[ WP ] You live in a world where age is counted as how many years of life you have left

`` What do you mean?'' I hold her by her wrists, firmly, and I try to catch her glance. My voice is steady, but I feel my throat close as I utter the words. 
 
 `` Its... it's not... it's not *you*. You have to understand.'' She's still not looking at me. `` I love you, I truly do. But...'' She sighs, tears welling up in her eyes. 
 
 `` I want to see the world. I wanted to see the world *with* you. I want to grow old, not alone, but together. I want to have children, and see them grow, and see them live. And... I already *know* I will have those things. I've always known it. But...'', her voice falters. She withdraws her arms from my hand, her eyes still focused on the floor. 
 
 `` But what?'' I ask. 
 
 `` It ca n't be with you. I always thought we were as old, or at least close enough. But the age difference... it's like we're from a different generation. How could we ever be compatible. We are in such different stages in our lives. For me... many things are the beginning. For you...'' She stops talking, and her eyes stare into mine. 
 
 `` But why, why would it matter? We already have each other. And we'd have each other until the end.'' My voice turns needy, as if I'm begging. And deep down I know I am. 
 
 She takes a step back and shakes her head. Tears are running down her cheeks. `` No...'', she utters, her voice raspy. `` Until your end.'' 
 
 Her words hit me like hammers crashing down on my chest. Before I realize it, still gasping for air, I'm alone in the room, left with my heavy breathing and the sound of a door falling shut in the distance. 
 
 -- - 
 
 `` Are you scanning heart rate, brain activity, temperature?'' 
 
 A white coated man looks up from the computer. `` Yes, sir.'' 
 
 `` Good. Any peak in activity and you contact me. I need to go talk to someone.'' 
 
 -- - 
 
 Footsteps echoed through the metal staircase. I feel my lungs burning but I do n't care. I do n't think it will matter soon. 
 
 I push the door open and run onto the sidewalk. A measly October rain drips from the sky. I look around, but she's nowhere to be seen. *I think I know where she's headed. * My heart skips a beat when I realize what it means, but I do n't have time to consider it. `` Taxi!'' I yell on top of my lungs and throw my arm out. 
 
 The rain grows thicker, and every drop of rain falls down faster than the one before. Small puddles are forming on the streets, and the taxi's windshield wipers are fiercely attempting to keep the glass transparent. 
 
 My heart is beating faster and faster, and I rush the driver to go faster. When we finally arrive I throw a handful of bills at him and rush outside on the street. A few street lanterns shine their gloomy light over the grass and buildings. My feet race over the thin path, crossing the hospital parking lot towards the church. 
 
 -- - 
 
 `` Slow down. Sit.'' He motions to the chair, and the researcher quickly sits down. `` Now talk.'' 
 
 `` Sir, we've been analyzing these subjects for a long time now. Out of the 200 we've been tracking, none showed any strange signs. Up until now.'' He opens the folders in his hands and puts them on the desk in front of him. `` Since we've been able to track how long people would live, we thought it was a certainty. That no matter the circumstances, we would live until you hit zero.'' 
 
 The man frowns. `` But?'' 
 
 `` It appears that's not as true as we thought it would be. And it's manifesting in these two individuals.'' He taps the folder containing two pictures. 
 
 `` So what do we do now?'' his boss asks, staring at the descriptions of both. 
 
 `` We can only wait, sir.'' The man takes off his glasses and cleans them with his coat. `` Wait and see what changes. Because we do n't know who will be affected yet, in who the abnormality has formed. The entire idea is based on the complete and full belief that we are ready to die. That acceptance, so ingrained into our thinking, is a prophecy that always holds true. Because it is self fulfilling. Up until now.'' 
 
 -- - 
 
 My steps slowly resound as I walk over the white stone. Drops of water drip down from my hair, my coat heavy and my jeans clinging onto my legs as a humid blanket. A silhouette stands all the way in the back of the church, facing the altar. 
 
 As I approach she stands still and shows no signs of awareness. Only once I stand next to her she says: `` I knew you'd come.'' Her face is red, puffy, but dry. Her voice is steady, but I recognize the shaking undertone in every word she says. 
 
 `` Only because I knew where you'd go.'' 
 
 `` But why? It should n't end like this'' she asks, but I think she already knows. 
 
 `` Because if this is the end, we might as well do it where it all began. Both the beginning and the end. But we're here, both of us... because we have n't given up.'' I take her hand. `` I'm glad you're here.'' 
 
 She folds her hand into mine and looks at me. A sad smile breaks through. `` So am I.'' 
 
 We count down to zero, rain falling on the glass and stone around us. And we wait.
