Page 109 of The Life Experiment
If Layla was surprised, then Angus was well and truly shocked. ‘Wait, what?’ he said, his eyes darting from Layla to Saira and back again. ‘Are we… Are we okay to talk about this?’
As Layla drew a sharp intake of breath, Saira smiled. ‘Angus, I think the only thing we can do is talk,’ she said. ‘Shall we sit?’
Robotically, Layla stepped back from the door and allowed Saira inside. Accepting the invitation, Saira moved about the space like she knew it well. The day Saira first came to the apartment flashed in Layla’s mind. So much had happened since then. Looking back, that day felt like another life, another Layla.
Stumbling to her sofa, Layla was vaguely aware of Angus following her. ‘I don’t understand,’ she said, collapsing into her seat. ‘What’s going on?’
‘I think I’m the best person to answer that,’ Saira said, settling into Layla’s armchair. ‘What you suspect is true. Unbeknown to each other, you and Angus were both participants in The Life Experiment.’
Layla’s jaw dropped. She didn’t have to look at Angus to know his face mirrored hers.
‘From your counselling sessions and questionnaires, I’ve followed what’s been going on between the two of you from the start. Every meet-up, every interaction… It’s been beautiful to witness. Secretly, I’ve been championing a moment like this for weeks. I’m so happy you found your way back to each other.’
With an unsteady hand, Angus reached for Layla, but his touch woke the rage within her.
‘That’s not all Saira’s been doing,’ she snapped. ‘Have you told Angus the truth about the experiment yet, or is he still caught in your web of lies?’
‘Lies? What lies?’ Angus echoed, turning to Saira.
The happiness lighting Saira’s features dimmed. ‘Angus, when you signed up for The Life Experiment, you were only told a partial truth. Yes, the work we are doing has incredible implications, but not in the way you think. OPM Discoveries can do many wonderful things, but we cannot tell you when you’re going to die. The death date you were given isn’t real.’
Bowled over, Angus sat back in his seat. ‘I… I don’t understand. You lied about my death date?’
When Saira nodded, Angus’s head drew further back.
‘Why would you do that?’
‘There are many good reasons, let me assure you,’ Saira replied. ‘We live in a world where people are crippled by struggles and where comparison is the thief of joy. We wanted to evaluate what would it take for people to separate themselves from those pressures. Our aim was to assess how people respond to being confronted by death, and whether it would trigger them to appreciate their lives more. We wanted to study their reactions and the changes they made. Participants were always going to be told the truth as soon as the experiment ended.’
‘Like that makes it okay,’ Layla muttered.
‘You convinced me you knew when I was going to die,’ Angus said quietly. ‘Why put me through that if it wasn’t real?’
A flicker of sadness undermined Saira’s usual self-assurance. ‘It was necessary in order for the experiment to yield accurate results, Angus. I’m sorry we couldn’t be truthful from the outset. Really, we were hoping you’d find the experience inspiring.’
‘Yeah, because telling someone they’ll die in two years issoinspiring,’ Layla couldn’t help snapping.
Angus whipped around to face her. ‘Two years? That’s how long they said you had left to live?’
‘That’s why I said we could only be friends,’ Layla replied, fighting the urge to cry. ‘I didn’t want us to become more and then have to say goodbye. I couldn’t do that to you.’
Layla watched Angus piece everything together. His face crumpled. ‘This whole time we’ve known each other, you thought you were inching closer to death?’ he whispered. When Layla nodded, Angus breathed her name. Letting go of her hand, Angus drew Layla into his side, hugging her tightly. ‘I am so sorry you were dealing with that on your own.’
‘That’s your response?’ Layla replied, mouth agape. ‘You find out the last ten weeks of your life have been a lie and all you can think of is me?’
‘Layla, you’re all I ever think of.’
A startled laugh escaped Layla. She pulled back from the hug to smile at the man she loved, but then her eyes narrowed. ‘Wait, how long were you given to live?’
She heard Angus gulp. ‘Sixty years.’
‘Your worst fear was living for anothersixty years?’ Layla cried, but Angus’s sombre expression made her chest hurt. ‘Oh, Angus. I had no idea you were in so much pain.’
‘I was,’ Angus admitted. ‘I was lost, confused, full of self-loathing… just despondent, to be honest. But all that changed when I met you.’
Layla’s face flickered with a smile, but then her eyes widened. ‘The day we met… that cafe… I wasn’t in Birmingham because of work. I was there because of the experiment.’
‘I was there because of the experiment too.’ Angus replied. ‘I was a mess the day we met, Layla. I’d just learned my death date. I needed to sit and process having a long life and no idea what to do with it.’
