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“—Will you stop fussing over me? I said I’m fine!” I shout as loud as I can, the words twisted with a monstrous tone that sends vibrations through the air.

Birds flock from the trees, cawing and chirping from being disturbed. Sweat falls from the ends of my hair onto the ground. Even the innocent whisper of the droplets hitting the damp soil grinds against my skull.

I can’t live like this for six months.

This isn’t living. It’s dying, and I’d rather get death over with.

Bango Bucko hooves the ground. Every dig of the dirt has pain shooting through my mind. I hear every grain rubbing against one another, falling, being disturbed by Soren’s horse.

I squeeze my eyes closed and take a few deep breaths.

“I’m sorry, Soren. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that.” I wipe the sweat out of my eyes using my forearm.

He falls on his haunches and frowns, dusting off his cowboy hat as he contemplates what to say.

“What?” I ask, spitting out a bit of blood from when I bit the inside of my cheek.

“I don’t think you have six months. There’s no way. You’re breaking down too fast. Your eyes still have that red hue too.”

I bend down, spit more blood out, and shrug my shoulders. “Good. I can’t deal with this for six months.”

“Hey!”

We turn our heads to see Glenn across the field waving at us, jumping with urgency.

“You two need to get up here! Now!”

“Be there in a second!” Soren yells, then holds out his hand to help me up. “Come on. Let’s go see what the problem is.”

I shove his hand away, offended, my pride taking a hit. I don’t want to count on anyone.

“You’re one ornery bastard, you know that?”

I snort, using the fence to help me to my feet. “Yeah, I know. Don’t worry. You won’t have to deal with me for too much longer,” I try to tease like I usually do to make light of the situation.

I should know better.

My attempt never works, and Soren ends up staring daggers at me.

I slap his arm. “Let’s go see what Glenn needs.”

Without saying a word, Soren leaves me in the dust, using his speed to get to Glenn while I get on my horse, Mustache Man. I can’t make it across the pasture in the time Glenn needs me to.

Not that I’ve said this out loud, but I don’t think I have certain abilities anymore. Since I’m dying, maybe my speed is hindered, or it’s because they have been dormant for so long; I’ve forgotten how to use them.

The energy to run isn’t there. All I feel is agony in my bones and joints.

I click my tongue, slightly kicking Mustache Man’s sides. He neighs, almost rearing up on his back legs. He bolts forward, his mane flowing in the breeze.

I’m taken back to when I was a human. A young man in my twenties. I can’t remember too many details since that was so long ago. I remember riding bareback on my horse, Canon. It was a cloudy day. The kind where the breeze was a little cool, and the sun couldn’t be felt.

There was a promise of rain in the air. The long grass swayed.

There wasn’t a worry in the world.

I think that was the last time my heart felt full.

A time I didn’t have the looming presence of Death attached at my hip. The clock doesn’t wait for anyone though. When my final second is up, the world will continue to spin. Life will go on without me, and love will forget I existed.