The End Of Forever

Chapter 1: Fear

As he turned his head to look upon the sudden crash, Hunter's life would change forever. He was coming home from work at the same time as always. Every day he would go about the same routine. Never straying. Never experiencing. For the first time in three years, something different happened. He was two blocks from home when he had heard the screech of rubber followed by a loud thud and an uproar in the street. When he turned around he looked upon an elderly woman tumbling through the air and falling into the intersection. People screaming for help. Kids flooding out of the game store across the street. Something clicked. The air felt different. Hunter himself felt as if he had just been hit. Though, he was on the sidewalk. Safe.

The paramedics arrived shortly after and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Hunter had just witnessed life end in the matter of an instant. With no warning and no chances given she was gone. There was nothing anyone could do. In a daze, Hunter continued his walk home. He got inside and layed everything out on the nightstand beside his bed. Without eating, showering or even watching the late night news like he did every single day, he crept into bed and tried to sleep.

The thought wouldn't escape his mind. What if that were him? What if one day he blindly wandered into the street and were hit. That's it. Darkness. He'd have no contacts. No friends. No family. His father, the last of his family still alive had just passed away the year before. He was murdered on his way home from work. Hunter couldn't escape the idea that his life could suddenly end. The thought that he'd leave behind nothing. If only there was more time.

It was four in the morning and Hunter had fallen asleep and woken up 6 times. Nightmare after nightmare he'd vividly imagine his own death. These nightmares were unlike any he's ever had. The smells, the taste of blood, the clear image of everything around him. They were closer to reality than when he was awake. He never payed much mind to the world during the day. That is, except for the girl in his office. Oh he payed very close attention to her. Somehow the thought of her kept him going. Gave him the initiative to get up every morning.

Hunter went to sleep for the seventh time that night and stayed asleep. He woke up to the six-thirty alarm he had set for every morning. That gave him fifteen minutes to get ready and thirty to make it to work. On his way to his office in the city, Hunter focused on everything he could. Making sure nothing would harm him on his way there.

Christina, the girl in his office, was heading straight for Hunter's direction. He payed no mind considering they had never exchanged words. Yet somehow here she was standing over his cubicle, leaning on the top of it.

"Did you hear about the accident? That poor woman's family"

Her voice was clearer and softer than Hunter anticipated. She was perfect. He had to remind himself to respond.

"oh y-yeah. That uh. Yeah that sucks. You're Christina right?"

He couldn't help but hide his face in shame. Even if she was standing right there.

"Yup that's me. Hey are you okay? You seem a bit... Uh... Flustered"

"Yeah yeah totally fine. I'm great. So um accident right?"

He knew it was an obvious tactic but changing the topic was all he could do. Talking about how nervous he is in front of her would give away how he felt.

"It's a shame. Almost makes you wish you could live forever huh? Are you new here? Why haven't we talked?"

What she said clicked. Live forever. That idea had never come into Hunter's mind, but now it would never leave it. Hunter couldn't stop repeating those two words in his head. He completely ignored Christina and spaced out into a dead stare straight into Christina's eyes.

"Well um okay... I'm going to go now. Maybe I'll see you around?"

"Great she got weirded out" hunter thought to himself.

"Yeah definitely. See you soon." he hastily replied.

Hunter had finished up his work by four thirty in the afternoon. Thirty minutes overtime. Hunter nearly sprinted home and stumbled to get to his computer. He hadn't moved that fast in years.

He started researching everything he could. From cleanses to homemade remedies. Anything he could find claiming to prolong life. He was too scared to have his life end early. He hadn't a thing to show for himself. If his life was gonna end, he needed redemption time. And that's when he found it. The answer to his problem.