Tick Tock

Tick tock

If you were to look back on your life, what would be the highlights? The parts you jumped to first, the best and brightest of your memories. Your first kiss perhaps? Maybe the day you got your first pet? Or maybe the day you met the one? You know the one you're meant for.

Looking back on it my life doesn't have a lot of highlights. I had seven years of childhood enjoyment, I couldn't tell you much about it except small things that would come to me here and there and wouldn't make much sense to anyone other than myself. That part of my life was a blur, but a happy blur. I can remember the day my life did a flip through. The exact date.

October fourteenth two thousand and nine. I don't remember the doctor telling me. I actually didn't have it sink in until two years later at the next highlight of my life. The thing I do remember was him telling my grandmother. I had been playing with some toys. You know how doctors offices and dentists have little children playpens where they can play while you wait for the doctor. As adults their so small you hardly notice them, as a child through their a new world, a world of new toys that I played with to my best of abilities, toys that seemed to captivate me forever. In all honesty, though they probably held my attention for no more than ten minutes. And when the toys had done all they could to appease me i had left them to go look for grandma. It wasn't hard, I just had to look into every room. Until i found them, the doctor patting my grandmothers back while she cried. The first and last time i've seen her cry in the whole seventeen years that i knew her, was at that point.

The second highlight of my life was two years later the day at the tech center. Some young college scientists had offered a small amount of cash and some other benefits, to study me. I was kinda rare and they thought that they had discovered a cure through me. So my grandma accepted because she had wasted a good amount of money to try and fix me. The first few weeks were random samples, blood tests, DNA test, you know. In the end, they hadn't found a thing. So the last day they had given us our cash, and the doctor had handed me something. This was the benefit they promised, a little device that looked like a watch. Its underside had a needle and it wasn't until they had attached it that i finally realised that there was something wrong with me. I had gotten my first number: 13 years, 2 months, 10 days, 4 hours, 25 minutes, and 39 seconds. Or 13:02:10:04:25. This was the moment i broke, i got what my grandmother and doctors had been so worried about, i had a time limit. And it had a lot of time sure but not enough.

Now in my life looking back on it, i pretty much died then and their. Because i had worried so much about losing my life, i forgot to live it. It became boring. Just like my childhood had been a blur of happiness this was a blur of dullness. I started lashing out at people, started to become a real asshole, and soon the years passed, everyone grew to despite me as much as i despited them. My routine became simple: wake up, go to school, be a snarky asshole to everyone until i get home, then i sleep until i restart it the schedule. I spent the next seven years of my life that way, until the last and final highlight of my life came to pass. It started with a transfer, a transfer of schools. Not me, but my best friend.

The first thing that happened was when i first walked into the main hall. Lockers lined the hall on both sides and for the spring dance, the dance committee had decided to hang a banner over the front door, to get everyone in spirit. I guess a guy realized that he had misspelled something, and had tried to fix in the last seconds before school started. Now a good two hundred people of the five hundred tha goes to our school walks into the doors on a daily basis and even though i was squat in the middle of a group of people when the kids blood red paint spilled, it hit me and somehow only me. The can was mostly empty but the result was that my shirt, hair, and backpack were covered in paint.

“I’m so sorry,” He said rushing down the ladder he was placed on. He started to wipe it off my face.

“How bout you be a little bit more careful genius,” I said brushing off his hand.

“Tick,” He muttered with a gasp. “I am so very very sorry it was a mistake i didn't know it as you.” Now i don't know why, people think this, but for some reason people think that i will beat them up if i'm not in a good mood. I am pretty big and muscular i'll say, eating healthy and working out has given me a couple more years than what i had, but not once have i ever in my school resorted to violence, a shove is the closest i've ever gotten. Not that i could afford to, getting in a fight will definitely take a couple days off my life, if more.

“Just go work on you banner, and leave me be.” I snatched the towl from him and wiped off as much of the paint as i could, as i headed towards my locker.

Jessica’s click was in front of my locker again. Jessica's locker was right next to mine, and so her friends crowded around to talk about useless stuff.

“Move,” I commanded. They all stared at me with a look of disgust. I returned the favor.

“How bout you ask nicely, kay you little tick,” Jessica said stepping out of the crowd. I swear it was the same conversation every day.

“How bout i dont,” I said with a grin stepping forward locking eyes with her. She yielded after a couple seconds and they moved away. I retrieved my art binder from my locker and headed towards homeroom.

To be honest the only reason i remember this part so well is because of the paint accident. Because honestly the story starts now. The third and last highlight of my life happened after i step through my homeroom door. And it all starts with a girl names spring.

I had opened the door to find everyone crowded around. Normally the homeroom was split into a bunch of little cliks that talk and then loners who didn't have any of their friends here to talk to or didn't want to talk to anyone, like me. Everyone was crowded around this one desk though. At first i didn't look much into it, i just sat at my desk and started to zone out. Untill…..

“Hi there, My name's spring,” I turned to look at a girl ive never seen before. She was sticking out her hand to give me a hand shake. It's her smile that through me off, it had been so long since anyone except my gma had smiled at me that i was a little rattled. People starred in the background the crowd of people that had been crowded around the desk were broken up in a path. I saw the desk held a pink backpack with butterflies, oh dear. So They had all been talking to the new girl, it had occurred to me that a teacher had mentioned something about a new student yesterday. Her smile though, that's what through me off, and that's what made me do something i usually wouldn't have done. I smiled back, i caught myself quickly, i made it seem the kind of smile a wolf would give. If wolves could smile that is.

“Hi spring, it's nice to meet you but i seem to be busy with school work at the moment,” I said gesturing to my empty desk. My smile remained cold, while hers remained warm, she would be a problem, it would take a while to make her despise me as much as them.

“I see,” She said walking away,”You know i'm a pretty good tutor if you need help.” she turned her head my way and smiled. I went back to zoning out and the crowd swallowed her up like it was some kind of sea monster. I heard whispers of stay away from him and he's trouble, oh and then they began talking about how they thought i had murdered someone. Never mind, the rumor mill of me is so vast that she’ll be like the rest in a day. I smiled for the second time that day.

Next was art, This was one of the two classes i actually did something in, not that i enjoyed it but the rhythm of the pencil made me zone out better than just sitting their. I usually just drew my timer, over and over again. The art teacher though it was my style. I sat down at my usual desk and started to zone as well when the seat next to me was taken. That's weird most people don't risk sitting by m.. oh come on i have her in this class too.

“Hi their, fancy us having the first to classes together,” Spring said.

“Yeah, it's a miracle,” i said in my most sarcastic tone ever, giving a lot of sarcastic emphasis on miracle. She just snorted. “You know there's other seats, in the classroom, why don't you sit there.” She looked around the room and the people scattered throughout the tables.

“I'll see if anyone else has a seat i can sit at.” She rose and went to a table next to ours, she began chatting up a storm and then in a couple minutes she whispered something to them and the people there got the spare chairs and sat on the edge of them. Sitting so they were two chairs taken up by every person their. What. She walked to the next table and the table after that and in the end not a single chair was open. Did she just convince the whole class to use all the chairs besides this one? How? She walked back up to me.

“Sorry, looks like all the other chairs are taken,” She said with a smile, sitting down. “Hey i’ve been meaning to ask, why are you, redish around here,” She said gesturing to the huge stain on my shirt where the paint had hit.

“Murder victim,” I lied. Putting in my earbuds. The universal sign that a person isn't in the mood to talk.

The bell ringed and mrs. jones walked in. she began to talk about some group assignment to show our true selves in art, so i sat by sweatshirt down and began to sleep. Another reason why i enjoyed this class was because she didn't mind if i slept.

I woke up as the bell rung. Spring was nowhere to be seen, and the people were all rushing to the door. My next classes were normal, oh so normal. I spent the classes either looking at my timer countdown the seconds or sleeping, until lunch. You see the school was a perfect rectangle, and the roof was great, it was only limited to the custodians but not like i care. And so i went to the roof to go look at the clouds, like i usually do. I stopped at the door and retrieved a spare key i had swiped, and thrust the door open happily. The tiles warmed my back as i layed on them and i was perfect. Untill….

“Wow this view is amazing, i wonder why no ones up here.” Now i'm not going to lie, at the time i would have but im different now so i guess i can't really do that. I did let loose an ungodly gasping noise. That's an understatement because it was more of a scream and a gasp combined with a little something else and to be fair she was as quiet as a cat.

“It’s because it’s a restricted zone, so why are you here.” spring had somehow ended up here, carrying a pink lunch box with flowers.

“So why are you up here then,” she asked? Sitting down besides me.

“I asked you first.”

“I saw you coming up here and decided to follow you.” That explains how she got past the locked doors. I practically paved the way for her. “Now your turn.”

“The school leaves me alone and i don't cause them much trouble, we kinda have a mutual respect that way.”

She snorted, “They don't know you come up here, do they.”

“No, the janitor lost a key ring and i found it, but not after i swiped this key, I mean look at this view, its the best, and quiet.” Now i was shocking myself, i hadn't even told my grandmother this. I looked at her, this girl was dangerous, she had something about her that made her seem easy to talk to, something that made people want to relax. I had to be cautious around her.

“So im guessing the janitor hasn’t tried to come up here yet.”

“The schools big and the janitors are all busy, the only reason they need to be up here is to do maintenance.” She took something green and white from her lunchbox. “What's that?”

“Sushi.” She said like she expected me to know what it was.

“Sushi,” I said questioningly.

“Oh come on you must know what sushi is,” She said with a glance, shoving a bite in with chopsticks.

“I’ve never heard of it before.” She looked at me shocked.

“Here try a bite,” She took a piece and gestured it to me. I ate it hesitantly. Huh.

“This isn’t half bad, what's in it?” It was actually really good, i mean it was a little bit different, but good. The rice was balanced out by everything else.

“Well theirs rice, seaweed, fish, and fish eggs.”

“Eww fish eggs.”

“Well if you don't like that then i probably shouldn't tell you the fish is raw.” WHAT. their little rolls of delicious salmonella.

“Whyyyyy?” I asked. She just shrugged. Then the bell ringed and she rose to her feet. I layed down again putting my arms behind my head.

“Aren’t you going to go to your next class,” She asked?

“I have a free period,” I said with a laugh. She just rose her eyebrows questioningly. “I do.” She left, and in time lying under the sun, i fell asleep, and didn't wake up again till school had ended.

The students were streaming all over the place, it was like how bees would swarm out of the hive when attacked. I could just place her out in the middle of this one crowd. She was surrounded by people, no doubt followers and friends she’d made throughout the day. She glanced up and stared at me, her friends still talking to her. I stared back, then smiled and walked away from the roofs edge, if watching her from the roof like a creepy stalker didn't scare her away nothing would. I grabbed my backpack and retreated inside, to go home for the day.

My walls were a reflection of me. They were bare, white, just as bare as my room. The only thing in my room that had any value was the one thing in it, a bed. Not just an bed though, cus while other kids spent their allowance on stupid stuff their had only been one thing i would need, a bed. So i got the best bed out their, chinese silk, the best of soft and fluffiness with a massage and rearranging features. This bed was heaven, and on any normal day i would retreat to this bed after doing an exhausting workout to relax deeply, and spend all my time their until i had to wake up; but my normalcy was broken hours ago, when i first met her in this morning. Even though she wasn't even near where i was at this moment she still managed to break it. because as i layed in that bed, the only thing that went through my mind was her and it was infuriating me.

So after a hour of trying to go to bed, i tried working out again, and then i stared at my ticker, counting down the seconds till that blissful moment when all my problems went away. That was one of the three things i did when i was bored: sleep, working out, and counting my timer. In the end though i was bored, like i haven't been in a long time. Then something happened there was a sound. Ding.

After many minutes of searching for the source of the strange sound, i finally located the source. It was from a phone my grandmother had gotten me a year ago. I haven't touched the thing since i'd gotten it, the wallpaper and everything was the same as she left them and there was a layer of dust that covered the screen. A message: Springtime45 has added you on f*******:. Was displayed on the screen. What?

Then another notification appeared: Hey David whats up. Saw you had sss and decided to add you, im kinda bored wanna talk. WHAT? Wait how does she know my name, did someone tell her?

“Grandma, remember that phone you got me,” I yelled! She came bustling into the room, drying a dish by hand, even though we had a dishwasher.

“Of course, it was a christmas gift, right?”

“Um yeah, but that's not the thing, why does it say that i have someone who added me on f*******:?”

“Because it gives you notifications when someone adds you, most apps work like that.”

“Yeah i know how apps work, but i don't remember having a f*******: account.”

“I decided to make one for you, i told you this dear, oh looks like the soups about to boil over, have fun and it's good to see you doing something other than sleep all day.” She retreated into her kitchen. Another message popped up: Daviiiiiid. I know your their. I'm about to spam you. GREAT. Just great. I unlocked my phone and opened up the app, now that i think of it this was the first time id opened up the phone. I started to type.

David123: What do you want?

Springtime45: I told you i'm bored.

David123: Why don't you talk to some other of your friends then, you must have made many throughout the day.

Springtime45: Because i want to talk to you.

David123: uhg, You know the feeling might not be mutual.

Springtime45: I know but that's the things you can’t block me on here, so do you have a choice.

David123: Yeah it's called real life blocking. I took my phone and placed in it in my closet where it had been in the beginning and then covered it with clothes. I layed on my bed clutching my pillow and tried to drift off. Which was hard because i could still here the dinging. So eventually i got up and went back to it, because at this point i didn't have a choice. She had sent the smiley face emoji over and over again.

David123: plssss stop

Springtime45: No.

David123: Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. You could literally talk to anyone else, why did you choose to annoy me.

Springtime45: Because, i could talk to anyone else but what would be the fun in that.

David123: your going to text me all night arent you.

Springtime45: At least until 12. I receded underneath the covers, i might have fallen asleep unexpectedly that way. Which i did around ten, but in the time frame between i talked to her for every minute. Which is good for me even if i didn't know it at the time.

“Mov….” I started to day, before i was cut off. I was at my locker again and they were swarming. Again. Well less of swarming more of blocking it on all sides.

“Hey jessica, how’s your cat been feeling,” Spring cut in. She seemed to appear out of nowhere. What the?

“Oh hey spring, she's feeling better now thanks, we took her to the vet and they saw she had eaten coin.” What were they talking about and how did she already make friends with jessica? Then they both seemed to notice me and their expressions were sheer opposite.

“Hi David. Were you looking for me,” Sprng asked me? That made me chuckle.

“No, actually, this is my locker, which some people are in the way of.” I gestured to the group.

“Oh sorry, come on girls, lets scooch,” She said with one of her smiles, although it did no difference they all just stayed their.

“Sure we’ll move, all he has to do is ask us nicely,” One of jessica’s cronies said. I laughed, we both knew i wouldn't do that.

I stepped forward and went to said something snarky,”Please move.” Wait. What? Why did i say that, i think they were as surprised as i was. What happened to the snarky comment that was about to come out. I didn't say it sarcastically or anything just like that. Everyone was shell shocked except for spring.

“Welp that should do, come on jessica lets go talk by my locker.” Everyone just stumbled behind her with mouths wide open. Not that i could blame them i was rooted in place mouth wide open for a good five minutes. So yeah i was late to homeroom, or would be if i had gone. I just decided to book it and spend at least the first two periods on the roof, and then decided to spend the whole day on the roof. It’s a nice roof. Until i was interrupted at lunch.

First it started with a single knock. Then grew to many knocks. Then became,”Daviiiiid, Let me on, i know your their.” Although i could have gone home, so she didn't really know that. “David if you don't open up, i'll go and ask a teacher to let em on the roof so i can eat with my friend.” Did she just seriously use the ill tell the teacher card, that's low, really low. And as much as i would not to believe her, she did have a pink butterfly backpack so if it was a question of would she do something so childish. Yes, yes she would. So in the end i opened up the door.

“You know you should make a copy of that key and give it to me,” She said sitting down. I laughed at that. “Well now i have to knock on the door every time i want to get up here.” I layed down again, at least she would leave at the end of lunch, i could last ten minutes. She took out this small packet of something.

“So why'd you ditch class, Was it because of me,” She asked? I laughed again, that's four times in one day, she was funny.

“Don't flatter yourself, I just didn't feel like doing the whole school thing today.”

“You know you’ll fail the class if you don’t attend, and besides the principal is looking for you, he says you’ve got detention.” Thats weird most of the staff here knew of...me. It's why they dont care, its why i haven't been held back. They were kinda lenient because they knew.

“What's that you’ve got today,” I said changing the subject.

“Tamales,” She said like i knew what those were, again. It looked like their was this weird tortilla wrapping this doughy thing.

“Do you not know what tamales are either, have you lived under a rock all your life.” i knew that smell though. It smelled, like something my grandma made one time. I noticed she had a bag of tortilla chips too. “Here, i made extra because i knew you didn't make a lunch.” She handed me one and after i unwrapped it i took a small bite. It was good, doughy but good.

“This one doesn't have raw fish in it either does it?” She snorted. We scarfed down the lunch, it was good, and i guess talked a little bit, until the bell rang and she went to her next class. Then i fell asleep again, till the ending bell woke me up. I went over to the edge and looked down, no kids, must have been the bell to start the last class then. It was close enough, i opened the door and started walking down the stairs. It was close enough to the schools end, that grandma wouldn't notice.

I walked slowly, because i could take my own sweet time. Besides sometimes you just need to walk slowly and appreciate the beauty of naps. Although it was walking slowly that got me cought. I wa son the first floor stairwell close to being out of the building too when the principal ,mr. Sketch, walked in, He looked as surprised as i was.

“David, i've been looking for you, it's so odd i know you go somewhere in the building when you go off and do whatever it is you do, but no one's ever able to find out where.” He took my by my arm. “A broom closet perhaps, or maybe somewhere in the library, well it's of no importance now, i got a little task for you to do.”

“Thats nice mr. Sketch, but i was just going to go home, wasn't feeling well.”

“Looks like a trip to the nurse is in order, although if you were, to say get better suddenly when she checks you out it wouldn't be hard to help her for a hour or two afterwards.” Hes subvertedly saying once she says im okay im getting detention. I guess it's not so bad, helping the nurse could be fun. Besides it sounds easy. So i went to the nurse and she said i was fine and he put me to work helping her file paperwork. Which i did until the end of school bell rang.

“I'm going to go get a drink of water, behave and don't leave,” The nurse said. Which i did, i went to a counter and sat down and looked out the window, looking at the students walk around outside. Eventually i saw spring come outside surrounded by another group of people. Faintly she looked up, as if searching for something. Then it hit me, she was trying to see if i was on the roof again. After a while she went back to talking with some people. Then the group dimned over time, until it was just a couple of people and with them she waved goodbye and turned to walk home. The last dredges of her group walked off in their own directions as well. All turning their backs on eachother. This way no one but a few stragglers saw the group of boys start to trail spring. And the few stragglers that did see turned their heads away, as if they hadn't noticed in the first place. Assholes. I rushed towards the door, and the nurse opened it right as i was about to go out.

“David, you still have thirty minutes, get back here.”

“Sorry i'll help you tomorrow.” I raced through the school. I didn't even bother taking the stairs i jumped out a window into a shed and shimmied down it. It still took me some time. If i had been out of shape i would have been nearly dead by the time id caught up to them all. I wasn't out of shape though, never have been. A healthy body resets the timer somewhat. It happens when it does a maintenance check on my body at midnight each night. It will either push forward the date by a little bit or push it back. It's also good that i was in shape, because it helped me for what came next. When i had finally found them all they were in an alleyway. The boys were all circled around her.

“Jared let me go home please,” She pleaded. She was clutching her pink backpack around her arms. Hugging it.

“Come on spring, don't you want to join my little gang, we’ll give you special privileges,” He said licking his lips and smiling. Creep. He edged forward.

“Didn't you hear her, she said she wants to go home,” I said calmly. The calm part was the key, i had rumors that i ran gangs and killed people, i had to act the part. I didn't fight people for a reason, because rumors and words were all i needed. He turned towards me. He was curious.

“David, what brings you to this side of town,” he asked calmly.

“Just doing a little arrand, picking up something that you may have stumbled on,” I said gesturing towards spring. He laughed.

“There's no reason saying we can’t share,” He said grabbing her shirt. Now i don't know why, i could have simply talked us out of the situation, but when he grabbed her shirt i was filled with rage. So yeah instead of things getting better they got worse. First i took out jared. I knocked him out with one punch. His lackeys weren't so easy though. They all swarmed me, and i punched out, hitting some guys, but their were a good seven guys their. So in the end i was on the ground, overwhelmed. I saw spring rush forward, and thought good at least she’ll get away. But she didn't she rushed one guy and hit him in the neck. Then he collapsed on me, and for a second he took the brunt of their beating before they stopped. That second was all i needed, i popped up and faced them. Their were a good six left. She pounced at two and in a minute They were both down. What? I didn't have time to question though i was being rushed by another two guys, i ducked from an incoming punch. I swung and hit a guy in the head. Another knockout. Then the second guy hit me, and i'm not going to lie, it hurt alot. I managed to swing forward and catch him in the stomach. He doubled over and one slam into the pavement was all it took to knock him out. I looked around everyone was down, she had taken out a good five guys. What?

“How?” I didn't get to here my question be answered though because at that moment i fainted.

“Come on bring him here, what happened to you two,” I heard a female voice say. I tried to open my eyes but all i got was a big blur. What happened?

“We got ambushed by some kids at school,” Spring said. Spring! Then my memories came back to me. I groaned.

“Looks like he sure got beat up, you know we don't like you fighting,” The lady said. “Come on might as well take him to your father,” So the lady was probably her mother. I was being lifted, wich was kinda unsettling because i weighed a good one seventy pounds.

“What do we have here,” a deep voice said as i was being laid on a table? Spring filled them both in at what happened.

“Huh i can't say i liked how how he….” Then i fell asleep again.

It was a good few hours before i had awaken again. I was in a lab, of sorts. I was on what appeared to be an operating table with equipment around me, and devices situated along every nook and cranny in the room. Something was off though my hand felt lighter. Then i realised my timer was gone. There was a white band of skin where it had been and no sun had touched, and then there was a scab where the needle had been.

“Looking for this,” a man said. He was wearing a lab coat and holding my timer in the air. Spring’s dad.

“Give it back, it's not supposed to come out!” He stared at me and tossed it. I caught it excitedly, nearly jumping out of my seat to make sure i caught it. I put it on instantly the needle diving down and piercing my hand.

“I looked at it, given the needle it's easy to assume its used to monitor something, and the way the numbers were counting down does not make it seem like its counting down to something good.” I stared at him. “Well all in good time i suppose, there always time to tell someone something. Come on my wifes made dinner, from what spring tell us you enjoy her cooking.” I put it on and it beeped as it took a sample of my blood, the results were put out after a minute. I collapsed in on myself, i had lost a lot of time, time i couldn't afford to waste. In a trance i seemed to follow the doctor.

I walked with a limp. Their house was weird, it had old relics lining the wall, family portraits, and other weird stuff. I sat down at the table, a little boy sat down next to me, and spring joined me on my other side. The parents sat beside each other. The meal placed in the middle of the table was this strange breaded casserole, and some kind of pasta.

“So how's the plans for that brazilian sight coming along,” the dad asked? At first i thought he was talking to me, he had been rambling on about something to me while we had walked, not that i payed attention.

“He’s talking to mom, most conversations end with them when the other one enters the room,” Spring said. You could see that they loved each other, it was in how their eyes met, from how their bodies moved. “So how are you feeling?”

“Like i was used as a punching bag,” I responded,”How did you take so many of them out?” From what i remember she took out a good third of the guys.

“I'm not some damsel in distress david, my father and mother have been teaching me self defense since i was seven.” That was actually pretty cool. It also means that i might have just jumped into a fight i didn't need to fight. I had lost that time for no reason.

“David i think you should stay here for the night, here does you parents have a phone we can call them at?” It was springs parents. I handed them my phone, i had taken it with me for some reason today. “Spring, whats the meaning of this,” He asked her. I looked over and saw that it had over two hundred notifications, all from spring.

“He wasn't answering so i just decided to spam him.” It also had two notifications saying my grandmother had called me, i pointed at those. Springs dad started to call her and went out of the room. I just sat their eating, zoned out, at some point he returned my phone. After dinner they laid out a bed on their couch and i passed out, until she arrived.

“Why are you doing this to me,” I whined. She sat down at the leg of the couch clutching her pillow.

“I'm bored but i can't sleep.” Spring was staring at me. “Sorry, for dragging you down into that fight, even if you did make it seem that i was your property.” I sighed.

“Your fine, i'm sorry i made it seem like i owned you, that was actually pretty jerkish of me.” She nodded. “So are you going to leave sleep at all?” She just smiled. Smiled and laughed.

Meeting her was the last and third highlight of my life, it was the best one too. Because after that, my life took a turn for the better. First it started with going to her house after school. Then hanging around on the weekend, and talking all the time on phone. After a while i started to change, started to get nicer, started to get paler too. This part in my life was another blur, a blur of happy memories, of spending birthdays together, of knowing all there's to know about each other. Then it changed, because all things change. It started on a sunny day, a day we had designated for hiking. The sun was shining and i had went to a stream to get some water. I had decided to tell her something.

“You okay david,” Spring asked. She was sitting on a boulder drinking water

“I'm great just had to think about something,” I said. We were on the top of a mountain, completely alone. The sun was shining brightly, and so i decided to sit alone the cliffs edge. Spring soon joined me.

“Yeah i know you, somethings up.” She wasn't wrong, The cliff we were sitting on was high, like really high, but it gave us the best view in the world. A river spewing and running off into the sunset like it was some kind of fairy tale character getting a happy ending. She faced me looking for an answer, looking to help me, to solve my problems. She couldn't solve this problem though, just help it, like she has been. So with the sunset facing us and the forest behind us, and al while my world was just the two of us, i leaned in and kissed her. After a while i broke away.

“David,” She said. Her face was a flower of emotions, blooming from a bud of confusion to a flower of happiness. A flower i stomped down into the dirt with my next sentence.

“Im dying spring.” Now her face changed into happiness, to confusion, then to what seemed to be a mix of anger and sadness.

“David you don't just make a joke after something like that!” She was angry. She actually hit me lightly on the arm. Then i explained everything to her, and in the end the worst thing happened. She started crying, and that broke me. “Come on david, ask my dad he's a doctor, he’ll know something.”

“I asked, he ran some tests, and its not good,” I said remembering the day he broke the news to me. “Stop crying please, i'll be fine, i've been prepared for this all my life.” She hit me again, and then kissed me.

“It isn't about you dying, it's about you not being their, not spending my life with you, its about although i will always grow older I won't have you their to grow by my side.” She rested her head on my shoulder. “I won't ever be able to forget you, Your memory will stay with me forever.” That broke me up harder again, i couldn't have her sad like this. I grabbed her chin and tilted her head at me.

“You might not ever forget me, but that's okay because wherever I am I won't ever forget you.” We stayed there for a while, then it was my turn to rest my head on her shoulder. I felt so tired.

“How much time do you have,” She asked finally, her voice was quivering.

“Not enough.” I could feel the seconds ticking away. It was beautiful, the sunset, and even though I was sad I was happy too, I was calm. “I love you spring.” A small piercing sound escaped from my wrist. As spring shuffled my sleeve off my timer, we were met with a bright number...05. I felt the last of my breath escape my body…….04. I felt my heart start to slow…….03. The sun and bright beautiful colors escaped down the mountainside, setting for that day……..02. There was darkness, but it was calm there, cus I knew I wouldn't be alone there for long…………...01. Then there was brightness, a brightness that came in every happy memory I've ever had, all contained in four words. “I. Love. You. Too.”................00