7 Minutes

Flashes of memories pass by. Snippets, like the perfect trailer, spoil nothing and build an insatiable desire to keep watching. It's hard to make sense of exactly what's happening, but the genuine feelings of joy wrap around me. It was filled with a warmness only comparable to that of a mother's embrace, with euphoria quickly replacing any notion of guilt and seclusion I had previously had to endure. My muscles relax, my breathing slows and my teeth unclench. I still don’t know exactly what is going on, but those thoughts don’t bother me as I am truly happy. 

6 minutes left. 

The flashes start to slow, the initial euphoric sensations are subdued just enough that I can see more clearly. My vision clears to the soft glow of operating lights and I’m startled by the cries of a baby. As I look around for the source of such commotion, I see I am surrounded by nurses in scrubs and a small crowd of onlookers. These onlookers, I can’t exactly recall who they are, but their faces are familiar. I know they are not threats. Hushed whispers and cries of joy are heard over the monotone buzz of the lights. 

I am lifted into the air. 

“It's a girl!” 

The onlookers all clammer to get a better look at me. The looks on their faces were loving, and caring. Just then, my voice starts to get raspy and the irritable cries of the baby falter. I look down and I realize I was the source of the cries. I was the baby. I don’t panic, everything seems so perfect. I am confused, but any worries or concerns about being in the body of a newborn girl disappear. I savoured the attention I was given, to be  in the spotlight, to be noticed and loved. I smile and try to speak. The baby's cries ring on again. 

5 minutes left. 

I am in a different setting now. I see the soft glow from the sun fall past the skyline as it paints the sky a stunning blood red. I’m in a different body now, still small, maybe that of a twelve-year-old 

“Mila!”

I spin around, still a bit disoriented, I see a girl in front of me. 

“Ah, Amy! You found me!”

I’m startled at first. Those words escaped my mouth against my will. I’m giggling uncontrollably now, laughing and dancing. I know I’m supposed to be questioning as to where I am why I am in the body of a young girl, or why I can’t seem to control any of my actions. However, those thoughts don’t linger. This all feels like a dream. I don’t need to understand anything and I don’t know anything except for the fact that I’m at peace. 

I rock on the swing set, the blood-red sky now waning into a dark crimson. For a second, I see a slender, hooded figure out in the field. I squint a little bit, nothing but grass and rolling hills. I am talking and laughing with this other girl. She is my friend I think. I’m not certain what we are talking about and I don’t really care. I’m just focused on enjoying this moment. This minute. 

4 minutes left. 

I blink. I open my eyes. I’m in a dark room with colourful lights. The music commands my body to sway. I’m older now and the euphoric feelings from earlier wear off slightly. I can think better now as I watch my body move on its own towards the dance floor. There are a lot of people, I think they are dancing. I remember I learned about dancing in one of my old textbooks. It’s a bit strange to see this many people together and talking, but again, I’m just enjoying the moment. 

A thought creeps into the back of my mind, a sudden urge to hurt these people disturbs the state of peace my mind was in. 

I don’t dwell on that thought for long as in the corner, I notice something out of place, something so dark, that the shadows can’t hide it. The lights dim as this thing, this figure, glides in the shadows. It’s the same one I saw on the swings, this hooded figure is much taller and thinner up close, though it is hard to make out its exact shape in the absence of light. Fear and anxiety start to creep in through the veil of joy and serenity that shielded me prior. 

Where am I?

Whose body am I in?

Who is that hooded figure and what does he want?

The lights dim further. 

3 minutes left. 

Stars splattered on the dark canvas of the night sky, pulsing, each trying its hardest to grab my attention. Blades of grass poke at the exposed portions of my skin. I’m supposed to be at peace here, in such a serene setting. However, I feel uneasy, questions start to flood my mind, why am I in a stranger’s body? Call it a sixth sense, but I swear I can feel the burning gaze of someone, something locked onto the back of my head. 

I spin around, my eyes take a moment to focus. I was surrounded by darkness, but in front of me, there was a figure so devoid of light that it stood out even through the darkness. The darkness grew, and whatever it was moved rapidly towards me. I turned to run, but as if trying to run in a dream, my legs grew soft and I couldn't move. Petrified as fear took over, all the previous happy thoughts were flushed away. My vision grew blurry, but I could still see the dark figure making its way closer. 

I close my eyes, but I can still feel its presence looming. It brought upon a chill that froze me from the inside out. My breath starts to labour, I feel its touch, a touch so cold my eyes instinctively open. I see it now. The hooded figure moves till it is an inch away from my face, my knees start to give way and as I crumple to the ground, I try to catch sight of the visage under that cloak. 

I saw my own face staring back, eyes filled with anticipation and lust. My body falls onto the grass, the wind is knocked out of my lungs. I look up at the night sky, the stars have left me and the canvas is empty. I searched for the stars that once seemed so plentiful, but there was nothing. 

Then there was nothing. 

“Damn it!” I yell. My mind clears up from the euphoric state I was in before. 

I’m back in my own body now in this damp warehouse that was burned down a couple of years ago. I look down at my latest victim, this woman died too quickly, only lasting five minutes. It’s like a drug, I am addicted to killing people. I’m no monster though, I don’t slit their arteries because I enjoy killing. No, I need to kill to survive. 

You know, in this world, people like me, we are born into this world cursed with powers. I just happened to be cursed with the ability to read people’s thoughts. However, in this desolate place, people’s minds are corrupted with so much darkness, reading other’s thoughts only brings more pain. I wouldn’t be here today if I hadn’t found an escape from all this darkness. 

I remember my first time, a couple of years ago. I had no reason to take my sister’s life other than the curiosity of what goes on in a person’s mind before they die. As I slit her throat and watched her leave this wretched world, I entered her mind. In her mind, the minutes before she slipped away, her thoughts were pure, full of love as if her best memories had come flashing back. I have been chasing that feeling ever since. Those few minutes of euphoria come at the cost of another’s life. I do feel guilty sometimes, but as those wretched feelings grow more intense, they only push me to kill again. These days, I am much more experienced, I know where to slit so that the victims die slower, most last seven minutes before fully dying. Of course, I still make mistakes, this woman, my latest victim, I had rushed and made my cut too deep leading to her bleeding out in just five minutes. 

I wipe the drying blood on my stained jeans and look down at the mess I created. The lifeless, foggy eyes of my latest victim. Her bruised fingers as she tried to crawl away in vain. Her tear-stricken face, now gray from the loss of blood. This ghastly sight brought back the horrible guilt that chases me every second of my miserable existence. I ran out the door of that damp warehouse and onto the street, my eyes searching for my next victim.  

I need to escape those thoughts. I need to kill again.

My eyes lock onto a frail boy by his lonesome. Hopefully, I don’t cut too deep again.