chronometer

realizing

A/N: LOL SURPRISE AGAIN. I wrote this at 3am because yolo as they say. Okay but forreal this time, it'll be about a week or so. Thx for comments and love and support!!!

There was no doubt in my mind that Charles was most certainly dead. He had given me almost all of the time that he had and gone to kill himself. I took a look at the window one last time, re-reading the message over and over. My eyes slipped shut and I took a deep breath. I quickly relayed the people in my mind that I'd give time to. Mom, Esther and Avi. Those three were all that mattered. Nobody else was close enough with me or deserved it enough. They were my primary focus. After that, I would leave for Houston. Wasting his time would be the last thing I'd do. With this amount of time, the rich would probably panic. For me, I can do anything and I am definitely going to even if it means leaving home temporarily.

I concealed my arm in my sleeve as I jogged home, making sure to keep a watchful eye on anyone who looked my way. If someone were to see me with this much, I would be dead before I could even blink a second time. Nobody seemed to pay attention to me by some grace of luck, and when I bursted in through the door mom was absolutely enraged.

"Scott Richard Hoying! You said you were coming home last night!" She was screaming, tears streaming down her face as she hugged me tighter than she ever has. Her body shuddered with sobs and I felt positively terrible, like the worst son that had ever been born into existence.

"Mom--"

"What the hell happened?! Where did you go?! I called the Kaplan's to see if you were or around and they had no idea! Avi didn't even go to the bar with you!"

"Mom, give me your arm--"

"No, give me an explanation!" She bellowed, I flinched.

"It's a long story. Please put your arm out."

Finally she complied, holding it out for me. Ten hours, twenty minutes. I uncovered mine and grasped her wrist firmly, and time poured from me to her. When her eyes laid on mine, her jaw fell wide open and she looked like she was going to tear up again.

"Where.. where did you get that?" Her voice was shaky. I left ten years on her arm without giving an answer just yet, leaving me with a century. When I let go of it, she brought it up to her face and brushed her finger across the numbers, transfixed.

"Someone almost got mugged, I saved him. He said he was tired of living so long. I woke up with his years." I spoke the words shakily, as if I still couldn't believe them myself and truthfully speaking I still could not. I'm not sure how I had come across someone like this, but it was an encouragement to bring change which was exactly what I was going to do. I stepped towards her and wrapped my arms around her shoulders, pulling her towards my chest.

"I'm going to be gone for a few days, and I'm going to make everything fair again. I'll be home soon."

I made sure she was comfortable and safe before leaving for the Kaplan's house. They were only a few blocks away so it was a relatively short walk for me.  I still had to pay a visit to Avi to give him his time and to make sure Esther was okay. When I knocked on the door it was Avi who answered, and he seemed just as distraught as my mother. I tried not to grin.

"What happened to you, man? Your mom called last night with no clue where you were." He gave me a look of confusion, and I caught my breath before flashing my arm to him. He had the same reaction she did, and I explained to him the circumstances. Unlike her, he asked a few more questions which helped me realize something. Those men were probably after me, especially if they found out the guy who they were originally hunting is now dead. I'd be the next target. It's a blessing I'm ditching the town to basically invade Houston. I look back up at Avi.