A magazine is running a competition for the best article entitled “I was there”.

Those entering
have to write an article describing a historical event as if they had been present at it. Write an
article for this competition, describing the event you have chosen and what your impressions
would have been if you had witnessed it.

I WAS THERE

It looked like any other day in history. The sun set at the usual time and the weather was
particularly warm, which made it virtually impossible for me to predict what was about to
happen a few hours later.

Days at that time were not very amusing, as I seemed to be the only one of my species. I found
myself spending my time day after day with all sorts of creatures I couldn’t really communicate
with. In fact, I never found out what they regarded me as, or whether they wanted me to forge
any type of bond with them. Nothing interesting used to happen where I lived, as neither fire
nor the wheel had been invented yet, let alone technology!

Ironically, wildlife seemed much more developed than it is today in our developed society.
Rhinos had a sort of crown around their neck, cheetahs would have looked like turtles next to
the fastest animals here, and the king of the jungle was a short-armed biped beast with
incredibly imposing jaws. Nature remained in its purest form at the time. Vegetation was much
lusher, so much so that one could certainly indulge in contemplating long-necked creatures
feeding delicately on the outstretched branches of the many leafy trees around.

Anyway, our time had come. As the sun dropped like a giant blood orange, a meteorite steadily
approached the earth. It was such an impressively big meteorite that all creatures around the
globe noticed it at once. They stood still, gazing at the big rock coming from outer space that
would change the course of history forever…