Death was sitting at the edge of my bed.

I couldn't breathe, but it didn't feel like I needed to. It felt like I was in a constant state of suffocation that isn't actually hurting me. It was so uncomfortable. I was paralysed in my place, all I could do was move my eyes. My room was dark, much darker than it should be, and the door to my room was open. Did I leave it open? And then my eyes fell on... him. A cloaked figure, barely visible, sitting on the edge of my bed. The sight of him sent chills down my spine. Then I noticed my heart wasn't beating, and I couldn't feel it in my chest. What's happening to me? 

"Do you remember your name?" He asked. Of course, it's...

I couldn't remember my name.

"Don't worry, it's quite natural, I'd be more surprised if you did," he said. It was so weird hearing him talk, because I couldn't hear him, but it's almost I could feel it; I just knew what he was saying.

"Do you remember anything?" He asked. 

I remember my unstable childhood, I remember a lot of people hurting me, and I remember hurting a lot of people, even those who didn't deserve it, and I remember my mother, who sacrificed everything she had just for me. I remember all my hopes and dreams, all that a threw away and gave up on, because I didn't think they were possible. 

"Do you have many regrets?" He asked. Plenty, I answered. 

"Regret creates a heavy heart, one that is extremely difficult to carry around, but you must know all about that," he said. Now I could feel my heart, but, oh, it felt like a burden, a heavy, heavy burden, that's pressing down against my chest, trying to choke me. Oh, how I wish I was there for the person that was always there for me. How I wish I apologised more, how I wish I thanked more. How I wish I hugged my mother more often. Have I ever told her how much I loved her?" 

"You're dying," he said, "and now you're supposed to come with me."

I'm...

Wait... wait, not yet! I can't leave yet! Not so soon! Not so early! There's so much that I need to do. And what about my mother? I can't leave her alone! 

"I thought it was what you wanted?" He asked. I remembered all the times I wished death upon myself. Have I been so harsh, even to my own soul? My own heart, the one that lies heavily on my chest, I have been so hard on. Did I ever deserve to treat myself this way? Did the people around me deserve the treatment i gave them, those who cared about me? 

I can't die now. No. There's so much I need to do, so much I need to fix, and I refuse to leave just yet. Surely, surely you can do something?

The cloaked figure pondered. And for what felt like an eternity, he remained quiet. The room felt like it was growing darker, my heart becoming heavier, and my vision becoming blurrier.

And then it stopped.

"If i do this for you," he begins, "do you promise to live life at its fullest?"

Yes! Yes, I promise! I promise!

"We shall meet again soon, Ava."

And I jolted awake. I could breathe, I could feel my heart thumping, I could feel the cold breeze from my window, pinching my skin, I could feel the clothes on my body, I could feel the tears streaming down my face as I realised this could've been it. 

But it wasn't. 

And I was granted a second chance.

But this time, I'll live.

I'll live life at its fullest.