It was a visceral reaction to the utmost sorrow and fear, not because the scene was


    particrly grotesque.


    In the dim cer, there stood a life–sized ss case, illuminated from beneath, reminiscent of an


    artifact on disy in a museum.


    Within the ss, the sight was chilling: myself, hung with countless IV bags like a marite. eyes


    gouged out and covered with a crimson blindfold.


    My skin was pale and bloodless, and I wore only a scarlet slip dress with my feet nailed to the disy


    stand.


    The police and paramedics gingerly lifted the ss cover, and everyone gasped at the sight of


    1. me.


    For a moment, my body seemed like a macabre work of art, exhibited there.


    Dexter stood frozen, his gaze jumping erratically, eyes brimming with horror and confusion.


    I didn’t know what was going through his mind. Even I couldn’t bear to look any longer.


    “The psycho… he removed her fingernails and embedded crystals, her earrings too, crystals…


    Everything on Phoebe, everything that was ced is valuable, even this ss case isn’t ordinary.”


    “She still has a pulse, her breathing is faint,” the doctor shouted, signaling everyone to be careful with


    me.Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org.


    I turned in shock to the doctor. A pulse? Faint breathing? What does that mean?


    Am I not dead?


    “The assant likely injected the victim with arge amount of drugs. These are nutrients to maintain


    basic bodily functions. Right now, the victim is in aatose state but still shows vital signs,” the doctor


    exined.


    Ste copsed to the ground, her emotions raw and spiraling out of control. “Save her, please. Robin,


    save her! Doctor… I beg you, save her.”


    Ste knelt, her body trembling as she pleaded. She didn’t know who to beg to keep me alive.


    “The killer is insane. The victim can only be positioned like this. If moved…” the doctor sighed.


    “Don’t… please save her,” Ste cried out to them.


    I stood numbly, slowly closing my eyes.


    In that moment, I understood why my soul hadn’t vanished with my body. Because I hadn’t truly died.


    “Save her “novtor stood still and it was a long while hofore he said those two words hoarsely


    Save her.


    What an ironic plea.


    His face was ghostly pale, his legs numbly moving forward, as if trying to confirm that the person


    disyed in the ss case was really me.


    “That maniac… I’ll kill him,” Dexter said in a hoarse, deep voice, sounding like he was searching for an


    outlet for his wrath.


    He was shaking, looking down, unable to lift his gaze after confirming it was indeed me inside the ss


    case.


    His eyes reddened with intense sorrow. Yet every move he made now seemed like mockery to


    1. me.


    Ridiculous!


    “You’re the one who killed her!” Ste screamed uncontrobly, rushing forward to p Dexter hard


    across the face. “You’re nothing but a jerk.”


    Dexter stood there passively, letting Ste rage, motionless.


    I watched the urgency of the police and paramedics, the breakdown of my best friend, Robin trying to


    intervene, Dexter staggering backward until he fell to the ground…


    “Robin! Phoebe’s not breathing!”


    “Beep beep beep…” The harsh rm of the heart monitor sounded, and I watched as my life slipped


    away until silence.


    So this is what dying feels like.