters.

The forest was no different, as hunters and tourists had their bodies made into meals. An unseen hand seemed to unlock the cages of the beasts kept in zoos, whose first instinct was to feast on the motionless bodies that lay in their path, forgetting all the times they had spent together.

Jake Buck was no exception, as his bear-like body became food for the predators of the sky, the bugs creeping in the grass, and the predators of the forest.

They discarded their differences like a Thanksgiving dinner as they all feasted on the man whose body carried the stench of their brethren.

The main inhabitants of Earth, who, despite lacking any adaptation to flight, water, or even the forest, had made all these their territory, were no more. All 8.2 billion humans lay motionless, as nature slowly reclaimed its lost power.

The 8.3 billion people, unaware of what was happening to their bodies and home, found themselves in a white void. The sensation was surreal, as the brilliance of the white void was not blinding, yet they could not even see their own hands, the feeling of loneliness weighing heavily on them.

Each person felt as if they were the only one present, with most beginning to tear up, wishing this endless nightmare would end.

Humans, the day of reckoning is now.

A majestic voice, whose gender could not be determined, sounded angrily and disdainfully.

The sound seemed to clear their vision, as all 8.2 billion people became visible in the white void.

"What in tarnation kind of dream is this?"