Countdown

Chapter 1

 10.

That's how many days I have left.

We are all born with the exact date we're going to die, tattooed on our right arm.

I check my arm every single morning, terrified of what's to come.

I ask myself the same questions every morning too. How am I going to die? Why am I going to die so soon? Who decided all of this? What can I do about it? When does this madness stop?

No one knows why we are stuck with this.

Most people like knowing when they are going to die. So they can be prepared for it.

Me.

Well to be honest, I don't like it. I would rather not know, but I can't do anything about it. I'm just one person that is going to die in ten days. Who knows the time. I could be using the bathroom and fall over for all I know.

My name's Sawyer and I am going in ten days.

I am a 16 year old girl.

I like music, dancing, acting, softball, volleyball, and boxing. Mostly boxing and music. My parents say I can't do boxing because I am going to die soon. Stupid parents. I don't listen of course. I like my trainer. She's funny, and believe it or not but she's in college for her doctor's degree. So she's a doctor that can kick ass. I had a boyfriend but he doesn't want to go through the heartbreak of me dying. I understand that.

My thoughts get broken when my mom butchers my name.

"Sawyer! Answer me!" She nearly shouts.

"I'm sorry mom. I was just thinking. What was the question?" I ask, trying not to picture my death.

"What do you want to eat tonight?" Her eyes narrow and she stares at me.

"I honestly don't care what I eat. It won't matter soon." I frown and stare down at my shaking hands.

"Oh Sawyer, I'm so sorry honey..."

I tense up when she walks toward me for a hug. I haven't been comfortable touching anybody or anybody touching me for about a month now.

"Mom. I want popcorn. Oh! And a movie!" I stand up knocking over the seat not even noticing.

"Sawyer!" She shrieks and picks up my chair.

"Sorry mom." I apologize.

"What movie do you want to watch?" She asks and searches through the t.v.

"The new Angry Birds movie! I have heard so many good reviews!" I giggle and run to the t.v.

After the movie I start to feel drowsy so I slowly walk upstairs to my room and crash on my bed for a nap.

"Sawyer! Sawyer wake up! You can't die just yet! It's not time! Please Sawyer you are all I have left! I can't lose you! Not yet honey! WAKE UP!" A sharp voice yells.

It's my mother's voice. I stare down at my lifeless body on the kitchen floor. My eyes are shut and I am pale. I am dreaming. I have to be. None of this is real.

"Sawyer please wake up! Why now?! Why does this have to be this way!?" My mother's voice is so unreal.

My body stays on the floor lifeless as my mother stands up and looks over at the real me.

"It's all over now. Time to wash the tattoo off." She laughs then disappears.

I jump up out of bed covered in hot sweat. It was just a dream. It was just a dream. I still have 10 left. I look over at my phone to check the time. 2:46. It was only a dream. My throat feels scratchy. I need water.

As I make my way downstairs I stop at the last step. My front door is open. Slowly, I walk over and peek outside.

"Great. It's snowing." I mumble under my breath barely audible for an ant to hear.

I look down at what I'm wearing. I'm still wearing the clothes that I woke up in the first time. I close the front door and return to my room.

I walk to my closet to pick out an outfit. Since it's only almost 3 o'clock I have decided not to waste the rest of the day. I mean I don't have that many left anyway.

I pick out a brown leather jacket, a big white sweater, a pair of jeans, a white beanie that matches the sweater, mittens that match the sweater, and my ever so famous combat boots. Today I wear my brown ones, to match the leather jacket.

I throw that all on, except the hat so I can do my hair. I don't contour my face like I usually would because the coldness will bring color to my face. All I put on is mascara, eyeliner (winged of course), a little bit of regular foundation, and red lipstick (so I can pop).

I use my curling wand to make my hair wavy. I throw on my hat, grab my car keys and head off.

When I get outside a cold breeze attacks me and makes me shiver. The dark night fills my eyes as I turn my head to look at my car. The faint streetlight flickered, casting an eerie glow. A small car passed down the street but disappeared into the darkness.

When I got into my car there was one place I wanted to go. The cemetery. My father is buried there. I need to calm down before I end up there.

I slowly step out of the car and walk towards the snow covered tombstone.

"Hey dad. I miss you. I'm sorry I haven't talked to you recently. It's just that everyday when I look at my arm I think of you."

I fall to my knees on the dirt that keeps the rotting corpse of my father buried deep.

"I'm so sorry that I don't have the time to be a doctor or a nurse like you wanted me to! I'm sorry that I won't be able to graduate! I'm sorry that I don't get to get married! I'm sorry that I won't be able to give you grandkids! I'm sorry that I was born in a world that gives you rules about dying!"

I break into a fight of sobs. Tears, snot, and snow rush down my face.

"I'm sorry."

I break down fully and fall to the ground, laying on where my dad's body is slowly being eaten by disgusting bugs 6 feet in the ground. I lay there and dig my hand in the dirt and hold on. It feels like I'm holding onto his arm.

Like I used to when I was 6 and had really bad nightmares. He would squeeze me tight into a giant bear hug, and I would hold onto his arm. He kept like this, warm and safe, until I feel asleep.

He wouldn't let go until I woke up the next morning so he knew I was safe.

I understand now, why he did that.

This world is my nightmares.

I never realized it..

..until now.

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Okay. Hi everyone! Me and one of my best friends will be writing this story. We figured to post this much to see if anyone will like it. Let us know if their should be more!!