"The Vial" New short story.

             I have always been fascinated by the idea that everyone has TIME on earth but we don't know how much we have, and we cannot trade to get more (unless you count eating healthy and exercising as likely to increase your time on earth =) At any rate when my writing group decided to have "Exchange" as our theme this past week I immediately thought of TIME (not really sure why) and developed this story from that thought. I hope you enjoy it, Submit  your e-mail in the box to the left if you would like to be notified of each new post. Thanks for reading! 

P.S. Check out my writing group on FB to see the amazing stories submitted by the other members there. https://www.facebook.com/groups/877132999006009/

“The Vial”

By:Melissa Francisco

Susan moved across the floorless mist beneath her. Her long white robes pulled and swirled it as she quickly went on. Can’t be late today, she thought. She came around a long sheet of gold hanging from the starlit skies above her and saw a group of others like her, all standing in a long line. Despite the length of the line her spirits didn’t fall. She was far too excited to be concerned about anything right now. She looked down at her chest and smiled. A small vial was hanging there from a golden chain. At that angle she could not see the word written on the side but she didn’t need to.

“Immortality” she said softly. She closed her eyes and let her mind run. Today she would exchange this little vial for the one she didn’t understand. Everyone who came on exchange day never came back but that seemed to be okay. Everyone wanted their exchange day to come, even though they didn’t understand it at all.

“Susan,” She heard a soft voice say. She opened her eyes to see John.
“Hello John,” She said. John was her “brother” what ever that meant.

“Are you nervous?” he asked. She shook her head quickly.

“Are you?” he looked down.

“A little.” he said. Susan smiled. Her “brother” was quite different from her but she didn’t mind.

“Someone told me it was not common for a brother and sister to have their exchange day be the same.” he said.

“I think it’s a good sign,” Susan said with a smile. She knew her “brother” could get a little nervous over things that he didn’t understand.

“Really?” he asked, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. Susan nodded emphatically and reached out to him, touching his hand.

“I am sure of it.”

************************************

Some time later Susan and John both stood behind the golden curtain that separated the line of “spirits,” as they were called, from the one spirit who was meeting with the exchange master. The exchange master was an all knowing spirit. A second all knowing spirit stood off a little to their right, smiling kindly. Susan turned to her,

“Do we go in at the same time?” She asked.

“Yes you will.” The spirit said. Susan looked down at her Immortality vial for the thousandth time. She could hardly wait to find out what the new vial contained. The all knowing spirit peaked through a tiny hole in the curtain and looked back at them. “You may go in now.” John hesitated for a second so Susan took his hand and gently guided him through the split in the curtains. They found themselves staring up at a tall spirit with a kind face.

“Ah,” he said with a smile. “John and Susan, I have been waiting for you two.” Susan smiled and John held tight to her hand. “Let me see,” The spirit said. “Ah, here we are,” He pulled two vials out of a golden box and held them up in his right hand. Then he extended his empty left hand out toward them. They both knew what to do. They removed their immortality vials and handed them to the spirit then took the new vials from his right hand. The vial was warm and heavy. The first thing Susan noticed was the word TIME in large white letters. She looked at John who mirrored her puzzled expression. Susan looked back to her own vial and began turning it over and over in her hand. She had waited her entire existence for this moment and it seemed to be standing still. Suddenly she realized she couldn't see the liquid, or substance, inside. The vial was a deep dark blue and she couldn’t even see if there was anything in it or not. She glanced at John’s vial to see if it was the same. It was.

“Why can’t we see what is inside?” She asked the spirit. He leaned toward them and looked deep in her eyes.

“Even I don’t know how much TIME you have.” he said softly. “Now, close your eyes. Open your vials, and drink the content.” This statement took them both by surprise and Susan tilted her head to one side, immediately ready with a question. “What does ‘drink’ mean?” She asked. “And we never did that with our immortality vials…” she continued. John nodded his head, he was wondering as well. The spirit nodded in turn and sat back in his big chair.

“That is because they will be given back to you one day and you will drink them then. It was not your time to be immortal forever. Drinking it is to put it in your mouth, open it and put it to your lips then tilt it back so the content enters you..” Susan saw John look nervously down at his vial and pop off the top. She opened hers as well and closed her eyes, before putting it in her mouth she reached out and grabbed John’s hand, holding it tight. This time it was as much for her as for him. She brought the vial to her mouth and tipped it back. Something entered her body and filled it completely. Immediately she tried to open her eyes. She couldn’t feel John’s hand anymore and everything was dark. She was very warm and comfortable and even though she wasn’t holding his hand, somehow she knew John was next to her. There was a steady rhythmic beating coming from somewhere and she could hear the muffled sound of familiar voices. Mom she tried to shout it but it was only a thought. Her mouth felt different and it didn’t really work right. But she knew she could hear her mother’s voice. How long had it been?! Her dad had the first exchange day then mom. It was hard to see them leave. She wondered if her dad was somewhere close as well. Then as an answer she heard his voice, much closer, as if it were just a room away.

“Hey you two,” he said. “I can’t wait to meet you in a few months. Just keep growing. I’m going to give you ice cream right when you come out.” Susan wanted to cry with delight. It was her dad. She moved a little. Then she heard her mothers voice.

“My goodness Charls, you have them kicking me now,” Susan could hear the joy in her mothers voice, “and you are not giving them ice cream.”

“Ever?” Her dad’s voice said teasingly.

“You know what I mean” her mother said in reply.

Susan wiggled again. She could feel John next to her and she could sense that he was relaxed. Somehow she felt completely happy for the first time. Deep inside she understood now that the TIME vial was how much time she had in this place, and in a place with her mother and father. She somehow knew she would see them, and John too. In a place where they could all be together like before. She could still hear the rhythmic beating near her and it seemed to sooth her and she fell asleep. Far above, the exchange master looked down on them and smiled. He knew their time was ticking away but he also knew they would never regret their exchange.