The Day The World Stood Still

By Trey Hayes

Setsuna stood in the dark by a small body of water. It was extremely dark and if the half moon hadn't been out there would have been no light at all. She walked along the waters edge a few moments before she realized she was in the downtown Tokyo park. She noticed that there were people around but they were all frozen like statues. She walked up to a man carrying a briefcase and examined him closely. He was completely flesh and blood, but he wasn't moving an inch.

There was a sudden flash of orange light that caused Setsuna to look up and shield her eyes. She looked up to see a man dressed in a black leather shirt and pants with red boots and a red trench coat. He held above him an orange crystal and from that crystal came the bright orange light. She followed the beam of light into the sky and noticed it was spreading across the sky. Every thing from the people to the wind blowing the tree leaves was becoming perfectly still. Setsuna reached for her hensin only to find that it was not there. In panic she watched helplessly as the entire world became frozen and silent.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Setsuna awoke from her sleep drenched in sweat. She got out of the bed and took her night gown off, tossing it into the clothes hamper and went into the bathroom to take a shower. As she showered she recalled the dream and played it over and over in her mind.

'It must be a vision, it was too real to be a dream.' she thought as she washed the shampoo from her hair. She quickly finished and wrapped herself in a towel as she exited the shower. She quickly dressed and headed out the door for Micharu's and Haruka's apartment.

Setsuna arrived at her friends apartment and knocked on the door. She stood and waited for a few moments but there was no answer. She knocked again, but still now answer. Setsuna then traveled to Rei's temple. She found Rei sweeping the steps of the temple. Rei spotted Setsuna when she was half way up the stairs and dropped the broom. She ran to her and threw her arms around Setsuna squeezing tightly.

"I can't believe it! Your still moving!!" Rei cried as she looked up at Setsuna.

"So that's what's happened to everyone? They've all been frozen since this morning?" asked Setsuna.

"Yeah that's how I saw them this morning." Rei began, "Looks like they all walked to school together and just stopped moving like everyone else, and they've been that way all day."

"I haven't seen or talked to Michiru or Haruka all day. I even went by their place and they didn't anwser." Setsuna said raising off of the floor matt she sat on in Rei's room. She walked toward the door but was stopped by Rei's voice.

"Where are you going?" she asked also standing.

"To find out what the cause of this is before it gets any worse." she turned to leave until she felt Rei's hand on her shoulder stopping her.

"Wait," she said, "Your not going without me. I had a vision about this yesterday and I seen the danger of what can happen and you'll need my help."

Setsuna looked at Rei and saw the determination her eyes. She nodded and the two left the temple for their next destination.