'Do you want to switch positions? You will die in a month if you say no.'
She stared at those words while shaking in fear and disgust. People had already gathered around and the police had just been called and were on their way but Nalda couldn't even stand up, let alone process what was happening around her.
She felt multiple hands trying to get her on her feet but she couldn't. Her legs felt very weak and wobbly while her eyes were glued to the words. Her heart raced every time she reread those words.
She's going to die in a month? Nalda? There's no way. How was that even possible? How could she die in a month when she was perfectly healthy?
However looking at the crime scene in front of her reminded her that death could come in many forms and not just in bad health.
The thing that snapped her out of her spiraling thoughts was a police officer forcefully pulling her up. It was then that she also realised that she was crying because her face was wet.
"H- huh?" She was confused as she stared at the police officer who pulled her up.
Staring at her with a questioning look, he coughed awkwardly and whispered to another officer behind Nalda, who was handling the crowd. "Uhm… I don't know what to say."
The other officer probably turned her head towards him while speaking because her voice came from further at the beginning of the sentence but then it came closer. "Just ask her what happened. Get some leads."
He quickly nodded and looked directly at Nalda. "Uhm…" He opened his mouth to speak but then suddenly shrunk back. It looked like he was intimidated by Nalda even though she was crying and shaking.
'Is- is this guy really a police officer…?'
Nalda couldn't help but question his occupation but then her eyes landed on the crime scene behind him and she read those damned words again. Then she began spiraling again.
However it didn't take long before the person in front of her shook her by the shoulders. "Hello? Are you okay?" The officer spoke in a concerned and gentle tone.
Nalda shook her head, unable to speak.
His brows furrowed even further. "That's okay too. Take it slowly, no need to rush."
Nalda nodded absent mindedly, wishing that her mom or dad was here. She suddenly missed them a lot.
She sniffled and muttered under her breath. "Mom…" She really, really wanted a hug from her mom right now.
The officer seemed to take this moment as a moment to ask questions. "What happened? Tell me in as much detail as possible." He said calmly.
Nalda almost jumped back in surprise.
'What's wrong with his personality? Why did it suddenly shift?'
She quickly nodded and opened her mouth. "I- I was walking home from school and- and then I tripped over an astronaut-" she sobbed again and then her shaking intensified as she began to speak about what she witnessed. "- then- then I saw that-" she pointed at the crime scene behind him and he nodded, expecting that that was the end of it but she continued speaking. "- and then-" She couldn't speak anymore.
She trembled a lot more than she already was and more tears fell.
She couldn't say it out loud because then it would become reality. She didn't want to accept this.
However suddenly she saw the words from earlier disappear and the body returned back to its original shape. She would've collapsed again then and there if it weren't for the police officer.
It seemed like he had noticed the shift in her emotional state. He quickly guided her back down to the ground. "Then what?" He asked slowly.
Nalda just pointed behind him again while shaking. "...moved…" she whispered.
He tensed up and slowly looked behind him. After a moment of staring and nothing happening he turned to her in confusion. "I'm sorry but it doesn't look like I'm seeing what you're seeing." He said with furrowed brows.
Now it was her turn to be confused. Did he not see that the letters disappeared? Did he not see that the body returned to its original state?
Just then words formed above his head created by smoke.
'No, he can not see this. No one except for you can. Do you accept this cooperation? Do you want to switch positions?'
Nalda froze up completely.
What was that even supposed to mean? She could barely focus on the police officer in front of her, who was clearly investigating the murder case that Nalda got involved in and now she had to deal with a supernatural situation on top of that?
And what did it mean by switch positions? Did it expect me to switch positions with the dead person? Wouldn't that kill Nalda? Then why did it threaten her about dying in a month?
Ah, yes she was going to die in a month.
Tears fell from her eyes again at that thought. She had two options, dying today or dying in a month.
She really wanted her big sister now. That was the fastest person she could come in contact with.
The police officer seemed flustered that Nalda was suddenly crying and panicked while trying to get her to stand up again. "Please calm down, I wasn't trying to tell you that you were imagining things! I wasn't accusing you either actually-"
He was cut off by the warning tone of the other officer. "Himi."
He snapped his mouth shut and frowned. It looked like he was reflecting on his mistakes.
Then the letters shifted and changed again into a different tekst.
'You are mistaken. You will die in a month but not today. Switching positions is a necessity to ensure your survival. Do you want to switch positions?'
Nalda blinked and calmed down a little at those words.
That meant that she had a chance. She had no clue who she was switching positions with but if there was even the slightest chance of survival…
But then she paused.
'Wait, why am I believing those words again? What if it's a shady ghost trying to take over my body? No, absolutely not. How did I fall for something like this?'
Nalda started calming down again at that thought. It wasn't even clear if what she saw was actually the truth, her hallucinations or a ghost searching for revenge.
Then she looked at the officer in front of her who was done reflecting and added another possibility to her list of possibilities. Which was that it was whatever he was trying to say before being cut off.
His eyes wandered around before landing on Nalda again. He seemed a bit uneasy, almost as if he made a discovery that he didn't want to make.
"I apologise but can I see your wrist?" He said in a serious tone.
Nalda blinked and then quickly showed him her wrist, which for some strange reason was stinging a little. She hadn't realised it before because she was too focused on the fact that she found a dead body and that she might die in a month.
She froze when she saw that it was injured. The officer's expression went from serious to grave.
On her wrist were multiple cuts that formed together a combination of one number and one letter.
1 M
What it meant exactly was not clear to Nalda but she could already somewhat guess what it meant.