The day the letter came was one of the worst in my life. Everyone at school was so excited. The government had decided everyone should know their fate and how long they had when they were 12. Telling children when they die? Yeah, another smart move by the government officials!

“Come on Darby!” My friend, Charlie, whined. “Just open it! We have to do it together!”

I sighed. This one letter could change my life so do I really want to read it? I squeezed my eyes shut and gave it to Charlie.

“Just open it for me.” I asked. “Please?”

Charlie laughed. “I can’t! You know the rules!”

I groaned. Charlie was always a rule follower while I usually broke them. Two opposites always made the best team.

“Fine.” I mumbled. “But only because you are my best friend.”

Charlie smiled so wide I thought his face might break. “Yay! On the count of three. One…two…three!”

We both ripped open the red envelope. We took out the letter and read it. Charlie cheered.

“I got 95!” Charlie exclaimed, hugging his letter. “I will grow old with my loved one! What about you, Darby?”

I stared blankly at the number that was written onto my note. Was I supposed to be happy? I mean, I did get a lot of years! But this? No, I wasn’t supposed to be excited.

“I got infinite.” I managed to spit out. “I have infinite years.”

Charlie’s eyes widened. “You’re so lucky!”

83 years later…

“Another funeral?” I groaned. “Please don’t be Charlie’s. I beg the good lord, please don’t be Charlie’s.”

Tears welled up in my eyes as my fingers traced over the name.

In loving memory of Charlie Baroon. (2009-2104)

“He can’t be gone.” I cried. “He can’t. I loved him.”

My phone then rang. Over and over. Eventually, I gave in. I picked up my cell phone and answered it.

“Hello?” I asked, not ready for a conversation yet.

“Is this Darby Jones?” A sweet British voice asked. 

“Yes.” I answered curiously. “Why?”

“Splendid!” She exclaimed. “I’m Grace Evans, an interviewer for a television show. I want you, the only human with infinite years, to be on my show.”

Many people would have accepted it. Forgotten completely about what just happened and went on to be famous. But I couldn’t do that. 

“I’m sorry.” I replied. “I can’t do this right now.”

I quickly hung up the phone before she could reply and sat down on my chair. Then, the tears came rushing down. I couldn’t accept that Charlie was gone. I probably never would.

96 years later…

Climate change and pollution were getting worse. More people were dying than they did during the pandemic of 2019. Doctors recently discovered how to age you back to a different form. At first, I didn’t do it. That’s because I wasn’t forced to. But when the mandate came out, I started to look like I was 18 again. The same age we were when Charlie and I graduated from high school. The happiest moment of my life.

“Is it hard?” Children asked when I tell them my fate is infinite years. 

Ever since I started working at a preschool, I have been seriously rethinking my life. Whether it was about how I lived my years or why I picked grape juice and not apple. 

“Yes and no.” I answered. “Sometimes, it is. But when you don’t think about it, no. It’s just like being normal.”

“Oh.” They would answer, going back to play. “Ok!”

Then I would go home that night and think about it for hours. Children can really make you reflect. Is that why I became a teacher? Possibly. 

100 years later…

It was the year 2300. Aliens just took over Earth. They only killed the violent humans and let the peaceful go on about their lives. If I’ve learned one thing, it’s that aliens are fair and are quite nice creatures. I teach a few here and there but not many like the cold temperatures of New York City. They prefer California. As the aliens took over, I became more of a freak.

“Did you hear that woman is actually 290 years old?” People said as I walked down the aisle in a grocery store.

“Yeah,” the other person usually replied. “She has infinite years! She’s so lucky.”

I sighed and kept walking but thoughts still went through my head. 

Wrong. I thought. I am the most unlucky person and gosh people! I’m at a grocery store just trying to get some bread! Let me be!

Then I bought my bread and went home. The other day, my new neighbors baked me a pie to show that they meant no harm and that they were excited to meet me. I never caught their names but they seemed real sweet. That day, I decided to try a slice of this pie. Flavor? Who knows. 

“Looks pretty good.” I said, unsuspecting of anything. 

I cut myself a slice and put it on a lavender plate that one of the parents of the kids that I taught gave me. It was a small gift but it had sentimental value to it that I didn’t expect to be there. After I gazed upon the plate and pie long enough, I took my fork and cut a bite. At first, it was sort of sweet. But then, it grew to a bitter taste. My throat grew tight and breathing became a struggle. I dropped my fork and jumped out of my chair. I looked at my pie and gasped. Green liquid was oozing out of the middle.

“I was poisoned.” I wheezed.

The room started to spin and slowly became darker. Evil laughter echoed in my head like a voice telling me that it was all my fault. Charlie was my fault. Mom and Dad were my fault. I wanted to let those negative thoughts consume me. So, I did. Big mistake. I then collapsed to the solid floor. Everything went black and then I took my final breath.

When I woke up, there was a bright light and familiar voices were around. 

“She’s here! She’s finally here!” A woman's voice said. “I thought she would never come!”

“We have to tell him! He will be so excited!” A man's voice called. “I’ll go get him!”

“Perfect!” The woman’s voice called. “I will try to wake Darby up!”

Then, I felt a clean smack on the face. I jolted up and slapped her back without looking.

“What the heck?” I yelled. “Why did you smack me?”

Before looking at the woman, I was distracted by the room we were in. It looked just like my childhood home, everything in its exact place. It was like they took my life's happiest place and perfectly recreated it. Then,I decided not to be rude and looked at the face-slapping women and gasped. It was my mom. She died back in 2078 so it couldn’t have been her. That didn’t stop me from asking, 

“Mom? Is that you?”

The woman smiled and nodded. “Yes, it is me.”

Tears welled up in my eyes. “Mom!”

I jumped out of the bed I was laying in and gave her a huge hug. 

“I missed you.” I managed to say with all the tears coming out. “I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too.” Mom replied. “I’m so happy you are finally here.”

Then, it hit me. “Where am I?”

Mom pulled away from the hug and looked at me worriedly. “You died. This is the afterlife.”

I slapped my face. “The pie! It was poisoned! I can’t believe I’m dead.”

Mom nodded. “It's hard to believe at first but you will realize that you can’t change it. This is how it is now. But it's better since you can’t ever lose anybody ever again. I’m just so happy you’re here now.”

I opened my mouth when a voice behind me spoke. “Darby?” It asked.

I turned around, only to be faced with Dad and my best friend.

“Charlie?” I asked. “It's really you?”

Charlie nodded and ran towards me. He gave me a huge hug. 

“I can’t believe it.” He cried. “I thought you couldn’t die.”

I pulled away from the hug and took a good look at him. He was 18 years old, the same as me. The afterlife must have you take form as the happiest version of yourself. 

“It's a long story.” I replied, nearly laughing. 

Charlie smiled sweetly. “We have all of eternity, Darby. I think I can handle a ‘long story.’” 

I laughed as tears rolled down my cheeks. “I'm just so happy to be with you guys again.”

Dad smiled. “Me too, Pumpkin. Me too. We have much to talk about but I do want to hear your life's story.” 

I laughed as all of us sat down on the fluffy cloud couch and I started to tell my entire life's story.