This choice: They all end up dead before they become adults • Go Back... You leaned back in your chair, overwhelmed with shock. "D-dead?!" Shaking your head, you started to tremble a little bit. "But -- why?"
Arthur shrugged. "No one knows. The best idea that's been thrown out there is that the changes in the DNA that causes the accelerated growth in the first place also causes the cells to eventually stop replicating, meaning that the body cannot keep up as old cells die off. Eventually all the major organs shut down, and the boy or girl dies."
"T-that's horrible!" you said, still stunned. "While they're still children?"
Nodding, Claire stood up again and looked out the window. "The child that has lived the longest so far was a girl who had only grown to be a little more than nine feet tall, and she lived to be fifteen. But most don't get to become teenagers..." Her voice trailed off as she stared at the back yard, and you could see her eyes starting to moisten. Looking at Arthur, you noticed he, too, looked very saddened.
It didn't take you too long to put two and two together. "You... you two had a child who... who didn't make it, right?"
Claire sniffed and turned back towards you. "We lost him last year. He-- he was only twelve -- your age, I guess. Joseph... That was his name. He... He..." Unable to control her emotions, she quickly stepped out of the room and up the stairs, and you heard the bedroom door shut loudly behind her.
You slouched in your chair, upset with yourself for being so insensitive. Looking into Arthur's somber eyes, you shook your head and sighed. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..." You weren't sure what to say; all this information was incredibly overwhelming, almost too much to handle.
Arthur stood up and walked over to you, placing his hand on your shoulder in a warm fashion. "Don't be sorry, Eric," he said. "You're here to try and help us fix everything, so that we can go back to the way things were and so that other parents don't have to go through what we, and countless others, have gone through. It's..." He swallowed hard, trying to keep his smile on his face, and continued, "You're our best hope, our greatest chance to save humanity. I know with you here we can do it!"
You looked up at Arthur and smiled. "Okay," you said, jumping to your feet. "I'm in! What do I have to do?"
"Well," Arthur said, scratching his chin, "I guess we can start with..."   indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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