A Year of Stories (Collection Three)

The Auditor

I ... I can't breath.

What's ... what's going on? What's happening to me?

Maybe I...

No.

There is something, something seriously wrong here...something...

"Would you please calm down? What you're feeling is your body dying, it's very normal, and panic will only expedite the process."

Whose voice is that?

Where is it coming from?

Is someone here?

A doctor!

Did someone call a doctor?

"No one called any doctor, you're alone, like usual. I knew I should have gotten here earlier. I guess we'll have to take a more radical solution then, try not to bite your tongue off, this might sting."

What...What are you doing to me?

Don't touch me!

You...

...Wait.

What is this?

I feel...I feel...

"Don't belabor the point, 'better' is the word you're looking for. Now, try to breath for me."

That's right, I need to breath.

I need to try to breath.

I'm trying to...

"It's OK, take it slow. Also, would you mind speaking out loud?"

Speaking out...out...

"Out loud, with your throat and lips and whatnot. All this mind speech gets tedious."

Who is this?

Whose doing all this...to me.

I can't seem to see...to see...

"'Her' would be the most useful pronoun in this case, 'it' would be the most accurate, take your pick."

"OK. I still don't understand though, who are you?"