Chapter 8: Last Breath


     The days had flown by. The bracelet was bought for her. But his
last present was the best. And it was fool-proof. It had to be. He had
no room for mistakes.

     The sea was shining under the patio. "Brendan? What are you doing
out here?" her voice rang out. It sunk into him like poison. 

      "Nothing, May. Why are you out here? It's your birthday!"

     "No, it's... I mean, yeah, but I saw you out here and I wanted to
talk."

     "I'm thinking about how everything has changed."

     "Changed how?"

     "Before I met you, I had a girlfriend who was a lot like you. And
she betrayed me. But that was a long time ago."

      "How long?" She seemed almost fearful of what he was going to say. 

      "It was fourteen years ago..." His voice trailed off.

      "But Brendan, you're only thirteen!" It was then that he decided
to tell her everything. She should know.

     "I'm supposed to be twenty-seven... But this girl, she stopped that
from ever happening. I was fourteen, but never fifteen."

     "What was her name?" she asked and she was trembling. She was
afraid, he could tell.

     "Her name was May. May Norton."

     "So you're not from this time era either?" she asked and her blue
eyes were large. "What a relief. I was so sick of pretending."

     "What?" he cried.

     "I never killed myself. I lived to be twenty-seven. You were right.
Steven was blamed and he was sent to jail, but," she stopped and there
were tears in her eyes. "He escaped. And he broke into my home. He
killed Wally, my husband. And next thing I knew, I was travelling with
you."

     "That's why you said that you were married to him. I thought you
were just ditzy."

     "No. Oh, Brendan, I was so happy to be here with you! I'm just
happy we have the chance!"

     Brendan was confused. "The chance for what?"

      "The chance to be together again!" she grinned happily.

     "Yes, of course!" And he held her arms out to her. He knew what he
had to do. Even if her being from the past complicated things.

      But she had missed him. Did he really need to do this? They could
live together here in this time. He still loved her. And she still loved
him.

      She ran into his arms and he held her tightly.  He had a purpose.
She had lived on, seen what she was to become. It was his turn. And she
couldn't ruin his life again. 

     He held her over the balcony. The sea was roaring in their ears and
the rocks at the bottom looked sharp. He hoped they were. He hoped that
her life flashed by her eyes just as quickly as his had just before he
pulled the trigger. 

      "Brendan, what are you doing?" she cried but no tears ran down her
cheeks. He hoped she died fast, just as he had. He didn't want her to
suffer.

     "May, you betrayed me. I could've lived out those years that you
had. You killed me! You've seen what you are to become. And now it is my
turn and I will do it without you like you did without me!"

      "Brendan, you wouldn't ever throw me off this balcony! You love
me!" she challenged and she knew it would hurt him. It was his duty.

      "Why were you even sent back here, May?"

      She stopped. "I don't know. I always thought that it was to do
things right this time and be with you."

      "I KNOW why I was sent back. I was sent to have the life that I
lost! I was sent to get rid of you!"

     "I always thought you loved me!" she screamed.

      "I did... A long time ago. 14 years ago. I hope the drop is not
too long."

     And then he dropped her. Her scream was agonized as she went down
and the night was so dark that he couldn't even see the splash.

He was whistling as he walked downstairs.

THE END