He Took My Life Years, but Won’t Live to Keep Them

My husband could see everyones death countdown.
The day he found out, he immediately told me that I only had two years left to live.
To ensure I left this world with no regrets, he quit his high six-figure job to take me on a trip around the world.
I didnt believe him at first. Not until my father became the first person to die exactly as hed predicted.
When I died the following year in a bungee jumping accident, I finally understood. He hadnt been lying.
When I opened my eyes again, I was reborn. And this time, it seemed I had the same ability to see the countdowns.
But as I stared at the number floating above my own head, indicating eighty years of life remaining, I fell into a deep, cold confusion.
If I was supposed to live for eighty years why did I die in the second?

1
Honey, please just let me spend these last two years with you, okay?
Youve always wanted to travel the world, havent you? We could leave tomorrow.
My husband, Adrian, gazed at me, his face a mask of profound love, his eyes hiding a deep, unspeakable sorrow.
I opened my mouth to answer, but my gaze was snagged by a string of red numbers floating above his head.
Time Remaining: 2 years.
I froze, a knot of confusion tightening in my gut. How could that be? In my past life, he had lived to be a hundred before dying of old age.
His soft murmurs faded into a dull buzz in my ears. I shot up from the sofa and bolted to the bathroom.
In the mirror, I saw my own countdown: a staggering eighty years.
But in my previous life, I only lived for two.
What was going on?
And why did Adrian tell me I only had two years left?
Seeing my strange behavior, Adrian followed me into the bathroom, his voice a soothing balm. Sienna, is it that you dont believe me?
But Dads death it proved I was right, didnt it?
I know its hard to accept, but this day was always coming.
I took a deep breath, pushing down the swirling vortex of questions in my mind, and forced a shaky smile. No, I believe you.
I paused, then asked again, my voice trembling with feigned uncertainty. Is it true? I really only have two years?
A flicker of somethingguilt? triumph?darted across his eyes before it was gone, replaced by a look of solemn conviction. Of course, Sienna. I would never lie to you.
I masked the cold dread in my own eyes and asked casually, What about you? How long do you have?
He didnt even hesitate. Three years.
The answer hit me like a physical blow. He was lying.
As if sensing my doubt, he added with a pained smile, Heaven must not want you to be lonely down there. Its arranged for me to settle your affairs and then come join you.
They were the exact same words hed used in my past life.
The difference was, this time, I knew they were a lie. Back then, I had believed him without question. But now, it was clear that the man I slept next to every night was not the sincere, loving husband he appeared to be.
And there was one question that I had to answer, a question that screamed in my mind.
Why, if I had eighty years, did I die in two?
And why, if he only had two, did he live for so many decades?
The endless questions made my head spin.
After I managed a weak Okay, Adrian immediately got on the phone to finalize his resignation. The moment he hung up, he began planning our trip.
In no time, he had our first destination.
Sienna, how about we go surfing first? Youve always wanted to go to Tahiti, right?
I frowned. I hadnt thought about it in my past life, but it was strange. Adrian had always been so frugal, so meticulous with our finances. A trip to Tahiti would cost a fortune.
Noticing my silence, he elaborated, You used to talk about it all the time. Its expensive, but it doesnt matter. I just want you to be happy in the time you have left.
The words felt like ash in my mouth. They reeked of hypocrisy.
Our combined income was well into the high six-figures. Aside from helping our parents, we had very few expenses. Over the years, wed saved a small fortune, thanks in large part to his penny-pinching. Id mentioned Tahiti countless times, and every single time, hed shut it down.
Now that I was dying, he was suddenly generous. I couldnt tell if it was guilt or a sudden pang of conscience.
The next day, he booked the tickets, and we were off.
The moment we landed, he was practically dragging me to the beach. His behavior was bizarrely urgent.
I pulled my hand from his grip, my annoyance showing. Whats the rush? We just got here. Cant we rest for a minute?
He wasnt this desperate in my past life. It was strange. Deeply, unsettlingly strange.
He blinked, then put on a wounded expression. Sienna, its not that Im rushing. Its just this tide is a once-in-a-century event. The waves are perfect. You love a thrill, dont you?
He glanced at me, then quickly added, But if you dont want to go now, thats fine. We can go another day.
I hesitated for a moment, then agreed. I needed to see what game he was playing.
We dumped our luggage at the hotel and headed straight for the surf break. The waves were massive, powerful enough to swallow a person whole. It was already dusk, and the beach was mostly empty. The water was bone-chillingly cold.
Without another word, Adrian grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the water, his eagerness palpable. His behavior was beyond strange, but I went along with it, determined to find out why.
Yet, as we surfed, nothing unusual happened.
I started to wonder if I had misjudged him. Was this all in my head?
As I was lost in thought, Adrian paddled over. No small talk. He got right to the point.
Sienna, weve had our fun with the surfing. How about we leave tomorrow?
You mentioned wanting to go bungee jumping, didnt you? We could head out in the morning. I can book the flights to Switzerland right now.
I said nothing. Adrian was rushing, moving so fast I couldnt get a read on his motives. This was completely different from my last life.
I took a breath and met his gaze, my voice casual. But we just got here. Are we really leaving after only one night?
He seemed to finally realize how frantic he was acting. After a brief pause, he quickly changed his tune, sidestepping my question entirely.
Youre right. We should stay a couple more days. Were already here, after all. Ill go down and extend our reservation.
With that, he practically fled the room.
I was exhausted from the long day and had no energy left for guessing games. I collapsed onto the bed.
I woke up the next day around noon. He was gone. As I got up to splash some water on my face, I glanced in the mirror and my blood ran cold.
The number above my head had changed.
An entire year was gone.
My mind flashed back to the day before, to his desperate rush to get me into the water.
A monstrous, unbelievable thought began to form in my mind. He was swapping our lives.
To test my theory, I frantically grabbed my phone and called him. It rang and rang. On the fifth call, he finally picked up, his breathing slow and even. But before I could say a word, he hung up.
A second later, the hotel room door opened.
It was Adrian. My eyes immediately locked on the numbers above his head.
They had changed to three.
It was exactly as Id suspected.
So, Adrian Monroe, thats why you were so generous. Thats why you brought me to Tahiti. It was all a goddamn trap.
He stood in the doorway, holding up his phone, his face a mask of concern. He was panting, as if hed run all the way back. A strange, acrid smell clung to him, like ash and dust.
Sienna, why did you call so many times? Is something wrong?
I was just downstairs. I thought something had happened to you, so I ran back.
I realized my panic had almost given me away. I couldnt let him know I was onto him. I forced down my fury and put on a fake smile. Its nothing. I just wanted to ask where were going next.
He eyed me with suspicion. Really? You called me five times just to ask that?
His questioning grated on my nerves. My voice was sharp when I replied. What else would it be?
That seemed to satisfy him. He let out a relieved laugh and came over, ruffling my hair. Okay, okay, I was just asking. The next stop I planned was bungee jumping in Switzerland. Since youre so eager to know, how about we leave tomorrow?
I scoffed internally. He was the one who was eager. This had nothing to do with me. He wanted to go so badly because he wanted my life.
Fine, I said, my voice flat. Book the tickets.
I agreed easily. But I wasnt going to be his sacrifice again.
I wasnt going bungee jumping. And I sure as hell wasnt going to Switzerland.
The next morning at the airport, I used the excuse of having left my ID at the hotel to turn back. Adrian immediately grabbed my arm, insisting on coming with me.
But I wasnt about to let him. I wrenched my arm free and took a step back.
Dont come with me. You get on this flight. Ill just buy a ticket for the next one.
The change fees for two people would be ridiculous. Ill be right back. The next flight isnt that much later.
To make my act convincing, I even pulled out my phone and scrolled through the flight schedules. Adrian, not wanting to let his golden goose out of his sight, hesitated.
I didn't give him a chance to argue. Weve already spent a fortune on this trip. We need to save where we can. Ill be on a flight by tomorrow at the latest.
Before he could protest further, I grabbed my suitcase and walked away.
I had never lied to him before, so he believed me. He didnt follow.
He sent me a text: Ill be waiting for you in Switzerland.
I didnt reply.
That same day, he flew to Switzerland. I flew back home.
The next day, I casually texted him that I wasnt really in the mood for Switzerland anymore and had gone home.
As expected, my phone was immediately flooded with his furious calls. I gave him a few dismissive answers, then put my phone on silent and went to sleep.
But when I woke up the next morning, another year of my life was gone.
What was happening? I didn't go with him. How was my lifespan still decreasing?
At that moment, a text from Adrian came through.
I expect an explanation.
My head was spinning. I couldnt figure out why I was still losing time. A little while later, the front door slammed open. Adrian stood there, radiating a cold fury. The same burnt, ashy smell clung to his clothes, just like in Tahiti.
As I stared at him, he stared at me. The number above his head had indeed increased by a year.
But how? The more I thought about it, the more confusing it became. What was I missing?
Sienna. Your explanation? We were supposed to go to Switzerland together. He cut through my thoughts, his eyes sharp and probing.
Oh, that, I said, sticking to my original excuse. I just didnt feel like it. Theres no big reason.
I looked him straight in the eye. But you seem awfully desperate for me to go. Is there something special about it? What happens if I dont go?
He was silent for a moment, realizing hed been too aggressive. His expression softened, returning to its usual gentle warmth. Youre right. Nothing happens if you dont go. I was just being impatient.
His words were a double-edged sword, and I understood his meaning instantly. Nothing happens if I dont go which meant my lifespan would decrease even if I just stayed home.
Was there really no way to stop it?

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