The telephone was ringing.
It can't, I thought, it hasn't worked in more than thirty years!
I wouldn't answer it. I know who it is.
It kept on ringing, the shrill sounds stabbed at my eardrums, at my brain.
I'm not answering it. I wouldn't.
The telephone kept ringing.
"No," I said.
Ringing. Ringing. Ringing. Ringing.
I won't. I can't. But what if I did...? What if it wasn't Death? But, who else could it be?
Fear sunk to the bottom of my stomach. I slowly reached towards it and slowly, one by one, my fingers closed over the phone.
The vibrations sent chills up my arm and goose bumps appeared on my limbs. I lifted it and all at once, the ringing stopped.
I rose it slowly to my ear, and dread flooded me from head to toe.
I stood there, frozen, fear clouding my brain.
"Now."
I could feel my throat tighten, my breathing became rapid and shallow. My vision blurred, tears formed in my eyes. I clung onto the phone, trying, but failing, to remain calm.
Just that one word. One word. It's all it took.
I reached inside and grabbed my courage, but it slipped out of my hands.
Pain.
Pain gripped my brain and I dropped to my knees – the phone, which hadn't worked for thirty years, fell to the ground with a clatter.
I couldn't move, I couldn't breathe, and nothing made sense. My thoughts scattered and all I could do was stand, frozen, as my body shut down. Nothing worked.
Heart racing. Blood pounding in my ears. Walls closing in. Breathe. Breathe. Calm down. What's happening?
Pictures filled my mind; colours, noises, laughter. Memories.
My memories.
Cold sweat rolled down my back like tears and heat, the colour of hate, rose up my spine.
I heard laughter and my hands clenched. 'Who was this?' Slowly, I let my breath out but it felt like something had a grip around my lungs. My frantic eyes darted around the room, searching for something, anything, to tell me what was happening.
Nothing.
Blackness started to creep in the corners of my eyes and I tried to focus.
I heard the voice again. "Congratulations Prisoner 3,141,592,653,589,793. Enjoy the afterlife."
And then: nothing.
Don't give in to this, okay?
Give in to what? Death? No way.
I wrenched my eyes open and got to my knees. A force was pushing down on me; forceful, shoving, and pressing down on my head.
I knew there was no choice. I had to give in.
But I clung onto that last bit of hope, knowing that only I could stop it.
I can. I can. I will!
Pain shot through me and I fell back to the ground.
I can't. I can't do it. I can't!
I struggled, battling the darkness that over toke my mind. My breath came in pieces and my stomach twisted itself, over and over again.
I can.
I sucked in a painful breath and a few tears, squeezed out the corners of my tightly shut eyes and fell to the earth.
I can do it. I can.
With the last of my energy, I fought. I fought back. Suddenly, the grip seemed to loosen and a rush of cold air stung my lungs.
And then, I did the impossible.
I defied death.
It seemed, that even Death had a heart.
I stood shaking, knees trembling, my back sticky with sweat.
I looked around at the grey room and I saw emptiness.
I had nothing to lose.
Just like that, I walked into the rain and didn't looked back. And that was the last anyone saw of me.
Free.
