Final Adventure

Ticking Clocks

Time is a nasty little thing. Each second that passes is a step closer to ones end. Some of us don't know when our ends are coming, but some of us - like me - have been handed our life sentence. There was approximately 3 weeks and 5 days left of mine, give or take, and I refused to spend a minute longer locked up in this dreary office.

Rain smashed against the 10th floor windows, awaking me from my day dream. The buzz from the overworked computers rang through me, irking my insides into a fussed state. The longer I spent in this cardboard smelling room, the closer I came to picking every fibre of my hair out.

I scanned the room, in search of a partner to drag along with me. Someone that looked bored, but oozed energy. To my left was Amanda, a dainty little thing and a person I knew would scream if I even said hello. A little to the right of her was Matthias, his green eyes glistened in the light - and whilst I'd love to get under him - he wasn't the right companion for my last adventure. Peering through the office full of tapping robots I spotted her, her pink hair told me she was out-going. She was blowing the air out of her cheeks, giggling to herself like a small child. It was her, she was the one I would take on my final Adventure.

So I sprinted towards her, with a devilish smile. "You, let's get out of here!" I smirked. Confusedly she double took me, throwing her hands up in a quizzical gesture. The look on her face gave away her excitement, but something inside of her was holding her back. "Come on, let's go!" I giggled in a hushed voice. Once again, the quizzical look returned to her face.

"M-me?" Asked the pink-haired girl as she pointed towards herself. I eagerly nodded as I reached for her hand. Without a second thought she grabbed my outstretched hand and we ran. As we ran we giggled, like naughty children in a school corridor tripping over our feet in excitement.

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"You're staring at me funny?" I questioned. My pink-haired companion had a concerned look upon her delicate face. I knew she was regretting this, who wouldn't she took hold of a strange man's hand and agreed to follow him to god knows where. "You're afraid, aren't you?" It was a guess, but I think it was a good guess.

"Tell me about yourself." The girl demanded with an intrigued look in her eyes. "I'd like to know your name, age, the reason you wanted this adventure, and one interesting fact about yourself!" My, my, the muse was assertive but it was understandable - for all she knew I could be a serial killer.

But, how much did I tell her. Of course I'd have to say my name. However, I was unsure as to whether she'd act like a kitten had been ran over in front of her if I told her my true reasoning behind this adventure. "I'm Colby and I'm 23 years old." I exuded confidence whilst telling her these easy facts about myself. "Uh, the reason for this - um - adventure, is that I - uh - I'm dying..." Spluttering out the truth was easier than lying for a few days.

I wish I had not told the truth, because the look on her face was horrific, as though her siblings had just snapped her favourite Barbie doll's head off. Or as if she has just watched the person she loves kiss someone else. It was a look I'd known all too well, a look I was far too familiar with, and a look I would never not hate. "Please don't, it's fine!" I uttered. Puppy dog eyes always worked in this situation, so I switched on my best and pouted my full lips towards her.

No use, she was far too emotional. Wrong choice of companion, definitely the wrong choice, I should have chose Matthias at least in this moment I could rip his clothes off and occupy his mind. But women were a whole other species to me and I had no clue where to start. "Pinky, it's truly fine. This is my last adventure!" Excitedly I told her.

"Pinky?" Uh oh, there it was again the quizzical look matching her concerned tone as she questioned me. I stopped dead in my tracks and stared at her with a straight face. I wanted to get under her skin, I wanted her to be excited, I wanted her adrenaline to surge. But there was nothing. She to stopped dead and stared back at me with empty eyes.

"Pinky, because you have pink hair. Now get in, this is my car." I pointed at the baby blue Lincoln Mark V Convertible, praying that she wouldn't ask another question. I wanted to hit the road, I needed to feel the wind in my shoulder length hair, and I longed to smell the fumes from my exhaust.

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Driving down the country lanes had never felt so inspiring, free was a feeling I hadn't felt in many years but right now I was free. I focused on her, when I knew I should be looking at the road, but her eyes were lit up and a crocked smile took over her face. She was breathtaking, a beauty that should be watched and a beauty that should be loved. I could tell that she to deserved and needed this adventure just as much as I.

"Leena, my name is Leena." She beamed as her eyes followed the rows and rows of bushes, not once did her stare break. She lifted her arms in the air as she took in a deep breath and screamed "I'm alive!" But soon after, she slid back into her seat and sat with a shameful look upon her face. A looked that had no reason or need to be present, but nonetheless it was a look she refused to budge.

I wondered at her expression a little longer before asking "What's wrong Pinky?" Something had shook her, something had shook her so hard that she no longer felt the relief she had just moments ago. This wasn't how I imaged my final adventure, this pink-haired girl was testing me. I didn't need testing, I needed joining. I needed someone to join me on this road trip to wherever.

Tears in her grey eyes, she turned to me. With a quivering upper lip she whispered "I'm sorry, Colby. I am so fucking sorry..."