1 Fireworks

It was a new beginning for everyone else except for 'Sakim'.

Somewhere amidst a grassfield located at the top of a certain building, Sakim was lying on a bed as he stared at the fireworks blended in the night sky. He could tell that many people had waited for this. A new year for a new life! Or at least that was what anyone else wished for. They all wanted to change their life for at least somehow.

But Sakim was not expecting such happenings. He was already old and death was already on sight. While others were waiting for a new beginning, Sakim was waiting for his end. He already gave up changing his life 'full of greed' since he couldn't even defy his own nature.

All he wanted right now was to rest. No matter where he would be brought to, even if it was to heaven or hell, or to an endless sleep, it didn't really matter now as long as he could rest. Or at least that was what he forced himself to think of.

What he really wanted was a new life as well just like what everybody else wished for. But it was already too late for it, and too late for regrets. He'd done so many vile deeds in the past and he deserved no forgiveness. If he could just be reborn for at least somehow, how great would it be right?

Besides, although he already had everything, he still felt that something was missing. He really wanted to know what was that thing he was missing.

Be it fame, wealth, wisdom, woman, or anything else on Earth, no matter how high or how far the star was, he could get it eventually if not now. If he couldn't get it in an easy way, there was always a forceful one.

But though he had everything he wanted, he never appreciated any of those and never he was thankful for what he had. His days passed by as he was getting more and more dejected and couldn't find any reason to live. His face creased into wrinkles as he found it hard to think what was that thing he still not have.

*You vile old man! Will you still not repent from the evil deeds you have done?!*

As he was having trouble pondering, a voice of an old woman rang on his mind. He just recalled the words of the old woman that he encountered on the street a few days ago. She looked like a witch in a movie who wore some sort of shabby robe and a weird pointy hat. Just by looking at her could make him feel a chilling sensation.

But now that he recalled about it, he also remembered that he suddenly felt weak when he heard the words of that old woman. He even called for his doctors but even them could only say that it was only due to old age.

But he was only 81 years old and he could still walk normally a few days ago so how could it be that only after he heard the words of that 'witch' he suddenly felt so weak that he couldn't even stand up right now.

He tried to get up from his bed but he failed to do so. He was even having a hard time lifting his hand so how could he possibly stand up or even sit on his bed?

"Damn, why did I even insist to stay alone in here..."

Sakim raised his hand and looked on his watch. He then swiped it and a red button surfaced on the screen.

"Should I call for the guards?" Sakim asked himself. But later, he swiped back the screen of his watch and the analog clock reappeared on the screen. He then put down his hand as he muttered silently, "Forget it..."

Boom! Boom! Kaboom!

Fireworks continued to display themselves in the night as Sakim watched the beautiful fireworks once again.

*You vile old man! Will you still not repent from the evil deeds you have done?!*

But once again, the voice of that old woman echoed in his mind, he couldn't help but think back about all the things he had done in the past. How many people lost their job or life because of him? How many people became miserable because of his whim? Everything he had achieved and acquired right now was all because of his greed. But even after he got all those things he was still yet to be satisfied. He still wanted more and still looking for something that he couldn't find.

Repenting for his evil deeds was something he would regret in his life, not until when he heard the words of that old woman that made him so weak to be incapable of standing up. Only when he felt the weakness and helplessness did he realized that all he had now was actually 'meaningless, a chasing after the wind'.

Even his sons and daughters were now fighting each other for his possessions and they all probably wished for him to just die already! Nothing even his closest aides were with him and not even any of his possessions could save him on his deathbed.

"Repent? I am now about to die, what's the use of repenting..." Sakim muttered to himself as his voice was swept away by the cold wind of the night. A very faint smile was revealed on his face as he continued to watch the fireworks and as he thought about the new year and new life. "If only I have a chance, I will definitely repent..."

Swoooossssshhh!

But who would have thought that while he was watching quietly the fireworks above, one of the fireworks would go malfunction and go so unnaturally to his direction. Sakim widened his eyes in fright but it appeared that his awaited death was now really on sight.

Damn.

Kabooooom!

The fireworks bombarded his face. How could his weak and old body possibly stand a sudden onslaught like this?

He knew that he had done so many evil deeds in the past. His greed toppled everyone else. He knew as well that he really deserve to die. But who would have thought that he would die in such a way!

He wished for a new life, not fireworks! Not death!

But what else could he do now?! The moment the fireworks exploded right in front of his face, he immediately saw his tragic end. He could only accept what had happened to him and let fate or the God above do whatever they want to his pitiful soul.