Chapter 13

2 years have passed since the New Year's announcement, the family tried its hardest to act normal, and there are some days it blows up in their faces, and other days it doesn't. Everyone tried part to uplift Grandpa's spirits though there will be times that it was hard to do. The kids, other than Mary, didn't know about the sickness and that was a mistake on the parent's part. One day Mary, now age 6, came home from practice and walked inside. Her parents weren't there, as well as her siblings and her grandmother. She looked around the house and put her stuff down wondering if she was the only one in the house. But then she heard someone puking upstairs. Mary quietly walked upstairs to a bathroom and saw her grandfather puking in the toilet. She couldn't see much but she did see some blood. Mary quickly walked downstairs and started to make some toast in the kitchen. It's not a meal but it'll be something to settle his stomach. Once the bread popped, she got them from the toaster, put them on a plate, and put the plate on the table. Once that was done, she got her homework out and started to work on it on the table waiting for her grandfather. As she was doing it, she heard the toilet flush and it gave her a sigh of relief. She continued her homework and soon enough she heard him going downstairs. He slowly walked to the kitchen and saw Mary working on her homework and a plate of toast. He looked at her strangely and sat down next to her and started to eat the toast. After a bit, he asked, "No butter?"

Mary said, "It's not good for the gag reflex."

That made Grandpa stop. He stopped eating the bread and looked at Mary. "So you know."

Mary nodded as she continued her homework. "I heard you guys during New Year's 2 years ago." She started to tear up. "Will you be ok?"

Her grandfather looked at her. "Growing old doesn't hurt. You know that right?" Mary nodded. "Some say it's painful, others say it's a burden. I see it as a gift. There are some people that want to live forever, but I want to ask you: Do you think they are happy living forever?" Mary shook her head remembering some of the horror films of people living forever, they just want to die and just can't.

"Like Thackery from Hocus Pocus?" she asked.

Grandpa nodded. "He did live forever, but he wasn't happy. All he wanted was to be with his little sisters and with him being an immortal cat, it wasn't easy for him, even with the false victory in the movie, it still didn't give him peace. I don't want to live forever and I know Omi doesn't want to live forever. We want to, but we know it's impossible." Mary sighs and looks down. "BUT," She looked up at him. He pulled out his phone and search for some pictures. "Take a look." She looked at his phone and saw pictures of mythical creatures. "Now I know you've seen Rise of the Guardians before and I also know you believe in them." Mary started to swipe the pictures to see them. "I do as well." She looked at him.

Mary asked, "You do?"

Grandpa nodded. "When I was your age, sometimes I would see them, and sometimes I would follow them." She looked at him surprised and he nodded. "I would meet Sam, Santa, Cupid, and St. Patrick nearly all the time." He poked his forehead. "My third eye is very strong. Got that from my grandfather." Mary felt his forehead but no eye. "He was into cryptozoology. The study of magical animals."

Mary asked, "Like Newt?"

Grandpa said, "Well not really. Instead of recusing them, he would just look for them, and sometimes I would go with him to find them nearly all over Europe and when I came here. I would continue the search. I've met Cadborosaurus, Loveland Frog, Champ, the Thunderbird, and I even meet Mothman, which by the way wasn't at fault for the collapse of the bridge. But what catches my eye the most are the ones that protect children." He continues to swipe the phone. "Cupid, the Easter bunny, Tooth-fairy, Sandman, Santa Claus, and such." He turned his phone off and put it away. "Anyway, just like the movie, there are some mortals that are chosen to be immortal got good deeds that help the children and those they love."

Mary asked, "Like how Jack died protecting his sister?"

Grandpa nodded. "Exactly."

Mary asked, "Do you think I have a strong third eye and how would I know?"

Grandpa shrugged. "Maybe. Not everyone is into cryptozoology like your great-great-grandfather." He put his hand on his granddaughter's head. "But if I'm ever offered the chance to be like the holiday deities, I have to say I have to decline."

Mary asked, "Why grandpa?"

Grandpa answered, "Cause I'd rather be an angel in heaven so when the time comes I can reunite with everyone in my family. Being immortal can be really lonely without a family and you guys are my family. It's selfish I know but it's what I wanted."

Mary went and hugged him. "I just wish you didn't have to go through this alone. There has to be a way to get rid of this sickness."

Grandpa hugged her back. "I'm not going through this alone. I have Omi with me and-"

"BUT I WANT TO HELP YOU TOO!" Mary screamed. "AREN'T I YOUR FAMILY TOO?!" She started to cry like crazy in her grandfather's arms. She doesn't want to lose him. She doesn't want to be alone. All she has left is Abby and Aunt Dorothy. Already her parents don't give too crap about her, Beth isn't the same Beth since she entered her new school, and she is even losing Max in his own way. There was Aunt Dorothy by since her mom hates her, she barely gets to see her at all. The last time she did was Nutcracker 2 years ago and video calls don't count. "Maybe you can ask Father Time to give you more! You said you know them!" Mary looked at him.

Grandpa rubbed her back. "Then I'll be on borrowed time and God will only give Father Time a limited amount of sand for the soul." He said. "And even if he can, he'll be stealing sand from someone else and that wouldn't be fair to that person." Mary rested her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat. "We just have to keep going until the end one step at a time." He rested his head on her. "But please promise me this."

Mary pulled back a bit and looked at her grandfather. "What is it, grandpa?"

He replied, "Promise me that you'll never lose your pure spirit, stay young at heart, and protect those that need it, and let the powers that be punish those that deserve it, even if God has to barrow your hands. Never be cruel, always be kind, and that love is always wise over hate even if you grow up to be 100 years old. Please promise me."

Mary nodded. "I promise Grandpa." She hugged him again. Grandpa had another coughing fit and quickly ran to the downstairs bathroom. He immediately went to the toilet and started throwing up again. Mary went to the bathroom, got a towel, turned on the water cold, and quickly wet it. Once she got rid of the excess water, she put it on the back of her grandfather's neck. "Here. It'll help you from getting dizzy I think. Seen adult ballerinas doing this."

Grandpa patted her hand as she held the towel there. "Thanks."

That night, while everyone was asleep, grandpa walked downstairs to get some tea since his throat was still sore from his puking all day. As he sat down, the light flickered for a bit, but when the lights came back on, there was a man sitting with him with his own cup of tea. He looked like a fusion of Gandalf and Dumbledore with a few hourglasses tied to his belt, an old fashion watch on his wrist, and a golden scythe next to him. It was different from the Grim Reapers' blacken scythe but he only appears to those that died and in various forms depending on the mortal's religion as well as their actions for either punishment or reward. The 2 looked at each other as Father Time pulled out an hourglass and placed it in front of Grandpa. He looked at the hourglass and gently put his finger on it. His eyes glowed bright blue as he had a vision that he and he alone knows. When it was done, he removed his finger from the hourglass. He looked at Father Time and Father Time said, "If I can I could but I can't."

Grandpa asked, "We can't change anything?"

He replied, "Destiny has been written by the powers that be own hands. There is nothing I can do."

"Will there be suffering?" grandpa asked.