Two (Countdown Book 5)

Chapter 18

"Kenzie?" I asked, looking down at the beautiful girl craddled in my arms. 

"Hm?" she asked, half asleep. I felt bad waking her up, because we got so little sleep, but I had to ask. 

"You know... you know I could get us away from here, right?" I asked. 

She still didn't open her eyes. "No you can't, Eli." she said simply. 

"I mean it." I said. "We could go back fifty years or so. Get a little apartment. Live like real people. I could be a scientist."

Mackenzie sighed, and her weary green eyes flashed open to meet mine. "Eli, you know that can't happen." 

"Of course it can," I whispered. "I could do it. Just say yes. Please. This doesn't have to be our life." 

"Yes, it does, Eli." Mackenzie said, running a hand through my messy black hair. "It's our destiny." 

"I don't believe in destiny." I said moodily. 

"Then believe that you are saving people, Eli." she said. "We are saving people. If you leave now, more people will die, and you know it. It's your responsibility to help people, and you damn well will. You're the only person that can save us." 

"Don't say that," I whispered hoarsely. "Please, just don't say that."

"I'm sorry, but... it's true. It's your job. It's your destiny, whether or not you believe in it." she said, then she closed her eyes again. "Can we talk about something else please, Eli?" 

"Yeah, sure." I said, but nothing else. I settled back into my pillows, ignoring the numbness in my arm where Mackenzie was laying. 

Around three hours later, we both got up. Mackenzie seemed to be in a mood with me, and I felt bad about upsetting her. I didn't let that dampen my spirits, though. We were going to have fun today, and I was looking forward to it. 

After spending four hours of clearing back-log, me and Mackenzie got dressed and got in the car. We rarely ever got to see our families anymore, so dinner tonight was especially important. We were all going out together, me, Mackenzie, her dad and my parents. 

We pulled up outside a snazzy restaurant. Well, it was snazzy in this particular time. Four months ago, it would've been called one-star, or maybe two if it was particularly lucky. The adults were already waiting for us, and we sat down nervously next to each other at one end of the table. 

My mum watched us in concern, and I could tell that she knew that we weren't getting along at that moment. Mackenzie's dad, Jay, kept glaring daggers at me from down the table. For whatever reason, he really didn't like me. My dad cleared his throat, trying to rid the air of the obvious silence.

We managed to get a weak conversation going around the table, and had even ordered before we got called in to work. I sighed, getting up and fighting the urge to tip the table and smash the plates. My mum and dad both hugged me and told me to stay safe. Jay shook my hand, and, when no one was listening, leaned in close and whispered to me. 

"Look after her. Please." he said urgently. I glanced over at Mackenzie, who was saying goodbye to my parents, and nodded to him.

"I will." I said, weary of the promise. Thousands of people were dying every day, and protecting one person would be pretty much impossible. But, as I had learned recently, it was better to tell people a pack of lies than the truth. The lies hurt less. 

The next days were spent just as the last. I spent all my time in the school, sending people back to their own times. Mackenzie had been paired with the immortal Riley Davidson, and they made the best team out of everyone we had left.