r/nosleep
My Name is Lily Madwhip, and I See Things Before They Happen by reddit user Lillian_Madwhip // William Dalphin
My name is Lily Madwhip, and I see things before they happen.
“Don’t stare at me, assface.”
That’s my brother, Roger. He doesn’t see things before they happen. I know this because if he did, he would see what’s about to happen to him. Then again, maybe he does, but people like us can’t see things that are about to happen to ourselves. I don’t know, truthfully. All I know is that in about three minutes, Roger is going to die.
“You’re going to die,” I tell him.
“Did you just threaten me?” he snarls. Roger is six years older than me. He goes to highschool and has two best friends named Skeeter and Dustin. They like to wear shirts without sleeves that have the names of heavy metal bands on them. Sometimes they hang out in the garage and try to play music like those bands until my dad goes out and yells at them to stop. At his funeral, they’re going to wear jackets and ties and their hair is going to be combed for once. I’ll never see them after that, which is nice. I love Roger because he’s my brother, but when he’s gone things will be just a little bit nicer. Sorry, Roger.
“No,” I told him truthfully, “I’m just trying to warn you. I love you, Roger.”
“Shut up, weirdo!” He punches me in the shoulder and I cry like I’m supposed to but it doesn’t really hurt. Mom’s head swivels around on her neck from the front of the car and gives us both that look that says she regrets having us. I know she doesn’t, but all parents think that from time to time. I wonder where I’d be right now if I’d never had kids?
No, I’m not a mind reader too, I just know these things.
“Will you two knock it off back there?” Mom asks. It’s not really a question though, it’s an order. Adults can give orders in the form of questions. If you’re a kid, and you try to do this, it doesn’t work. I once tried to order Roger to give me back my doll Paschar by asking him, and he laughed at me and twisted Paschar’s head off. Mom had to put it back on, but she’s never been one for toy repair, so it’s kind of crooked now. I told her I didn’t mind, that it gives him “personality”.
Mom and Dad think it’s weird that I named my doll Paschar. I don’t know why. Paschar was an angel, after all. People don’t think it’s weird if you name your doll Gabriel or Michael or Lailah, but give it the name Uriel or Gavreel or Paschar and everybody gives you funny looks.
I hug Paschar in my arms and look out the front of the car. There’s a sign that says, “REST AREA 1 MILE” and beneath it a smaller sign that says, “NEXT REST AREA 46 MILES”. At the speed my dad drives, that should take us about half an hour I think.
“Rest area coming up!” Dad says, “Does anybody need to go?”
We stopped hours back at a McDonalds and I had a cheeseburger with some fries and a small Sprite. I couldn’t finish the burger or the fries, but the Sprite made my tummy happy because sometimes I get a little carsick, so I drank the entire thing. Now I need to go, but this is where Roger dies, so I lie. “I don’t.” Thinking about having to go makes it worse. I cross my legs.
Roger notices. “Lily has to go! She’s squirming around back here! I don’t want her pissing on me!” He makes a grossed out face, and I can appreciate the genuine disgust of being peed on by someone else, but Roger I’m trying to save your life here.
Mom looks back again and I shake my head at her. “Lily, if you have to go--”
“I don’t.”
