Carly was sitting on her bed, hugging her favorite pillow, staring off into the distance. What is wrong with me? Am I dreaming? Do I need to see a psychiatrist? Should I talk to the counselor at my school? Suddenly, her phone beeped and made her jump. She crawled to the end of her bed and saw that she had one text message from Sam.
R U OK?
Carly rolled her eyes as she quickly texted back. Seriously, Sam? How many times do I have to tell you that I am perfectly 100% fine?
About twenty seconds passed before she heard her phone buzzing again. You can keep telling me that over and over but I know it's not true. Carly did not respond. She just turned up her music and laid down in her bed, praying that everything would be back to normal by tomorrow.A few hours passed of her just staring in the distance before she fell asleep.
Carly slept in the next day on purpose. One reason was because she did not want to see Sam at school. Another reason is because she needed a long escape from the world, and sleeping was the only way she could accomplish that. She woke up at 5 the next morning, and her music was off. She weakly picked up the phone and saw that she had 14 unread text messages from Sam, which let her know that the whispers were not a dream. She placed the phone on her night stand next to her bed and pulled the blankets above her head, quickly drifting back to sleep.
While she was sleeping, she had a very vivid dream. Carly, her mother, and a nine year old girl were in her dream. Carly ran to her mother to embrace her in a hug, but instead she ran right through her mother. "Carly," her mother said. "You're not taking this seriously." Carly opened her mouth to talk, but no sound came out. "Carly, this is not a joke. You got the warning. Four more days. Now it's three. You need to change your fate. You need to make sure the whisperer does not get to the end of the countdown, or you will turn out like me and Abigail here." Carly's mother pointed to the nine year old girl. "She is your sister. I miscarried." Carly just stood there, not even attempting to speak because last time she tried, no words came out. "You can speak now."
Carly did not respond right away. She took a moment to process what was happening and to think about her response. Why didn't her mother seem happy to talk to her? "Everyone dies." Carly replied. "If it's my time, then I am reunited with you!"
"You don't want this. You don't want to exist like me and Abigail. It's torturous. If you hear the countdown, it's bad. It's terrible. You exist in agony for eternity. If you die without warning whispers, it's good. Do you understand?"
"Why did you get warning whispers then? You were a good person."
"I still am. I was just too obsessed with money. That's why I am being punished."
"But Abigail was not even born yet and she died. How can she be getting punished?"
"She has to stay with me until she is eighteen. She is still a child. Then she will have a better after life."
"How do I stop my fate?"
Carly's mom opened her mouth to respomd, but her jaw dropped and her eyes foxed on something above Carly's head. The eyes that showcased love and concern only a minute ago now showed this undeniable fear and pain. "Oh no!." Carly's mom and Abigail began frantically walking back.
"Wait! How do I stop the countdown? Mom!" Carly screamed a bloodcurdling scream because of the pain in her spine again. She collapsed. "Will I ever see you again?!" It was too late. They were gone.
Carly immediately woke up, sweat pouring from her forehead and her heart in her stomach. She broke down crying right when she woke up.
Three more days.