Grant Me The End

Forty Days

Evelyn Mercer

***** The Next Day – Blackwood & Co. Books, Seattle | 10:18 AM *****

I didn’t sleep.

Not really.

More like I blinked for a few hours and called it rest.

My body felt heavier than usual, like something had been quietly tightening its grip on me overnight. Not pain yet. Just… warning signs stacking up.

I stood behind the counter of the bookstore, pretending I wasn’t holding myself together on autopilot.

The bell above the door rang.

I didn’t look up immediately.

“Welcome in,” I said out of habit.

Footsteps stopped.

No response.

That alone made me look up.

A man stood between the shelves.

Black coat. Still posture. Same presence as last night.

Kairen Vale.

The air in the room changed the moment I saw him.

Customers around the aisle slowed down like their thoughts got heavier. One woman blinked, frowned, then walked away without buying anything.

I stared at him.

“…You can’t just walk into places like this.”

He didn’t move closer.

“I already did.”

My grip tightened on the counter.

“Why are you here in daylight?”

His eyes didn’t shift.

“It is required.”

“By who?”

He tilted his head slightly.

“Time.”

That answer made no sense, but arguing with him felt pointless.

I lowered my voice. “I have work.”

“You have forty days.”

I sighed. “Yes, I remember. You’ve been very dramatic about it.”

A pause.

Not irritation.

Not amusement.

Just nothing.

Then he stepped closer to the counter.

Not rushed.

Not casual.

Controlled.

Like he measured every inch before deciding it was worth existing in.

The temperature in the room dipped slightly.

A customer nearby suddenly left without checking out.

I noticed that.

He did not.

Kairen spoke again.

“You will not leave this place alone after midnight.”

I blinked. “Excuse me?”

“That is the condition.”

“Condition of what?”

He looked at me directly.

“The agreement.”

I leaned forward slightly. “You mean the thing I never agreed to?”

Silence.

That silence always felt like his answer.

I exhaled sharply. “So I just… have a demon babysitter now?”

“That is inaccurate.”

“Then what is it?”

His voice stayed even.

“Containment.”

I went quiet for a second.

That word landed worse than anything else.

Containment.

Like I wasn’t a person.

Just a variable that needed managing.

Before I could respond, the door opened again.

Mina walked in.

Fast steps. Loud presence. Energy that didn’t match the tension in the room.

“Eve…. I swear, I texted you like….”

She stopped.

Her eyes moved to Kairen.

Everything in her face shifted instantly.

Confusion first.

Then irritation.

Then something sharper.

“Who is that?”

I blinked. “You don’t remember him?”

Mina frowned harder. “Remember who?”

I looked between them.

“…You met him yesterday.”

She laughed once. “No I didn’t.”

Kairen didn’t react.

Not even slightly.

Mina stepped closer to the counter, lowering her voice.

“Eve, did someone bother you? Because I swear I will call security…”

“He was here,” I said slowly. “Yesterday. You literally saw him, you guys nearly argued .”

Mina shook her head immediately.

“No, I didn’t.”

That was wrong.

I felt it instantly.

Not confusion.

Pattern.

Kairen had already turned slightly away, like the conversation didn’t involve him.

Mina narrowed her eyes at him.

“You look familiar though.”

He didn’t answer.

She leaned in slightly. “Do you work here?”

Still nothing.

Mina turned back to me, voice lower now.

“Eve… I don’t like him.”

“I noticed.”

“I’m serious.”

I glanced at Kairen again.

He wasn’t looking at her.

Wasn’t looking at me either.

Just… observing the space like it had no relevance.

Mina stepped closer to me.

“You’ve been weird lately,” she said quietly. “Like… really weird.”

I forced a small smile. “Define weird.”

“Like you’re tired in a way that’s not normal tired.”

That part hit harder than I wanted it to.

I didn’t answer.

Mina’s expression softened immediately.

“…You’re not hiding something from me, right?”

I hesitated.

Kairen spoke before I could.

“You are losing time.”

Mina turned sharply. “I didn’t ask you.”

That was the first time someone had spoken to him like that.

Nothing changed in his expression.

But the air did.

Not visibly.

Just pressure.

Mina suddenly felt it too. I saw it in her posture.

She took a half step back without realizing.

Kairen looked at her now.

Finally.

“Your concern is irrelevant,” he said.

Mina frowned. “Excuse me?”

He continued, calm.

“She will die regardless of your involvement.”

The words landed like something dropped on glass.

I felt my chest tighten immediately.

Mina froze.

Then her face broke slightly.

“…What did you just say?”

I stepped forward fast. “Mina…”

But she was already looking at me.

Not him.

Me.

“You’re… dying?”

The room went quiet.

Too quiet.

Even the air felt like it stopped moving.

I opened my mouth.

Nothing came out.

Mina’s voice dropped.

“No… Eve, what is he talking about?”

Kairen didn’t interrupt.

He just watched.

Like he was waiting for the correct outcome.

I forced the words out.

“I have leukemia.”

Mina blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Then she shook her head immediately.

“No. No, that’s not…. you would’ve told me.”

“I didn’t want….”

“When?”

I hesitated.

That hesitation said everything.

Mina stepped back slightly.

Her hands shook.

“No…” she whispered. “No, no, no…”

“You told me days ago that it was just a slight cold and u'll get better after taking antibiotics.”

I reached for her. “Mina….”

She pulled away instantly.

Her voice cracked.

“How long?”

I swallowed.

“Three months.”

Silence hit harder this time.

Mina looked like she couldn’t process the number.

Then her eyes filled.

“You’re joking,” she said weakly.

I didn’t answer.

That was enough.

Her face broke fully.

She shook her head again, faster now.

“No, Eve, you can’t just…. you can’t just say that like it’s….”

She stopped speaking.

Because she didn’t have words that made it better.

Neither did I.

Kairen stood there the entire time.

Watching.

No reaction.

No sympathy.

No interruption.

Like human grief was just another weather pattern passing through.

Mina wiped her face quickly, angry at herself for crying.

Then she looked at Kairen again.

Her voice dropped low.

“…And you’re just standing here?”

He answered immediately.

“Yes.”

That made her flinch.

She took a step toward him.

“Are you her doctor or something? Or are you just….”

“I am not involved in your emotional structure,” he said.

Mina laughed once, bitter.

“You’re unbelievable.”

Kairen didn’t respond.

Mina turned back to me.

Her voice softened.

“Eve… why didn’t you tell me?”

I looked down.

Because I didn’t want this.

This exact moment.

“I didn’t know how,” I said quietly.

Mina stepped closer again, slower this time.

Then she hugged me.

Careful.

Like I might break too easily.

“I hate you,” she whispered into my shoulder.

I froze slightly.

She added immediately.

“…for not telling me.”

My throat tightened.

“I’m sorry.”

She pulled back slightly, wiping her face again.

“I’m not leaving you alone,” she said firmly.

I gave a small nod.

That part mattered.

Behind her, Kairen spoke again.

“Time is moving.”

Mina turned sharply. “Shut up.”

He didn’t react.

But the air tightened again.

I exhaled slowly. “Can we not do this right now?”

Kairen looked at me.

“You are behind schedule.”

“I didn’t know there was a schedule.”

“There is.”

Mina frowned. “What schedule?”

I hesitated.

Kairen answered.

“The wish.”

Mina looked between us. “What wish?”

I closed my eyes briefly.

Of course this was happening.

I opened them again.

“Mina… just go home. I’ll explain later.”

She hesitated.

Then shook her head.

“No. I’m staying.”

Kairen spoke quietly.

“You will forget this interaction soon.”

Mina snapped. “Stop saying weird things like that!”

He didn’t respond.

But I saw it.

A faint mark forming on my wrist.

Warm.

Then visible.

A thin glowing line, curling like ink under skin.

I stared at it.

“…What is that?”

Kairen’s gaze dropped to it.

“The contract is active.”

Mina grabbed my arm. “Eve, what is happening?”

I didn’t answer immediately.

Because the mark pulsed again.

Once.

Like it recognized time.

Kairen’s voice was calm.

“Forty days have begun.”

Mina’s grip tightened. “Forty days for what?”

I whispered without thinking.

“…For me to choose something I want.”

Mina looked like she didn’t understand.

Then she looked at Kairen again.

“You did this?”

He answered simply.

“Yes.”

Mina stepped forward again, furious now.

“Are you insane? She’s sick….she’s….”

“She is dying,” Kairen interrupted.

Mina froze.

The bluntness hit harder than anything emotional could.

Kairen continued.

“Whether you accept it or not changes nothing.”

Mina looked like she wanted to hit him.

I stepped between them slightly.

“Mina, stop.”

She looked at me.

Tears still there.

Anger too.

“Eve… what is he?”

I hesitated.

Then answered honestly.

“I don’t really know.”

Kairen turned slightly toward me.

“That is sufficient.”

Mina shook her head.

“This is not normal. None of this is normal.”

“I agree,” I said quietly.

Kairen spoke again.

“You will leave now.”

Mina glared at him. “No.”

A pause.

Then Kairen added, flat:

“You will forget him within minutes.”

Mina’s expression shifted instantly. “What did you say?”

I felt something tighten in my stomach.

Kairen turned away slightly.

As if it was already decided.

“You should leave.”

Mina grabbed my hand instead.

“No,” she said again. “I’m not leaving her with you.”

Kairen didn’t respond.

But I felt it again.

That pressure shift.

Like the room itself was being rewritten.

Mina blinked suddenly.

Once.

Then frowned.

“…Why am I here?”

My stomach dropped.

“Mina?”

She looked around.

At the bookstore.

At me.

At empty space where Kairen stood.

“…Eve?” she asked slowly. “Why am I at the Bookstore?”

My heart stopped slightly.

I looked at Kairen immediately.

He didn’t react.

Mina shook her head.

“Seems like I forgot what I was doing.”

She looked tired suddenly.

Confused.

Then stepped back.

“I’ll… text you later.”

I opened my mouth. “Mina wait…”

She was already leaving.

Door bell rang.

Then silence again.

I stood frozen.

“…You erased her memory,” I said quietly.

Kairen’s voice didn’t change.

“She is not relevant to the agreement.”

I stared at him.

“That’s my friend.”

He looked at me.

“You are wasting time on attachments.”

I felt my hands shake slightly.

“That’s not how people work.”

Silence.

Then he stepped closer.

Just slightly.

“You are running out of time, Evelyn.”

I swallowed.

“…I noticed.”

His gaze stayed steady.

“Then act accordingly.”

I laughed once, short and tired.

“You really don’t care if I live or die, do you?”

“No.”

That honesty should’ve hurt more.

Instead it just felt… cold.

I looked down at my wrist again.

The glowing mark pulsed once.

Like a countdown had already started.

Outside, rain began again.

Harder than before.

Kairen’s voice came again, quieter but still controlled.

“Do not wander alone after midnight.”

I looked up.

“…Why?”

He paused.

Then answered simply.

“Because something will answer you again.”

And then he turned and left the bookstore without another word.