Prologue:

Nobody knows how I'm alive. Heck, I don't know myself. All I know is that I was brutally murdered with a chainsaw. At the moment, I'm huddled in the darkest corner of my mind, replaying my so-called death over, and over, and over. For some reason, that is the only memory I can access. But that one memory holds so much vital information. I know I'm not in Heaven, nor Hell, that much is clear. The only question is, why can't I wake up? I want to be able to get up and move around!

Wait-I apologize. I haven't even introduced myself, nor can you fully grasp my situation.

My name is Jasmine Marie Opal. I'm nineteen. And as you might be able to figure out, I'm somehow still alive after being run through by a maniac with a chainsaw.

Here's what happened:

I was walking home from school. Alone. In the evening. I tried to be as safe as possible, taking every precaution. My one mistake? Going down a dark alley. I had my army knife at the ready, having spot several figures ahead. One was a male, dressed in a white undershirt and dark pants. His hair was red, billowing in the soft breeze. The other two were women, but on had the other backed against the wall. The threatening woman's clothes were red. Her hair was too. The only thing that wasn't red was her skin color. The third woman that was backed against the wall had on a pink mini-skirt. Her top might as well have been a sports bra because it didn't do anything to cover her mid-section. I recognized her as one of the prostitutes that I saw on my way to school.

Before I had a chance to turn away, the red lady had advanced on the other and slit the others throat.

The prostitute fell over, pained gurgles escaping her mouth. The lady then knelt down and turned the corpse over on her back. She used what I recognized as a surgical knife and dug into the body's lower abdomen. I couldn't help but to stare at the gruesome sight. I realized with a gasp that I had witnessed Jack-the-Ripper in action.

My sudden noise had caught the attention of the man, who was watching the lady as she tore into the body. He turned to look at me and my heart rate sped up. It was then I knew.

I was going to die.

Before my legs could comprehend that I needed to run, the man was already in front of me, looking down upon me. I gulped in fear as he grinned evilly, showing two rows of sharp teeth.

"My, my!" he said. "What a curious little kitten I have found."

From the corner of my eye, I saw the red lady look in our direction.

"Get rid of her. If she escapes, our cover is blown," she demanded.

"Yes, my Madam." he said. I watched, frozen, as he pulled out a chainsaw out of thin air. My eyes grew wide, and I tried to move.

"Don't you know, little kitten?" he asked. "Curiosity killed the cat!" he thrust the deadly tool into my torso, revving it up.

Pain clouded my mind as he pulled it from me, causing me to fall back. There was only one thought that was crystal clear.

I'm going to die.

Everything went in slow motion as I fell. My life replayed before me, like a movie.

I saw me playing with my younger sister, my dad leaving for the military, my mom lying sick on her bed before I left for school this afternoon.

Pain shot up my body when my body hit the pavement. I stared up into the clear night sky, my breath slowing. Tears streamed down my face as I brought back the memory of my last interaction with my younger sister.

"Don't forget to give mom her medicine, and feed Fat Cat before you go to Sarah's house later!" I called from downstairs to my 13 year old sister, Rebecca.

She ran down and wrapped her arms around me. For some reason, she always did this before I left.

"But what if Mom doesn't wanna take her pills?" she asked.

"Then slip them into her drink or her next meal." I whispered to her. "It wouldn't make a difference."

She let go of me and I went upstairs to give Mom a proper farewell.

I carefully opened the door.

"How are you feeling, Mom?" I asked softly, not sure if she was awake or not.

"I'm slowly getting better." came the reply.

I opened the door and entered the room, lit only by a small candle.

I sat down on the plush bed, taking great care to make sure that I didn't sit on her legs.

"Are you leaving, Jasmine?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am. I just wanted to say good bye." I said. Even in the dark room, I was able to see every bit of my mom's face.

It was olive-toned, like my own. Her raven hair was different from my soft, auburn locks that I inherited from my late father. Her small pinched nose resembled Rebecca's, whereas my nose was rounded. The dark circles beneath her chocolate brown eyes weren't appealing, but I knew I had some as well from my restless nights doing homework.

She slowly sat up and enveloped me in a weak hug. I returned it, burying my nose into her neck, taking in her soft cherry blossom lotion smell. Her warm, ragged breath tickled my bare neck.

When she let go, she planted a kiss on my fore head, and I stood up, helping her lay back down.

I hummed the lullaby she used to sing to me when I was growing up, the same one I sang to Rebecca.

Mom started to sing softly.

"Lacrimosa once again.

I will love this blood-soaked land.

Where I was born,

once so carefree.

But that was before my world was torn.

You don't need his forgiveness,

Instead put your faith in me.

I'll count the days, sullied by tears.

I won't forsake you or this world,

Till I break..."

With my last breath, I whispered the last word of the song.

"Lacrimosa..."

So that's how I died. Sad? Sure it was! But for some reason, I begin to feel distant from this memory. Weird, huh?

I found myself in this place, and I know I've been here for a while. I have no real form, and the only thing I can do is replay that oh-so-tragic memory.

"It is time to wake up Jasmine," a voice echoed in the darkness.

"But how? I don't understand!" I called out to no one in particular.

"Imagine yourself opening your eyes." it commanded.

I sighed, but decided it was worth a try.

I closed my make-believe eyes, and imagined myself opening my real ones.

When I opened them, it was still dark.

"Well that didn't work," I muttered. Then, I realized something was off.

I was laying down.

I felt an irritating stiffness in my stomach, and my joints were rusty.

I attempted to stretch, finding my movements were constricted by wood.

I'm in a box-no-a coffin!

I tried to push the lid off, but my limbs were weak and weren't responding as well as I would have liked to. With insane difficulty, I managed to knock on the wood.

A few seconds later, the lid was pushed off, revealing a man with silver bangs covering his eyes.

"Well hello, dear~." he said. "Glad to see you've awakened."