Kiss of Death.
There was not a star in sight. The ink black sky was barren, void of anything but thick, dark storm clouds. Sheets of rain poured from the heavens and onto the windshield of Theodora's car. It was past midnight (and well past), before she left the office and started the familiar drive home. The last three hours she had spent engrossed in patient files, as she desperately tried to find something to cling to, any insight into her patients that she could get her hands on. But, there was nothing. Theo could not feel a single thing.
Her eyes were heavy and her blinking was slow, like someone was trying to force them shut. No, she was not going to fall asleep. She pinched her inner thigh and jolted upright at the sting. Eventually, the tug of war was won, and her eyes succumbed to the beckoning of sleep. They didn't open again until prompted by the force of the car hitting the side of the bridge. Theo was hurled past the glass, through the air, and into the murky, freezing lake. Every bone in her body was broken, or nearly. Sharp, fiery pains tugged everywhere. "This is dying. I am dying," She couldn't help but think. That was when she saw her. The woman appeared suddenly, and from where? She couldn't tell. Long, dark hair hovered above her head and a beautiful gown cascaded around her. Recognition washed over her. She knew this woman.
All of the air in her lungs was running out, and quickly. The average person can hold their breath no longer than two minutes, at max. So, she began to panic. Her arms were useless, as both had been instantly broken and made immobile on impact. She could not swim up, and if she continued to sink, then she would surely die.
"Wake up, Theo," The woman, her mother, whispered. Although the water stung, her eyes widened. What was she talking about? More importantly, how was she here? It had been years. Oh, so many years since Theo had seen her mother. She remembered her eighteenth, how the woman had taunted her all the way to the edge of the roof and..
Was it a warning? A sign? "Wake up, Theo," Olivia repeated, more insistent this time. A cold hand closed around her throat and a smile blurred her vision. "It's time to wake up."⠀⠀ ⠀⠀
She shot up quickly, her body covered in beads of cold sweat. It was a dream. Merely a dream. But it had felt so real. She remembered her night at work, the drive back, and her mother so vividly. Merely a dream.
"Theo! The whole neighborhood can hear you screaming, what's wrong?" An annoyed looking Shirley barged in. She had obviously been asleep - the sloppily tied robe and messy hair were good indicators.
After a minute, Theo spoke. It was quiet, and brief. "I think I saw death, Shirl." The brunette broke her stare, turned over, and went back to sleep.