12

My life is precious, everything about me is precious. My world, my job, my little computer. I enjoy them and I would rather nothing change. This is my time of peace, my joy, I love everything. The only problem is-

There it is? Did you hear it? Did you hear that little tick that threatens my life. I turn and there it is, I take a step forward but it is right ahead. I smile and it smiles right back, I sleep and it wakes me up. I need to get away, I need to run, I can’t let it catch me- I can’t. All my life it watches me, even on my greatest days I see it watching me like a thief. Even when I stop it moves on without me, leaving me behind.

I fasten my steps, but you're right ahead, so I turn around and your right there. What do you want from me? I haven’t done anything wrong, I just want to live my precious life, please stop chasing me! Please.

I turn down Monroe street and I bump into someone.

“Are you okay Miss? You look frightened.”

“Miss? My name is Aurora!” I yell, much to his surprise. “Sorry, there is someone chasing me-”

His eyes look past me into the darkness, then he meets my eyes.

“Someone?”

“Yes yes, someone …someone- no something” I respond grabbing his shoulder.

“I don’t really see anything.” he says. Of course he doesn’t, every time I try to tell someone about this, they have this look in their eye, they think I’m crazy.

“Ma’am-”

“Aurora!” I interrupt.

“Aurora, maybe I could walk you home if that will make you feel safer.” he says with worry in his eyes.

“No! I have already put you in enough risk, just get out of here! Run as fast as you can, don’t let it catch you, okay?!” I look around and rush away, I hear it, why won’t it stop.

I was twelve when it started, it was my birthday and I remember me being all smiley. I finally was growing older, I could finally go on the rides I wanted too, I could finally be taken seriously. I was growing older. But that was when it hit me; I was growing older. I finally sat up in my princess dress that was way to small for me now, I picked up my tiara and suddenly something caught my eye. Something irritated my ears, something sour on my tongue, goosebumps rippled over my skin. I could feel it on my body, it was disgusting.

I ran to find my parents and before I knew it I was 24, and they laid on their bed, tired. It still chased me, chased me everywhere, I couldn’t even breathe because I knew that was a count down. The count down to my death. I ran looking for my parents and before I knew it I was 36 and they were dead. They weren’t fast enough.

You took them, it took them. And it was going to take me too if I didn’t run. That man better be running too if he knows what’s best for him.

Did you know I was the fastest runner in 5th grade? I could run for miles without taking a break. At least that’s what my mother told me. But now look at me, gasping for air, back in pain, and sweat rolling down my forehead. Its already catching me. When did it drug me? I can’t even remember anymore. All I know is that I have to run, to keep running, I will not let it catch my precious life. I can’t even live my life but once I outrun this thing, I will live without concern. Give me ti-

No! I’m late for work! I run to the bathroom, my eyebags have become more visible. My eyes look dead and tired its a shell compared to my curious eyes in the past. Look at what I’m becoming, don’t worry I just need to outrun it. Then I can live in peace.

My roommate is sitting in the corner eating her cereal, everyday she looks more creeped out by me. She barely comes home and claims to be working 3 shifts a day. I know she wants to get out of this apartment as soon as possible, because of me? Its not my fault, its its fault. They don’t understand, I’m running for my life.

“Um you should probably eat, you don’t look so good.” she says slowly putting her full bowl of cereal back on the table.

“No, ti-ti-ti-” I stammer.

“Okay! Okay! Just go” she says with fear in her eyes.

“Okay.” I forgot what the quote said but I remember the ending “ – waits for no one”

I work every day, I love my job, mostly cause everyone leaves everyone alone. No one calls me weird and I’m good at what I do. But my job is- its filled with them. They are everywhere. Every room. Every corner. I can’t take it. I can’t.

I close my ears and my eyes in fear. The rooms fill with ‘Are you okay’. “No…I’m not just get them out of here and I’ll be fine.”

“Get what? What Aurora?”

“The- the things- they are everywhere please! Please get them out!” I point to the walls.

“Tim-?”

And just like that, I pass out, and when I wake up,

I’m 48.

Not enough-, not enough-, not enough-. I’m running out of-

I gasp in pain as I feel my head pound. The doctors are surrounding me and I look up at them. What is that on there wrist?

“You are sick.”

I am not.

“Stay here.”

No. I need to run! I need to run! You need to run! We all need to run!

“We can help you get better.”

No you can’t, they are here tooo!!!

I scream in what seems like forever and just like that…

I am 60.

…They haven’t let me leave. I always wondered how I got here all those years ago but now I realize it was my roommate. She wanted the apartment to herself and she was gonna get it sooner or later. It was only a matter of –

I cough. And blood releases from my lips. My body aches with pain, its unbearable. As – passes, it is catching me, tormenting me for all the times I ran away. I can no longer run with these shackles on my ankles. Or maybe I can? No. No I cannot.

The only thing left is… surrender. I must end this cycle once and for all. So I call out its name…

“ Ti–” I cough. “Please… please…”

A silver shiny metal appears in the air and I watch as the three hands move. Each hand moving at their own pace, one with immense speed, another calm, and a turtle. I reach out my hand,

“Ti- ti- Time. Please…” surrender. “Stop.”

Each hand stops with my word. They stop at the same spot- the same place where I began, where this chase began. 12.

My heart starts to beat slower, and for the first time in my life I feel free. My hand is filled with wrinkles, my body with running scars. My precious life. I never got to live, but to live means to be free. Why is it now that I understand the meaning, my whole life has gone to waste, the thing I wanted to protect is what I used as a shield. My precious life is destroyed, but at least I do not have to run anymore. At least I am free.

My hand touches the silver shiny metal which has completely stopped.

“If…I had known…it would be that easy…I would have said those words earlier. You caught me…it was only a matter of ti- ti- time.” I drop my hand and my heart disappears, with the pain and suffering. I can finally stop running, if only I had gotten to live after, I could have been happy on my death bed. But I guess it is true what they say-

Time waits for no one.

T I M E 🕛