Category : Stories

Sub Category : Suspense/Mystery

Frigid. All he could think about was how cold it was. Inclement. Stuck there, freezing and unable to move. Numbing. Everything was slowing down with every agonizing breath he took. Losing sight of all colours. Thoughts leaving him. His heart beating slower. Eventually, time stopped. Everything stood still. All his feelings and thoughts had faded. Just a lifeless body in the cold. Unable to feel anything. Days would go by and although he couldn't see it, he knew life surrounded him. He just couldn't interact with it. Staring blankly in front of him, incapable of looking anywhere else. The sky was gray. He would see birds go by often, and everything remained colourless. 

Watching the sky fade to a lighter gray and birds soar was all he could do.

“10-54.”

He was surrounded with voices, some easier to hear than others. 

“10-52 dead bodies confirmed.”

Dead bodies? Did this mean he wasn't alone, that there are others experiencing the same thing as him? 

“Missing body, Kile Leavers found. Inform his family.”

This voice was closer than the others, as if it was directed to him. Gray figures appeared in his view, it seemed as if they lifted him up and into something. The sky altered from gray to pitch black. He was cut off from his only source of life, further surrounded with the darkness.

Empty. That's all he could feel. He felt lost, very unaware of everything. His questions stopped as he heard voices surrounding him once more. He couldn't make out anything that was said with the pitch black casing him. All he could think of was how he wanted to hear again, how he wanted to see the birds soaring past him. Blinding. The pitch black was removed. It formed into blinding white light and he was unable to look away. The voices became more clear. His eyes adjusted to the light. 

“He needs to be ready by seven o'clock”

What happens at seven? Hours, which felt seconds went by. Questions left unanswered. Then came seven.

He was transported into a box of some sort. ‘Coffin’ is what the voices called it. Still denying the fact he was dead, he refused to believe it was a coffin. Nothing was happening, nothing was moving. Then a gray figure appeared, placed its hand over his face and pulled back. Black. Everything was dark. He didn't want this to happen again, he wanted to be back with the gray sky and chirping birds. He heard a noise as if the box had been closed. All he could do now is hear. Hear the box get moved to a different location. Hear the sound of busy traffic. Hear car doors open and faint whispers.

It was time. The funeral day was here. Kile Leavers funeral. A church packed with loved ones and family friends. He heard the box open, yet his vision remained dark. His eyes were closed and would remain that way. He would never see the gray sky. Cheerful birds. Gray figures. Blinding white lights. Just darkness. Music would play, people would talk. This was all for him. Whispers got closer as it was time for everyone to say goodbye to Kile Leavers. Figures that loved Kile, who missed him, would come up to him and say a few words. Some cried. Many stayed silent but he could feel they were there. 

“We will miss you.” He would hear.

“I love you,” they would say. 

Words said to him, and he was unable to respond.

Acceptance. He had to accept he was dead. It was the only way he could be with them. See the gray sky, the birds. 

So that's what he did, he told himself, “i’m dead.” 

Moments went by and he found himself outside of the coffin. He could see the figures he loved talking to his corpse. More importantly, he could feel. He felt an overload of emotions. Scared. Love. Worried. Frustrated. Being able to see his loved ones, but them unable to see him hurt. Everything he did remained unseen. Every word he said remained unheard. His presence would have to be enough, and it was. Watching from a distance is all he could do, but he would do it. For them. For the ones he loved. For a chance to be close to life, once more.