Ten Seconds to Live

I wasn’t supposed to survive this… and neither were you. Everyone else heard

a normal noise that night. I heard my name. Not out loud—inside my head.

It said, “You have 10 seconds.” I laughed at first. Then every light in my apartment

shut off at once. My phone buzzed. No notification. Just a black screen… and a timer.

10… 9… 8… My chest tightened. I grabbed my keys

but dropped them. 7… 6… I ran out the door without shoes,

without thinking. 5… 4… The hallway lights flickered behind

me. 3… 2… I hit the stairs. 1.