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- Expiration Date: Part One
Expiration Date: Part One
When Time Runs Out... And Starts Again
The morning sun spilled through the cracks of the blinds, casting striped shadows across the room. Lena woke to the rhythmic beeping of her countdown timer, a familiar sound that had marked every moment of her life. She stretched her wrist toward the sunlight, watching the digits: 00:03:27:12.
Three hours, twenty-seven minutes, and twelve seconds. That was all the time she had left. It wasn’t unusual. Everyone in this world was born with a timer that counted down to their final breath. She sighed and sat up, her mind racing as usual.
Lena tied her hair back as she glanced at her wrist again. Each second vanished like sand in an hourglass. Her school uniform hung neatly on the closet door, but she didn’t feel like wearing it today. Instead, she threw on a casual hoodie and jeans.
What was the point of attending classes when she had mere hours left? She knew people would stare at her wrist. The timers were visible, and hers had become a glaring reminder of the inevitable. Grabbing her backpack, she stepped outside into the chilly morning air.
At the park, the world felt alive. Children laughed as they chased each other across the grass. A street vendor whistled a cheerful tune as he flipped pancakes on a hot griddle. Lena sat on a bench, observing the life around her.
How ironic it seemed to her that the world remained vibrant while her time dwindled. She rubbed her wrist absentmindedly, the timer’s pulse a quiet but constant reminder of her approaching end. Her breath caught as a bird swooped low, its shadow grazing her feet.
Everything changed when the car screeched around the corner. Lena barely noticed it at first, engrossed in the sight of a boy blowing bubbles that shimmered like rainbows in the sun.
The crash happened in an instant-a blur of motion and sound as the vehicle struck her, sending her body flying. Pain bloomed like fire in her chest before darkness swept over her. She thought that was it. Her time had run out.
When Lena opened her eyes, the world looked the same yet oddly brighter, sharper. She was in a hospital bed, the faint hum of machines surrounding her.
Confused, she turned her wrist to check the timer. Her heart froze. The numbers weren’t ticking down anymore-they were counting upward: 00:00:05:32, then 00:00:05:33. For the first time in her life, Lena wasn’t running out of time. She was gaining it.
