Living As A Corpse

One

Dear Readers,

Why hello there, I'm Alex and this is a little journal I thought I would keep. Please, don’t stop reading this because you just found out that this is my journal, I’m welcoming you to read. Though at times you may wish you had never laid eyes on this journal, by the end you’ll be glad to have read (well, I hope you'll be happy to have read...). Sound a little futuristic? Well, this is me we’re talking about; I’m not your average 15 year old girl. I’m not your average walking, breathing, eating human either. I’m dead.

Okay, technically I’m alive and moving; but by scientific standards I should be dead. Think I’m crazy? Okay, then stop reading and don’t judge. To explain, I’m what my friend calls a Jevle – cool name, huh? My heart has stopped beating for 3 years, I have powers that are hard to explain, and I haven’t aged since my heart stopped. Yep, sadly I’m stuck in the body, of what I consider, an ugly 15 year old girl.

Want to know how ugly? I’ll explain. I’m a puny five foot, three inches tall. I have dark green barf colored eyes, and long tangled brown hair. Sure, I’ve got curves and I’m thin, but if you were to look at me you would instantly think, ‘Ugly’. Ha! Don’t believe me? Well, sorry sucker, you should. And whether you like it or not, I’m continuing.

I’m going to assume you’re wondering why my heart stopped beating. Well, honestly I have no freaking idea. One day I was in the shower, happily shaving my legs, getting ready for a party when I feel like a truck slammed into me. I fell to the shower floor, clutching my chest and watching blood from a cut my razor made, dribble down the drain.

I stayed in that position for what seemed like hours until I forced myself to stand up. I – eventually - was able to stand, with some help of the shower wall. I remember trying to breath only to start coughing. I thought I was going to die, I had no idea that this was just a major part of my life occurring. Yeah, yeah, you’re probably thinking I’m a wimp for coming to the conclusion of death. But, hey? What would you do if one average day your heart stops beating and you no longer need to breath? …yeah, that’s what I thought. Back to the story.

I tried breath again but came up with the same results: cough, cough, cough. I immediately felt for my pulse only to come up with nothing. I tried moving my fingers, toes, lips, everything until I knew that everyone was normal except my heart – and possibly, lungs. I scrambled out of the shower not bothering to turn it off. I flung my towel over my body and sprinted to my room slamming the door after me. I knew I was home alone but I was so freaked out I took all the precautions.

I threw on some clothes, and stuffed my feet into the first shoes I saw – which just so happened to be hot pink slippers. I grabbed my phone and house keys before running out my room and out the front door. – Okay quick, question. Ever had that feeling where you suddenly have no idea what you’re doing? Yeah, well, that was how I was feeling then. – I stared around me confused then tried to sigh and remembered, one word reminding me. Drew.

I ran to the side of my house and hopped on my black bike then took off down the road. I have no memory of how the weather was or the things I may have saw while riding down the street, all that was on my mind was getting to Drew’s house. Upon seeing his house, I pushed my legs to move faster, I rode up to his mailbox then jumped off and ran to the tree under his window.

I started climbing with no doubt in my motives. Once I was eye level with the window I saw him sitting on his bed drawing like always. I knocked on his window getting restless. When his face looked abruptly to the window with confusion then surprise when he saw me, I started knocking louder and longer wanting him to open the window already. He got what I meant and set his sketch book down. He jumped off his bed his pencils jumping into the air as if they wanted to go with him.

As soon as he opened the window I started pulling myself in, anxious to share my news and hopefully get answers. I got in and fell to the floor, letting out an almost painful stream of air. I sat up my eyes wide, “Feel my pulse.” I said staring at Drew.

He looked at me like I was going insane but obeyed like the good friend he is and took my hand. I watched as he pressed his first two fingers to my wrist then scrunch his nose up in either annoyance or confusion. He shook his head and tried my neck, only to come up with the same results. He didn’t hesitate to put his ear to my chest and after a second he pulled back his eyes wide, “You alive?” he asked.

I remember letting out a laugh that stung my lungs, “No, I’m walking and talking.” I said. He started to ask a question but I stopped him, “My heart stopped beating and it hurts to breath.” I told him.

I watched him shake his head, “Impossible, you should be a corpse right now.” He laughed shakily then grabbed my arm and yanked me over to his computer. I sat next to him on the bench and watched as he typed, ‘heart disease’ into the search bar. We didn’t have time to even blink an eye as a total of over 17 million results came up.

The rest of my day was spent in silence as Drew researched as much as he could about why this could have happened to me, but every time he thought he had something it ended up a dud. It was 9 o’clock by the time he called it quits and came to lay next to me on his bed, “Well, looks like I’ve got a dead friend.” He said.

By this time breathing only gave me a dull ache in where my lungs are. I laughed slightly, “Looks like it.” I replied.

Then out of the blue, “Jevle.” He whispered. I stared at him in confusion and waited for him to explain, “It’s what I’m going to call what you are. A Jevle.” He said again. I shook my head at him but didn’t care what he called what I was.

Okay, I bet you’re starting to wonder what that has to do with the story. Honestly, not a whole lot, but that was the first day of my new life. My new life as a Jevle. Yep, not too special to you, but uber special to me. Sorry to disappoint you but I’m afraid I must depart.

Till next time,

@ L 3 ><