Jimmy Ferrer

I had gotten to five minutes, the period of time most people I watched start to quit.

I didn't really understand it at first, but as the seconds ticked past, I became gravely aware of what others may have experienced.

This entire time, I had alternated between doing a few seconds with my eyes open and then closed.

The red light ever present, the static and oppressing noise in my ears,

Once, I opened my eyes and saw nothing but black.

At the same time, I no longer heard the static.

It was as if I went blind and deaf at the same time.

I tried to toss and turn, but something felt off.

I did not feel restrained, but on the same token, I could not move.

I couldn't feel myself breathing anymore.

I couldn't even try to use my imagination to distract me, imagining sheep jumping a fence.

I couldn't think of anything.

Just a black, soundless hellscape.

I kept counting.

Eventually, I had the weird experience of hearing myself counting as if I was counting across from myself.

I was so sure that I was actually hearing the numbers that I felt as though it had to be Stephanie counting to me.

But it didn't sound like her.

And how would she know what number I was on?

Or that I was counting in the first place?

Eventually, it was as though I heard six copies of myself all counting in unison before another long, uncomfortable silence.