I Would Want To See You One Last Time.

Piece 1 (Pilot: The Future)

On the night before my birthday, September 15th, year 2037, I stayed awake longer than usual. I was drinking cranberry vodka with hardly any infused alcohol, so I wasn't feeling much. I don't know why I decided to stay awake longer. Wouldn't that be something I would do on the night of my birthday? I sat alone in my tiny house, hand on my drink, zoning out into space deep in thought of who knows what—possibly trying to figure out why I needed to stay up.

I snap out of my deep thoughts and stare at my cat. He's a medium-length grey fur, neatly brushed all one way, with emerald green eyes. His name is Kesler. He's sleeping in the bed I got him. I could never figure out what type of cat he is... Russian blue? Anyways, he's a bit on the round side. You can especially see he is when he's curled up in a ball. I watch the end of his tail slowly go up and down as he looks like he's sleeping. I should be doing the same, I thought. But for some unknown reason to myself, I linger awake.

I'm not much of a drinker because addiction runs in the family, just in line with a load of more things, so I tend to stay away from it. I guess I got bored and decided to try out something different. Shouldn't I save the drinking for my birthday tomorrow? I think as I take another sip of the cold drink. I set it back on the table while listening to the ice cubes clink against the glass. The house is so quiet I hear the clock ticking down the hall.

I lean back into my chair, tilting my head back slightly, and shut my eyes. Listening to my breathing, feeling the condensation from the ice-cold drink on my fingers, I feel the fuzzy slippers on my feet and listen to the grandfather clock down the hall tick away. I feel a wave of drowsiness fall over me like a soft blanket.

After a short amount of time, I reopen my now-heavy eyes and look at the clock on the stove. It reads 11:32 p.m. I sigh and shut my eyes again, thinking that I'm going to make it to 30. I let my shoulders relax and my jaw unclench. I think about how the younger me would be very disappointed that I let this happen. But it is what it is.

I think back to my high school days, the friends I made, the people who have come and gone. Then, my memories clicked to my past relationship with Maria. The times we spent together and apart, longing for each other. We stayed together for a long time. I don't like to think of what happened. She was my first love. She still is. I feel the heavy weight that just dropped on my chest and the turning in my stomach just thinking about her. I could never find her in other people. I dated others after we broke up, but it was never who I wanted. My heart longs for her, but she is nowhere to be found. Memories sway like two in the back of my mind, her laugh pulsing through my veins.

I feel my eyebrows furrow as I think of her. I reopen my eyes once more to recheck the time, slowly counting down to the official moment I never thought I'd reach. I still don't want to achieve it, though here I am, patiently waiting for the moment I must accept.

I see the clock on the stove tell me 11:37 p.m. With the weight still on my chest and the turning in my stomach, I notice my cat once more. His ears perk up, and soon after, his eyes open, and his head lifts swiftly. Then he jumped up and walked to my room, where I could partially see my crumbled-up bed sheets in the dimly lit room. I stare in that direction for a minute, feeling anxious from his rare sudden movements from comfortability before arising and deciding maybe I shouldn't stay awake for my birthday and head to bed. I rinse out my cup and leave it in the sink for tomorrow for me to clean. I slowly walk to my room, looking for my cat. My baby. My life.

I look in the room, standing at the door frame. My room is now pitch black when a light was on a minute ago. As I carefully walk into my room, I look at my side of the bed, then the other, where no one lays their head to rest for the night. No clothes on the floor to pick up other than my own. I sigh once more and lift the bed sheets to lay my head for the night, hoping I fall asleep within a minute before midnight. Just as I lay down, I saw something slowly move in the bathroom.

My eyes shot open as a sudden wave of shock and fear fell over me. I stare for a couple more seconds, eyes suddenly feeling heavy again. I close my eyes once more, thinking I was just seeing things, and roll to my right, back facing the empty side of my bed. Then another wave of fear falls over me. I feel like I'm not alone. I remember I have a cat and he's probably just watching me from afar. I start to drift off when the fear gets stronger and stronger, and stronger by the second.

I decided to open my eyes and see...nothing. There's no reason to be afraid. Just as I open them, someone in all-black clothing pushes me back onto my backside harshly and puts a heavy gloved hand over my mouth to prevent me from making any noise. Quickly, they sit atop me, preventing my arms from moving to defend myself. I see them raise a finger to their face, signaling for me to keep quiet. "Be quiet and we can talk. Can you do that for me?" She says. The voice almost sounds familiar but that's not my main worry right now. I shake my head yes, showing that I won't make a sound and the gloved hand slowly lifts and moves from my mouth.

We sit there in silence. I know they can see me because the hallway light is reflecting onto my face but I cannot see them. Their back is faced with the light. I feel my heart racing as I try to make out a face, only to see most of it is covered by a black face mask. Finally, they spoke, "I'm sorry to intrude like this." she says, in a calm tone.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" I whisper yell, trying to get my thoughts together.

"You know who I am because I know you. And knowing you, what you do every year on the day of your birthday, you were recapping all of your memories. Just as you always do." She says in a soft tone. "As for your second question, you asked me to be here."

I think about the times I might've asked someone to break into my house. No memories come up, why would they? Why would I ask someone to break into my house? "This isn't making sense."

"It won't right now," she says. She mumbles something I'm guessing she didn't mean to say out loud. I couldn't understand it though. "We knew each other all too well before. A long time ago-"

I cut her off on her sentence, "Can you get off of my arms? Your knees are digging into my forearms."

"As long as you promise not to fight me. You won't win. You never won." She says, the hints she's giving me as to who she is isn't making sense.

"I promise.." I say, for a moment she sits there, I can see light reflections in her eyes shining off of me now. I still can't make out a face. She slowly lifts off of me, hands by my shoulders, and stands to her feet.

"I trust you. Do not break the trust I'm giving you." She says, a harsher tone now. I nod my head, understanding. I don't know her intentions so who knows what could happen tonight. I'm debating on standing up, instead, I just sit up in my bed, looking around for any damage.

"Stand up." She says demandingly.

I do as she says, I lift the covers off of me and rise to my feet on the cold floor. Fear still pounded in my chest with my heartbeat. I look at her face and she stares at mine. I'm slightly taller than her in height. I swallow hard and feel my dry mouth.

She gently takes my hand and leads me back out into the living room, her back facing me. Why is she being so soft, is my first thought. Just before we reach the end of the hallway, she flicks off the only incandescent light, and I can see no more. The only light is the moonlight shining through the window above the kitchen sink.

"So... Am I going to die?" is the only thing I can say right now, seeing as it's my main concern.

"Maybe not. My heart might win this one tonight." She says. I see her figure turn around to face me once more. She gently takes my other hand in hers and leads me to the only light producing in the house. I look at the clock once more and see it's 11:46 p.m. now. Feels like it's been longer.

"You always looked so beautiful in the moonlight, Winter."