I woke up 1 hour earlier and I just wanted to share my last night’s experience.

I bet a lot of you can relate or have been through something similar.

It’s more than 2 weeks since we got locked down due to the coronavirus pandemic and I believe we all realize that our lives will never be the same again.

The Nightmare

I was playing football with some other guys I could not recognize, probably some of them were friends. We were playing in my neighborhood, 2-3 miles away from home, in the woods, at the side of the main road.

Everything was so weird in that game.

It was very intense and we were all running like maniacs, hurting each other, fighting and screaming.

Finally, the game was over and we scheduled a meeting next week at the same place for a rematch or something like that.

Photo by vojta_kucer/Pixabay

Scene Change

Suddenly, I found myself in China. I am not sure about the city but I believe it was Wuhan. Oh no!

I was caught up in the pandemic crisis, the very first day when everything started.

The worst thing of all: I was away from my kids and wife, all alone.

I was attending a class at a local University when the bad news spread quickly.

The “Panic”

People screaming everywhere. Masks, fear, despair.

Everywhere I look, people started distancing from each other.

What the hell!

The University

Chaos everywhere.

I was standing close to the main entrance starring at the 2 giant doors, watching people passing by. I did not want to get in contact with anyone and I was hoping to find the best time to get past the doors to the outside world without touching anyone, hopefully.

No, it was impossible. Students were passing the doors non-stop.

I tried twice but I retreated back.

I realized that if I wanted to get outside the building I had to push myself through with the masses.

It was very painful to watch everyone. It was like a World War. Except there were no bombs, guns, or explosions. Just fear and terror of the unknown, of the invisible.

I wanted to go to my one-room apartment so badly. I was exhausted waiting to get through the doors.

People screaming and yelling, others crying, others even fighting. Everyone was blaming each other.

People bleeding, falling, and maybe dying?

What was going on?

No one was in control. No one was there to guide us and tell us what to do.

Thousands of people together, and at the same time, everyone was alone.

A curse!

This is when I realized that I was away from my kids. And I got panicked.

The Driver

A very steep change of scene happened.

Suddenly, I was watching a man, 50 years old or so driving a car downtown. His kid at the back and he was driving like crazy, filming himself.

He got close to a turn still running. He realized he had to slow down and he pushed the brakes but it was too late.

A passing-by man selling bread in a bicycle was crossing the road.

He hit him.

And he got away running, leaving him in the middle of the road.

Why? Why did I have to see that happening? I was desperate and frightened to death.

Somehow I kept in contact with this driver, but this time he was driving a motorbike crossing the road to the hospital.

I was walking on the pavement watching him.

Then, he fell off the bike, screaming in deep pain and I saw white foam coming out of his mouth.

Leprosy? or something even worse?

A fire truck crossed the street in the opposite way throwing cold water on the streets, on the pavement, on people, on vehicles.

I got wet and froze, crying inside my mind, as I was realizing that the end was very close.

This was beyond human control and power. We were just helpless.

Back to the University

Then, I found myself again at the University, discussing the incident about that driver with some guys.

I was speaking Greek to them and a Chinese woman that was discussing with her friends turned and looked at me and she said she understands Greek.

She asked…” where did that happen?”

I tried to explain to her when a purple BMW passed close to us with over 100 miles per hour. The driver was shouting and we heard loud music.

The car passed at high speed very close to us, and threw dirty water over us from the road.

I remember I was discussing again with these 2 guys, obviously my colleagues, and we reminded ourselves that today was Friday, and we remembered we had scheduled a coffee meeting downtown.

We decided to go to the meeting after all, even knowing that maybe this was our last coffee break ever.

The Calendar

Now, I was on a train on my way to the coffee shop to meet these friends of mine.

I looked at my calendar and it was Friday. 

I checked my airline tickets to find out that my flight back home was scheduled in 10 days from today.

I knew I would not be able to meet my kids again and I lost my power, my will, my essence. 

My mind was burning, I felt dizzy and…

The End

This is when I finally woke up.

I looked outside the window, still in panic, and I saw the beautiful pine tree I know so well.

What a relief!

One of the worst nightmares of my life. I am waiting for your comments and thoughts. Till next time.

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