"I want to die, Artie."

     After a long day at the lab, I finally got on the bus to go home. Today is my sister's 18th birthday and I can already feel the heat of my mother's anger for my tardiness to her party. I know I'll be hearing about this for weeks.

     I try to shake off the feelings of guilt as I prepare for the ride. Just as I reach up to to put my head phones in my ears, an elderly woman sits beside me and grabs my arm. She has strangely familiar blue eyes, long curly, silver hair and a platinum, heart shaped locket around her neck. "I've been looking for you," she says with a smile. I clear my throat, a little taken aback, "ma'am, I think -"

"Oh no Artie, I'm not mistaken." She says as if she read my mind, still smiling.

"How do you know my name?" I demanded slight louder than intended causing other passengers to look. "That's not important, what's important," she says as she grabs my knee,"is that you listen to me."

Before I could respond she replied, whispering,"Your theory for curing cancer using genetic splicing works."

     I jumped out of my seat in shock and immediately felt the embrassment of people staring with concern. How does this woman know about my research, about me? How could she know it works? It's not being tested, hell, I only finished writing my thesis for The Board of Medical Research 3 days ago and I haven't turned it in.

     "Sit down Arthur," she said gently. "How do you-" I start.

"How is not important, Arthur, listen," she says sternly," the problem is the long term effects won't be detected until its too late." "What long term effects?" I ask. "You'll save many lives with your research, Artie, but they won't be able to die."

   "What!" I say my heart racing. I stand up and instinctually pull the lever for the bus to stop. As soon as it does, I rush off as quickly as I can but the elderly woman follows me. "Please listen," the woman says in a shrill voice," I know you want to save her but you'll make things worse for everybody." I turn to look at her with anger and shock in my eyes. She talking about my sister, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer two years ago and ever since I've been looking for a cure. But how could she know that?

    "How do you-" I start and get cut off again. "Don't ask how I know Artie, just listen." She said frustrated. "You don't know what you're talking about old lady," I say confused and angry. I turn to walk away but as I do she grabs me and pins me to the wall with unexpected strength for an old woman, for anyone really.

   Fear takes over and I yell,"what do you want from me?" She let me go and started toiling with her locket. Looking guilty and ashamed she sighs,"I want you to listen." She paused as I stood there panting. Taking my stillness as agreement, she continued.

     She reached out to grab my hands,"Your brilliance cured cancer, Arthur, but it caused so many more issues. After the initial testing of your theory, they released your cure to the public as a last resort for late stage cancer. People weren't dying from cancer anymore, you changed the world Artie. But it only took a couple of years for people to realize there were consequences to having a cure," she paused in sadness. "What consequences?" I asked hesitantly. She took a step back and started playing with her locket again. "People who recieved the treatment couldn't die! Not naturally anyways. People developed ecelerated healing abilities, some telepathy and others super strength," she paused. 

     My mind started racing. On top of everything else she's said, is she trying to imply she's from the future? "Ma'am, I don't know how you know what you know but this is starting to get ridiculous. How do you expect me to believe this?" I asked enraged. She dropped her locket along with her shoulders and let out a sigh. She looked at me with tenderness and continued.

     "The government stopped using your research for medicine and started using it for military testing. They figured out that only people with cancer were susceptible to the side effects. Those who took the treatment without first having cancer, they-" she paused tears welling up in her eyes. "They what?" I asked with concern. "They died terrible a death Arthur,"she cried out, leaping to hug me for comfort.

     Once she was able to calm down, she picked up where she left off. "The effect it had on them was like the worst radiation poisoning you could imagine, most died within hour of receiving the treatment. So the military changed gears, they started imprisoning everybody who recieved the treatment and forced us to be soldiers and fight their wars. They started only giving the treatment to people desperate enough to sign their lives over to the armed forces," I listened in disbelief.

     "We were the perfect soldiers. We had telepathy, strength and we could only die if we were dismembered or burned to ash; everything else our bodies could heal from. On your 70th birthday, the government let's you go home to live with your family as a reward for your service. But when you get home you realize everyone you love is aging, dying, leaving you behind. And even though you get old too, you can't die, you can't move on, you're stuck," she stopped talking. As we sat there in silence, I wondered how this could be true, if my theory could really cause all of this. I started thinking about which compounds I could leave out or substitute to adjust my theoretical cure to make sure that outcome couldn't be reality.

     The elderly woman put her hand on my cheek and looked me in the eyes," the only solution is to destroy your research, make sure your thesis never gets out and enjoy her while you have her." She's referring to my sister again. "Bye Artie," the elderly woman says lovingly as she walked away.

     I watch her til I couldn't see her anymore and my mind starts racing all over again, as I walked to the nearest bus stop. No way, I think to myself no way she knew all of that, how could she? Unless she really is a time traveler and she must have recieved my treatment too. I can't believe this, how? How could any of this be possible? How could she expect me to destroy my research? It's everything to me, to my sister, to my family. I'm so lost in thought I miss my stop and have to walk back.

     When I finally get home my mom won't even look at me. The party is over and she's washing dishes. "I'm sorry mom, there was an incident on the bus and I had to walk home."

"Don't say sorry to me, Arthur," she said sharply, "go talk to your sister." I sighed and did as she instructed. I knocked on the door. "Come in," she sang. She always seemed to be in a good mood, even with all she was going through. I opened the door, she was watching a movie with her best friend, Renee. I wavied. "Hey Anna, sorry I missed your party,"I said feeling guilty. She turned and look at me with a smile," what party?" She asked, laughter engulfed in every syllable," it was just me, mom, dad and Renee." We all chuckled. "Yea but mom really wanted me to be here and I know you did too," I said.

"Yea, would have been nice but you're here now,"she said with a pause," so what'd you get me?" She asked with a devilish smile. I laughed as I reached into my backpack to get her gift. She opened it biting her lip with anticipation. It was the turtleneck sweater she had been asking for since our family trip to Canada. Our parents wouldn't get it for her because it was $800 and we live in southern California, but I'd do anything to keep a smile on her face.

     She screamed with excitement as she realized what it was. "I can't believe you got this for me Artie,"she shrieked. She put it on as if she thought it would evaporate if she didn't hurry. "I love it," she said hugging me tightly and immediately turning to check her self out in the mirror. I smiled, proud of myself for getting her something that made her so excited. As she looked in the mirror, she reached into the neck of the sweater and pulled out a platinum, heart shaped locket.

     I paused and stepped closer. I couldn't believe my eyes. Choking over my words, I asked," where, where did you g-get that locket, Anna? She turned, looked at me with her piercing blue eyes and said," dad got it for me for my birthday, isn't it cute?" I just stared at the locket and then at her piercing blue eyes. "Arthur?" she sang. "Yea, yea it's cute,"I said in disbelief," I've had a long day, Anna, I'm ganna leave you girls to it. Happy birthday sis," I said  with a hug," Good night, Renee," I ended as I walked out and closed the door behind me. I knew that the elderly woman was Anna from the future. The treatment I proposed to save her life will ruined it and many other lives too. I knew what I had to do. I left without a word to my mom or stepdad. I had to get back to the lab and destroy my research.