Life clocks

Chapter 13

Mark was growing up so fast. I talked to him about lots of important things. I would tell him stories about my past and other made up ones. Jack finally twigged who I was when I attacked Mason. He was happy I had come back, angry I had never said anything to him and worried about how long had left. My life was numbered and it was drawing ever closer to the end. On Marks seventh birthday, when I brought out his cake, it finally hit me. This is my last year with him. I better make it memorable. I bought him a camera, so he could take a picture of every moment we had together. I took the first picture. It was me, Jack, Mark, Poppy and Olivia. From then on, we took pictures everyday, reminding us of how precious time is. He took his camera everywhere. I even developed them for him and stuck them in an album called 'my last year with daddy.' My own father was gravely ill, on the brink of death. We would visit him. One day, we went there and we watched as his last moments ticked away. Mark brought his camera with him so he could have one last photo with his grandad. I waited outside the hospital room until his final hour. "There's someone who wants to see you." I heard Olivia say and with that, I strode into the room. He looked at me with confusion at first but, as I approached his face lit up. "Jason. My boy, you're here." He said as he reached for my face. "Of course I'm here. I'll... I'll be joining you and mum soon. Just wait for me, okay?" I said as tears rained down my face. "Mark, can I borrow your camera please? I wanna take one last picture with my daddy." I asked. He handed me the camera and I took the photo. Poppy was in it too. I ushered everyone else out of the room and made arrangements with dad. I waited until every second counted out. I saw dad leave his body and I held his hand. He saw me for how I looked before returning to the earth, my eyes the same shade, my hair was once again copper brown and my skin tone the same as my mothers. I waited for Death with him. She appeared and told him her name. Life came in afterwards and showed him to the white room. "See you later, dad. Say hi to mum for me." I called to him. He nodded.

A month after his death, we held a funeral. I was in my best suit, Poppy in a lacy black dress. Mark was in a smaller version of my suit and Olivia had on her prom dress. It was black, with a white underskirt. She looked beautiful. Dad was in his wedding tuxedo. Jack was in his uniform, he was still on duty, but he had requested the morning off. They had given me the day off as well. I had written a speech for him. "Loved ones, we are here today because we have lost a great friend, a loving father and devoted grandfather. You will be missed and I'm not just saying that. I am sure though, we will find a time in our day to remember you and be sad. Even if it's just five minutes. We'll find time. Or make time. I love you daddy. I hope you've found mum and I hope you're happy. From underneath the trees, we watch the sky. Confusing stars, for satellites. I never dreamed that you'd be mine, but here we are, we're here tonight. Singing a-men I, I am alive. Singing a-amen I, I am alive. If everyone cared and nobody cried, if everyone loved and nobody lied. If everyone cared and swallowed their pride, then we'd see the day, where nobody died and I'm singing, a-amen I, amen I, I am alive. Amen I, amen I, amen I, I am alive. And in the end, the fireflies, are our only light in paradise. We'll show the world, they were wrong and teach them all, to sing along. Singing a-men I, I am alive. Singing a-amen I, I am alive. If everyone cared and nobody cried, if everyone loved and nobody lied. If everyone shared and swallowed their pride, then we'd see the day, where nobody died. Where nobody died." I paused to wipe the tears from my face. "And as we lie, beneath the stars. We realise, how small we are. If they could love, like you and me, imagine what the world could be. If everyone cared and nobody cried, if everyone loved and nobody lied. If everyone shared a and swallowed their pride, then we'd see the day where nobody died. Where nobody died. Where nobody died." When I finished, everyone was crying. Poppy took over from me and sang 'oh Danny boy.' If there was anybody who wasn't crying after my song, they were after hers. Even I cried. I got my aunt to take a picture of all of us for Marks book. It looked pretty good. The book was filling up fast. 250 photos and counting. With each one, I could feel my time slipping. But, I wasn't scared. Not this time. I was ready.

My last month with my son was wonderful. We took lots of pictures. I put in the last thirty pictures from the previous month into his book. We spent as much time together as we could. It was great. I wrapped up a few cases, with Marks help. I would always take him out for ice cream afterwards. On his birthday, we went out for lunch. We took our last picture together with his camera. I shook out the photo and gave it to him. I also pulled out his present. "Open it." I said. He didn't need telling twice. He tore through the wrapping paper and saw the book. He opened the book. He flicked all the way through to the last page. I pulled out a mini roll of tape and pulled off a strip. I folded the strip in on itself and secured it to the photograph we had just taken. We stuck it in the book and closed it. I paid for our meal and we left to go outside. We were crossing the street when a reckless driver was thundering down the road. I only just managed to push Mark out of the way. I was hit. Everything went dark for a moment. I woke up to see the driver by my side. I looked towards Mark. I gave a small smile as tears poured down his cheeks. I tapped my badge and then my pocket. He pulled out his phone and called Jack. I could feel my life ending, again. I said my goodbyes before. Life and Death were there, waiting for me. Death came to me and touched my face. My heart stopped and she took me by the hand and lead me back to the white room. I took mum and dads hands and we left. I got to watch my funeral. It looked pretty cool actually. Everyone dressed up, even Jack. He was the grim reaper instead of dad. Poppy sang, Olivia cried and Mark took one last picture. He would often flick through the album and would stop on the day dad died. He would look so confused as he saw his grandpa there and tried to work out who the woman with fiery red hair and hazel eyes was and why I had the same eyes but copper brown hair. He will know, when his life clock stops ticking.