For Love and Eternity

Chapter 15: All The Time In The World

A thumping sound. Hannah wakes up. She looks at the clock beside her.

11:23pm.

Hannah looks at the calendar hanging on her door to see the date: December 24, 1982. Hannah lies back down on her bed, but as she does, she hears footsteps outside her door, causing Hannah to sit up. Hannah grabs her flashlight, puts on a bathrobe and walks out. Hannah sees a shadow go down the stairs and Hannah follows it.

As Hannah walks, she hears the footsteps stop. Suddenly, the sound of paper. Hannah slowly walks to the living room where a big Christmas tree is waiting with many presents below. Hannah sees as a shadow is going through the presents. She slowly approaches the figure and puts her hand on the figure, causing the little boy to jump in surprise.

Harlan: HOLY-

Eight year old Harlan Brandle turns to face her sister Hannah.

Harlan: -cow.

Hannah: Harlan!

Harlan: Hannah.

Hannah: It's eleven in the evening! What are you doing?

Hannah looks to see Harlan hiding something behind his back.

Hannah: What is that?

Hannah reaches for it but Harlan doesn't give it to her. The two playfully fight over it till Hannah gets it to see a present that Harlan tries to open.

Hannah: You know... Santa saw you doing this right?

Harlan: Was worth a shot.

Hannah laughs as she looks at the tag written on the card.

To Harlan,

We have all the time in the world. Merry Christmas.

Your sister,

Hannah

Hannah smiles when suddenly, a glass shattering noise. Hannah looks at the direction where to sound came from, then at Harlan. Suddenly, two footsteps.

Harlan and Hannah hide and they see two people in black walk upstairs.

Harlan (whisper): Hannah, what's going on?

Hannah kneels down to Harlan.

Hannah: Get out the backdoor, I'll go check on your brother. Go!

Harlan runs out. He runs to the backdoor and goes out. He waits for a while. After a few minutes, two gunshots. Harlan contains his scream. Suddenly, Hannah comes out holding a baby.

Harlan: Is he alright?

Hannah: He's fine.

Hannah looks at the baby Jackson, then at Harlan. Harlan looks at his sister and notices something... sad.

Harlan: Where are Mom and Dad?

Hannah puts her hand on Harlan's shoulder.

Hannah: Listen to me Harlan, I'm going back for Mom and Dad okay? I need you to hold on to Jackson. Get somewhere safe, I'll come back for you... I promise.

Harlan: I'm scared.

Hannah: It's fine, Harlan. Promise me you will take care of your brother. Promise me, Harlan.

Harlan nods yes. Hannah smiles, then takes a tank of gas and pours it outside the door. She gets a match and lights it, and drops it on the gas, creating a fire wall blocking the door. Before Hannah goes in the house, she turns to Harlan, and looks at him one last time before running in. Harlan runs the opposite direction.

_.-

Hannah ducks as she enters the kitchen. She disconnects the tube connecting the gas to the stove and turns on the gas to maximum. She then hears footsteps coming. Hannah takes a knife and hides at a wall as the footsteps get closer. Once a person comes in, Hannah uses the knife to slice the hand. The first person drops their rifle and Hannah punches them. The second one comes and Hannah grabs the gun and slams it into their face, before Hannah grabs their head and slams it into a wall. The second agent takes off their mask to catch her breath when BANG!

Hannah slowly turns behind her to see the first agent, also with his mask off, with a gun in his hand, aimed at Hannah. Hannah looks down to see blood pouring out of her and she slowly falls to the ground. Hannah falls, blood spilling on the ground. She looks at the two agents as they walk to her. She reaches a cabinet, opens it, and stops there. The agents laugh. Hannah reaches for something in her pocket, a match. The agents realize what is about to happen as they see the open gas tank and the match that Hannah lit, before throwing it to the gas.

_.-

Harlan woke up on the minibar, shaken. He looks around and processes that he is still on the plane to Korea and that it was just a dream.

No, memory.

A memory he has tried so hard to suppress. A memory that he swore nobody would know or find out about. A memory that led him to be the man he is today.

Harlan reflected on the memory, the memory that happened one Christmas Eve twelve years ago. The one night that changed everything. Had those people not have broken in, his life would have been so different. Maybe he and Hannah got to grow up properly with Jackson. Maybe they would all be happily married with their own families, all happy. Maybe if things went differently, none of the pain and losses Harlan faced would have happened to him.

But those are maybes. They're still gone. All of them. Jasmine, Audrey, May, Clair.

Hannah.

All gone. All of them. And deep down, Harlan knew why. Not because of those people who killed Hannah, not because of Chase, and not because of anything or anyone else, but because of him.

Harlan Brandle.