The Story

"So they can't cure it?" Ian asked. In his eyes, I saw hope and despair like he was asking but praying that I say yes though he deep down knew it was a 'no.' He just couldn't accept it.

"I wish they had but.....it is incurable," I replied with all the strength I had. I knew what was coming next. I knew the consequences but I chose them for myself.

Ian broke in my arms. His hands were shaking as if trying to catch life for Hannah. For a moment I didn't feel his heart, and when I did it was racing. He was gasping. I knew I had broken closed the last door of hope he had. But I still had to reveal another truth to him. It was horrible but he deserved to know. Maybe knowing about it would make him feel better, I thought as then he would have someone to blame upon. He wouldn't be in despair why he.....why our daughter......why our family? He wouldn't live in dilemma knowing it could happen any second but would live counting days to the fullest till it happens.

"Ian, Hannah will live till she's twelve," I murmured. His eyes sparkled again. I knew this spark wasn't a star but lightning that would destroy everything.

"Whorf is right. I have the 'tool' that they gave us." I explained. "After learning their language I can see memories of the future."

"What do you mean?" Ian asked.

"Time is non-linear to 'them' and learning their language gave me the same ability. I know what will happen to us, what will happen to Hannah." I told him, holding his hands. He withdrew his hand and said, "You knew?" I knew it would happen but experiencing it was way more painful than I expected just like death. I nodded.

"You knew? And you still had Hannah....why? So that she can go through all this? Why? Why Louise?" He screamed at me. 

"Because I see memories of the future but I don't have the ability to change the future," I explained. He gave me an intense look like he was thinking something with his hands massaging his temples.

"You did change the future. You did it when you called Shang." He murmured.

"No. No. I only did what I saw. I saw him thanking me for calling him and saying what I said." I told him.

"You could have told me this. Why? Your lie is why Hannah is going through all this. We wouldn't have a child I knew about it." he said.

"I cannot change the future. Why don't you understand? I can see it so that we can prepare for it. It is like a warning." I explained to him.

He left the house. Later we got a divorce. Hannah too deserved to know the truth. "I hate you mom!" is what she told me.

That conversation was the beginning of the end of my universe. After that one by one, everything crumbled, and one day, me too.