26

BEEP…

BEEP-BEEP… BEEP…

MY vision is blurry.

I hear voices murmuring next to me. A sheet.

A white sheet.

There’s a white sheet over my face. There’s a white sheet over my face?

THERE’S A FUCKING WHITE SHEET OVER MY FACE! OH MY GOD!

I’M DEAD!

I scramble to get away from the light. No light! No tunnel! Fuck you, tunnel, I’m not coming in!

“No!” I yell, fighting the gauze between the worlds. “I’m not dead! I’m not dead! I’m not dead yet, fuckers! I’m not going! I’m not ready! I’m too young! I haven’t even tried anal sex yet!”

Strong hands grab my wrists and hold me still.

Do angels wrestle? Am I about to be part of an otherworldly smack-down? “Quin, relax. You’re not dead. You’re just stupid.”

I freeze, no longer fighting the archangel Gabriel or whoever it is that has me in an iron grip.

Recognition dawns. “Who’s that? Teagan?”

“Open your eyes, dipshit.” She’s laughing at me, I can tell by her tone. “They are open,” I say, squeezing my eyes tight together. “Oh.” My lids

are already toget