The place she found herself in was unlike anything she knew. A desert plain stretched as far as the eye could see, but strangely, the air was cool. She looked up at the sky, hoping to see stars or the moon, but there was nothing—just an oppressive, dark void. It reminded her of walking under a rainy night sky, except here, there was no rain, no clouds. She turned her head left, then right, but saw no one.
Panic gripped her. Where was she? How had she gotten here? Her mind struggled to retrace the last moments before waking up in this strange place. She remembered walking in pouring rain, the sound of raindrops echoing around her. Then, a blinding light followed by a violent impact. Everything had blurred. The last thing she distinctly remembered was the street around her seeming to slow down, as if in a dream. And then… nothing.
Mia frowned, frustrated. None of it made sense. Her thoughts were interrupted when she spotted two hooded figures in the distance. They seemed to be talking, their movements calm and deliberate. Mia strained her ears, but no words reached her—just distant, indecipherable sounds. She tried to stand up to approach them, but her legs refused to obey. They felt as heavy as lead, as if an invisible force was holding her down.
She struggled with all her might, but her efforts were in vain. In the distance, she noticed the two figures had finished their conversation. One nodded before disappearing in a flash of light. The other turned and began walking in her direction.
The closer he got, the more Mia's fear grew. When he was finally within reach, he stopped, lowering his hood slightly to reveal part of his face.
— Are you alright? he asked in a soft, almost soothing voice.
Mia remained silent, her gaze wary.
— Don't be afraid, he continued, raising a hand in a gesture of peace. I mean you no harm.
Despite his words, Mia stayed tense. Her instincts screamed at her to run, but she was still unable to move. The man seemed to notice her frustration and ran a hand through his hair, as if suddenly remembering something.
— Oh, forgive me, he said with a nervous laugh. I forgot something important.
He snapped his fingers, and suddenly, Mia felt her legs lighten. She leapt to her feet, ready to run.
— Wait, he tried. That wasn't to restrain you but to keep you from getting lost.
But Mia wasn't listening anymore. She bolted in the opposite direction, running as fast as she could. After several minutes, she stopped, out of breath. She turned around to make sure he wasn't following her, but no one was there. A sigh of relief escaped her lips.
She turned back to resume her escape but found herself face-to-face with the man. He stood before her, arms crossed, an amused smile on his lips.
— How was the run? Feeling better? he asked.
Mia let out a startled scream and fell backward, landing hard on the ground. The man burst out laughing.
— You're quite impressive, he added, regaining his composure.
Mia quickly got back on her feet and stepped back, adopting a defensive stance.
— Don't come any closer! she warned in a loud voice.
The man raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
— And what exactly are you going to do? You're more likely to hurt yourself than me.
— Why am I here? And who are you? she demanded, ignoring his remark.
The man straightened, his expression growing more serious. He slowly pulled back his hood, revealing a young face with fine features, slightly glowing black eyes, and long, jet-black hair.
— My name is Fran, he replied, bowing slightly. Pleased to meet you, Mia.
She froze at the sound of her name.
— How… How do you know my name?
Fran tilted his head to the side, a questioning look on his face.
— Really? You still don't understand? Have you forgotten what happened?
— What happened? The last thing I remember is…
Images of her final moments replayed in her mind. She looked up at Fran, her breath quickening.
— Did I… Have an accident?
Fran nodded, his expression melancholic.
— Yes. A car hit you and threw you several meters. The impact was fatal. I'm sorry, Mia.
His words struck Mia like a thunderbolt. She dropped her arms, her gaze blank.
— So… I'm dead? she murmured.
Fran nodded.
— Yes, but it's not that simple.
— What does that mean? Are you a reaper? Are you here to take me?
Fran gave a faint smile.
— Exactly. But there's a problem.
Mia's head shot up.
— A problem? What kind of problem?
— It wasn't your time. You weren't supposed to die. And that complicates everything.
Mia felt her heart—or what was left of it—tighten. Fran's words echoed in her mind like an oppressive refrain. Not her time? How could that be possible?