Better Than Losing You

Chapter 7

It was 9:00 in the morning. The meeting with Wyrd was right at hand, but Gray barely cared. It hadn't taken him long to come to a decision concerning the bargain.

He got ready slowly, his body feeling more achy than normal. His mind was blank and his thoughts felt far-away and spacy.

As 9:45 came around, he locked up the house and headed silently to the supermarket. Arriving there, he scanned the area for Wyrd. His car clock struck 10:00, but the man was nowhere to be found.

Then, as he began walking about the parking lot, Gray saw him. The black figure stood in the middle of the street. His penetrating gaze was directed right at him. The instant their eyes met, Wyrd snapped his fingers and everything went silent. A car that had just a second ago been shooting towards him stopped a few feet away, and a flock of birds hovered motionless in the pale morning sky.

Wyrd waved his hand in a circular motion, causing everything to move in reverse. The whole world continued to operate backwards until the sun had set and risen several times.

Wyrd snapped his fingers and everything went motionless. As Gray stared at the scene before him, he realized it was almost identical to the one he'd seen the other day. Claire's car and the truck were back, only a few seconds away from the lethal collision.

"Here we meet again," greeted Wyrd from across the street. "May I ask what decision you settled upon?"

Gray set his jaw tightly. He kicked at a stone, and was surprised to see it fly across the ground, unaffected by the enchantment which froze everything else.

"I have decided," he replied, squaring his shoulders and looking Fate straight in the eye. "That I will take her place." He pointed to Claire. "However, I have one condition. You described our transaction as a bargain, so I intend to treat it as such."

"You are intelligent," laughed Wyrd, his eyes flashing. "What are your terms?"

"If I die and Claire lives," began Gray, attempting to keep his voice steady. "I want you to make sure she has a good life. And by good, I mean I want her to be successful, happy, and safe – whatever that may mean."

"Ooh," sang Wyrd. "'Whatever that may mean' is a very loose statement. Are you certain you don't wish to clarify any further?"

Gray swallowed hard. "No. You know better than me, so I trust her to you. All I demand is that she be happy."

Wyrd was silent for a moment. "I can only see one scenario where such a thing is possible," he finally said.

"And what might that be?" asked Gray, afraid of the answer.

An odd light shone in the man's eye. "If you trade your life for hers, she will live happily. However, it will be as if you never existed."

Gray's heart skipped a beat. "What?" he managed.

"She will not even remember you lived," clarified Wyrd. "Neither she nor her family will have ever heard the name Grayson Atlin. Without you, she cannot miss you, and without missing you, she will be free to happily pursue whichever course she chooses." He stared tauntingly at Gray. "Are you sure that's what you want?"

Gray glanced to Claire. Even frozen, she was just as beautiful as ever. Her eyes sparkled, and her hair hung long and glossy over her shoulders.

I love you so much, thought Gray, a tear falling down his cheek. Whatever is best for you, I would gladly do it – even if it meant pain for myself. You have your whole life out in front of you, but I have nothing but you. If I lose you, I will have no meaning to live for. It would be far better for the world to lose me, rather than you.

He brushed his tears away roughly.

"Fine," he choked to Wyrd, his eyes remaining on the ground. "I agree to your terms if you agree to mine."

"It's a deal," agreed Wyrd, a note of delight creeping into his voice. "Shake my hand and we'll have a contract."

Gray looked up to see a hand extended out to him. The fingers were long and utterly white, giving him goosebumps to gaze at. Suppressing more tears, Gray took a deep breath and grasped the hand. Instantly, an electric shock ran through his body and everything went black. When he opened his eyes a moment later, he was in Claire's car, speeding towards the intersection. Before he could even react, the semi had rammed into him, throwing the car across the road.

As his body was battered and smashed, a vision arose before Gray's eyes. He saw Claire, looking about fifteen years older. She was in a hospital, speaking to an elderly man. Tears ran down his face, and he wrung her hand in thanks. The next moment, the vision shifted and Gray saw Claire in a large house. A child was at her hip, and a handsome husband by her side. Her parents sat ogling lovingly at a tiny newborn, joyful smiles plastered to their faces. However, all Gray could see was Claire. She looked so happy, happier than he'd ever seen her before.

He fulfilled his side of the bargain, Gray thought, his head ramming into the steering wheel. Knowing that makes me glad. My sacrifice is not without reward. I was right: losing me was better than losing you.

With that, his eyes closed, never to open again.

Well, that's all, folks. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my first tragic story, Better Than Losing You. I hope you enjoyed it!!