“Great, another day!”

I've always hated dawns. It was a reminder that I was drawing breath from an empty body. Each night, before I go to bed, I pray to whatever Entity was listening to take my life before the next dawn. Seems like they were all deaf because I was still breathing.

“What more can a lady do to get her wishes?"

I laid in bed for a few more hours just to spite the day but I knew my tantrum was a total waste of energy. The sun soon peaked and the chores of the day cried out out my name.

“Perhaps I should pray to be blind instead"

Leaving my house was a terrifying experience as death seemed to be lurking on every street corner. Three years ago, I was involved in a terrible accident that resulted in me developing an unusual superpower. According to the nurses who treated me, I was pronounced dead that night. However, to their surprise, I woke up an hour later, screaming in the refrigerator. It was inexplicable. It seemed as if I had returned from the dead with the ability to predict how and when someone was going to die.

At first, I thought I was running mad or something. Everyone I met was carrying out a sign that read their cause and date of death. Disbelief plagued me for weeks until the first death occurred. It was that of the only friend I had. “10th May 2020, death by car accident" it read. I told her what I saw and begged her not to go out that day but she never listened.

Just like everyone else, she thought I was being paranoid because of what had happened to me. To date, I wonder if she had believed me in the end. A couple of tries after that, I stopped telling anyone what I saw and recluded into my shell.

Once, I locked my neighbor inside the restroom for a day because her cause of death was suffocation. She called the police on me when I let her out the next day “the ungrateful bitch" but still died afterward. I got into trouble and I had to leave my city to this godforsaken town but I learned my lesson that day; the deaths couldn't be avoided.

II

The hot weather greeted me immediately I stepped foot outside my house and I welcomed the prick of the heat. The thing about knowing when everyone is going to die is that it devoid you of emotions. I wore dark shades everywhere I went so I wouldn't have to look anyone in the eye but of course, it was another futile solution.

My plans for the day were simple; get essentials at the store, visit the library, and make no eye contact whatsoever.

Simple, right? Only nothing ever goes as planned. I walked with my head bent down the streets until someone bumped into me and spilled hot coffee on my clothes.

“Watch it!" I snapped and he apologized in return. I didn't care for it so I continued my journey. The store was packed; people were everywhere I turned. With the feeling of irritation gouging down my throat, I made my way through the crowd to get about my business. When I was done, I joined the others in the cashier's queue.

I was still grumbling about how long I was supposed to wait when my mind registered what my eyes were reading. My heart accelerated with the speed of the wind and I felt everywhere go silent. Something just went wrong. The readings of the people in front of me changed suddenly to read the same words.

“30th October, 2023. Death by plague”

I looked around the store to discover it was the same as the others. Nothing like this has ever happened before. The readings have never changed before not to talk of it happening on such a large scale.

“What's happening?" I whispered in fear

I ran out of the store disoriented only to discover that everyone on the street had the same readings. Dennis; the store's security must have noticed my frenzy state because he followed me out. He kept asking what was wrong but I was distracted by his readings. I must be going crazy because yesterday he was meant to die in his sleep, 40 years from now.

“How is this possible?" I breathed

Perhaps my antennas were broken and I was reading everything wrong. I assured Dennis I was fine and went home. If my readings were correct, it meant everyone I saw today was going to die in 2 days.

“I must be broken" I chanted to keep my heart steady. There was no news of any plague affecting the area so what I saw was impossible. The rest of the day went on without a hitch and when night fell, I whispered my death wish to the sky in hopes that my request would be granted.

III

Morning dawned with the tide and I wasn't surprised that I made it through the night, again. I should know better than to trust an unseen force but my situation wasn't one where I could wave away the possibility of the supernatural. With the troubles of yesterday behind me, I went about my day as quietly as possible.

By evening, my worries had dissipated. I was seated by the television watching my favorite show when the news came on.

“We interrupt this show to bring you devastating news. Several reports have been received around the globe of a strange plague ravaging the world. The number of those affected seems to be increasing by the minute.

With no news about the source or how the plague is spread, you are advised to stay indoors until more information is known

God help us all”

The sound of sirens filled the air and I went deaf. It was happening and there was nothing I could do to stop it. "What's the need of foretelling death if I couldn't stop it?" I screamed in frustration and went through my house like a hurricane, destroying everything in my path.

“Today was the 29th. Death Day was tomorrow”

I laid in bed crying my eyes out. The news kept reporting that the plague was spreading fast and nothing was known of its origin. Night fell and morning broke yet the numbers of those infected increased. After a while, my TV went blank so I guessed that the hosts were infected too.

“Would everyone die?" I thought

"Wait! Why am I not sick? If this is a global plague, shouldn't I die too?”

I rushed out of my house to seek answers but was met with infected lining up the streets. Some cried out for help while others were too weak to move.

After a while of aimlessly walking around, I noticed they were no longer moving. Everywhere went quiet, The world is dead. Refusing to accept what had happened I went berserk trying to find anyone who had survived. Months after my fruitless search, I gave up hope and accepted my fate.

One morning while I was preparing for the day, something strange appeared above my head, it read

"10th October, 2024. Death by Murder"

If I was to die by murder then it meant someone else was alive and I had a year to find them. Maybe the heavens weren't deaf after all, for death has finally found me.