Five Minutes to Midnight

Five Minutes to Midnight

by Kelli Norris

January 1, 2005

The clock on the wall reads five minutes to midnight. Dr. Daniel Spiner watches the news with much trepidation. He has been on the board of directors since 2001 and setting the clock is the one duty he hates.

One of the other scientists in attendance, Dr. Kreg, picks up a remote and increases the volume of the widescreen television. The news anchor is just giving his final thoughts.

…Syria’s test of a nuclear weapon, coupled with Iran’s nuclear ambitions have US officials concerned that the world’s nuclear powers have not adequately secured their nuclear materials. No easy task, when you consider there are some 26,000 nuclear weapons between the United States and Russia alone. This concludes our special report. I am Anderson Cooper, thank you for watching and good night.

“Well that’s it then,” Kreg sighed shutting off the television.

Daniel searched the other faces in the room hoping for some sign of contradiction but found none. The room was sadly silent as he walked to the clock, and reset the hands.

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June 6, 2005

It is four minutes to midnight. The night air is warm and fresh, the stars are bright. Sam and Jennifer are young and in love. The top is down on Sam’s classic Lebaron convertible. Jennifer finds a suitable radio station and settles into the protective circle of Sam’s embrace. Stand by Me begins to play as the couple lay back and lose themselves in a sea of stars.

“Oh, I love this song!" Jennifer exclaims as she begins to sing.

“…sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall…
…mountains should crumble to the sea
I won't cry…no I won't shed a tear
… long as you stand…by me.”

Sam points to the sky pausing Jennifer’s serenade. She follows his finger, as it outlines the path of a shooting star, “aaah-ing” in delight.

“Make a wish!” Sam instructs her.

“I wish…” She begins but is quickly cut off by Sam’s upheld hand.

“Don’t tell me if you want it to come true,” He explains.

“Did you make a wish?” She asked smiling.

“Yeah, I did. And I’m about to find out if it comes true right now.”

Sam takes a deep breath and reaches across her, opening the glove compartment. He sits up and presents her with a small black velvet box.

Jennifer opens the box with a shaky hand.

His voice wavers as he whispers, “Will you marry me?”

Tears of joy well in her beautiful blue eyes, flinging herself into his arms she smothers him with tiny kisses, a fervent,“Yes!” residing between each one.

Neither of them notice as the news comes on the radio.

“ In response to Syria’s mass production of nuclear weapons, Israel has finally confirmed today they do indeed possess in excess of 100 active nuclear warheads. Neither country will agree to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty…”

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June 6, 2006

The clock is set at three minutes to twelve. The ceremony has ended slightly ahead of schedule as Jennifer and Sam leave the church under a hail of rice and birdseed. They duck and cover laughing as they run to the limo.

Jennifer is stunning in her pearl encrusted wedding gown with lace sleeves, beaded bodice, and full length train. Her beautiful blonde hair is pulled back in a Princess Grace twist, accented by a silver circulate with a single tear-shaped pearl coming to rest upon her forehead.

Sam looks equally as handsome in his black tuxedo and tails. His sapphire blue cummerbund and bow tie match the deep blue of his eyes and his ebon colored hair is cut and styled in the latest Hugh Jackman fashion.

“My hero!” Jennifer cringes watching Sam take a birdseed bomb to the face, while carefully loading the train of her gown into the car, with no regard for his own safety.

“Thank you, milady.” Sam bowed.

“Perhaps, we can discuss my knightly reward here in the privacy of your coach.” He suggested, arching his brow and giving her a devilish nod.

“I don’t think so. I have important matters of state to catch up on…” Jennifer yawned, feigning disinterest. She nonchalantly picked up the remote to the mobile television and turned to the news.

“As you wish, milady.” Sam slumped in the seat opposite her, his face a mask of disappointment.

Addressing the driver she said, “Can we take the long way to the airport please, Driver?”

“Of course, milady.” The driver responded smiling.

Jennifer giggled pushing another button on the remote bringing up the tinted window between the driver and the back of the limousine. She shifted in the seat seductively and glanced at Sam.

“Sir knight, I have need of your services.” She purred adjusting her bodice provocatively.

“At your service, my Queen!” Sam slid over to her side loosening his tie with one hand and shaking out of his jacket with the other.

They hear only a minute of the news before Jennifer switches it off.

“Both India and Pakistan test nuclear weapons today in a tit-for-tat show of aggression. The United States and Russia ran into difficulties in further reducing their stockpiles…”

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February 17, 2007

The clock on the wall reads two minutes to midnight. Jennifer screams in pain as she grabs balls of bedding in her clenched fists. She fights to sit up, as sweat runs down her face in streams.

“Push baby push! You’re doing great!” Sam urges.

“Don’t baby me you…! This is all your fault! Momma, told me not to mar…” She grunts unable to finish as her body is racked by another contraction.

“There’s the head. You are doing fine, Mrs. Lambert. One more BIG push.” The doctor assures her as he guides the baby out of the birth canal and onto a warm waiting blanket and then to mother’s chest.

“Here you go, Daddy.” The doctor says handing Sam the scissors while pointing at the umbilical cord.

Sam hesitates. He has to wait as he stops to clear the tears from his eyes. He forgets to breathe looking at his loving wife holding their beautiful new born baby boy. His heart literally skips a beat as oxygen becomes a necessity. He takes a deep breath, leans over, kisses his wife and son then snips the cord.

The room is an instant whirlwind of activity. One nurse takes the baby over to a table where she weighs, measures and cleans him while talking with the doctor. Another nurse releases the brakes on the bed and begins to wheel his wife towards the back door of the room while still another nurse takes him by the arm and leads him to the front door.

“Now is a good time to share the news with the friends and family waiting in the outer room. “ She informs him opening the door.

“B-b-ut I…” He started to resist.

“We need to get your wife and son cleaned up and comfy, Sir. You can meet them both back at her room in fifteen to twenty minutes. I promise.”

Sam turned around to protest only to find himself face-to-face with a closed door. He realized it was pointless to argue through the portal so he gave up and headed to the communal waiting area. He heard the television playing before he ever saw the room.

“The United States and Russia have both tested new nuclear devices within the last nine months. All talks to limit or reduce arms production has ceased due to seemingly endless stumbling blocks. The number of Non-Proliferation Treaty countries is now equaled by the anti NPT countries making a total of ten nuclear powers world wide…”

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February 17, 2012

The clock reads one minute to twelve. Sam couldn’t help but smile watching the children play in the giant bounce tent he and Jennifer had rented for Jack’s birthday party. It was worth every penny of the hundred and fifty dollars they paid for it.

It was a truly perfect day for a birthday. Not too hot, not too cold and Jennifer had thought of everything. It appeared as though every child from the four state area was here, not just the ones from Kansas.

In addition to the bounce they had a water slide with wading pool, pony rides, and for the adults, barbecue and cold beer. Jack was waving his cowboy hat enthusiastically from the back of the pony whooping to high heaven. Parents snapped photos from every angle like a troop of trained paparazzi.

Jennifer lit the five candles on the cake while Sam plated up the rest of the burgers and set them on the table. Everyone started to make their way over to the table for cake and ice cream. The attendant helped Jack off the pony. He ran to the table, his eyes lighting up at the sight of his Toy Story birthday cake. He inhaled an enormous breath to blow out the candles as everyone broke into a gleeful version of Happy Birthday!

The television in the living room droned on unnoticed by the party goers.

“All five countries not part of the Non-Proliferation Treaty staged a formal protest today by detonating low yield nuclear devices in response to surmounting pressure by the United States and other members of the United Nations Security Council to sign the treaty…”
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May 8, 2012

The clock on the table reads midnight. Sam and Jennifer tuck Jack snuggly into his Buzz Light-year sleeping bag and kiss him good night. They sneak out of the tent to sit together by the fire to watch the stars. Jennifer curls up under Sam’s arm hugging him tightly.

“I love you so much.” She says watching the fire reflect in his eyes.

“I love you more. “ He returns kissing her deeply.

Sam’s eyes grow wide as the world is engulfed in a unimaginable brightness. His retinas are destroyed, overloaded by the intensity of the light. Jennifer tries in vain to shield her eyes burrowing further into Sam’s embrace.

The frightening sound of the explosion wakes Jack. He sits up rubbing his eyes sleepily.

“Momma?” He cries.

Jack jumps from his sleeping bag to run to his mother. He doesn’t make it as another flash ignites the sky. The severity of this flash forever burns the child’s silhouette onto the side of the concrete campsite.

Sam and Jennifer, both blinded by the initial blast stretch out their arms reaching in earnest for their terrified son. They scream in unison as the heat of the blast touches their skin causing it to bubble then split.

Jennifer mistakes her burst eyeballs for tears as the melted orbs run down her face. She drops to her knees and crawls in the direction of Jack’s voice even as the skin peels from her bones. Sam takes one heroic step forward before bursting into flames, his body actually incinerated, leaving behind a blackened skeleton.

The wave of destruction passes leaving this beautiful family of three grotesquely represented in macabre sculptures of nuclear ash. Mother and father are forever reaching for their child.

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May 8, 2012

Dr. Spiner looks at the clock on the wall with solemn resolution. He brings the hands together on the number twelve as tears silently roll down his cheeks.

He gazes through the protective filter of the atomic bunker, at the approaching wave of death, and wonders if anyone will even survive to reset the Doomsday clock.

(1941 words)
Author's Note: The Doomsday Clock is an actual clock face depicted on every issue of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists at the University of Chicago.
Here is the link if you care to learn more:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_Clock