***

The weather is nice enough to go out and walk in the park. At least, that's what I thought for the first 5 minutes. But then I ran into a little girl, maybe 5 or 6, playing with her older brother. The parents were sitting on the soft, juicy grass, beaming. I looked at them and realized they'd be all dead by midnight. A car accident.

What you're thinking right now must be something along the lines of 'what the fuck is wrong with you?!'. The answer is: a lot. Shitty childhood, insecurities, no prospects for future... you name it. The biggest problem, however, is this uncanny ability of mine. To put it shortly, when I look at someone, I know when and how they'd die.

I have no idea how it works, it just happens. What's worse, I can't really do anything about it. Honestly, how am I supposed to react? Walk up to a random person and say 'You have cancer, go and get your lungs checked'? I've tried before and it never ends well. People either freak out and run away or call the police.

I don't remember when it started. Maybe I had it since birth, maybe it came later. For years I kept it a secret and led what seemed like a normal life. The only difference was that I'd never be surprised when someone died. I always knew beforehand.

But last summer I couldn't take it anymore and told my older sister everything. I didn't ask for help, I just wanted someone to know and understand. Well, she didn't. At first she thought I was joking, but then she acted like a reasonable human being: she called the psychiatrist. If I didn't act quickly, I'm sure I'd have ended up in the mental asylum. I had to leave.

I've been on a run for the last year. Different places, names, haircuts, jobs, people... Only this goddamn 'insight' stays the same.

'Are you crying, miss?'
I look around, dumbstruck. The little girl stands next to me and there is moist on my cheeks indeed.
'Yeah, I... I guess I'm a little sad'
'Oh, don't be! It's a nice day, go and be happy, like me! I'm going to amusement park with mum, dad and big brother and I'm sooooo happy!'
'Um, that's great... have fun'
'I will! Bye!'

She puts a wild daisy on my lap and there she goes to join the rest. They seem so happy, like a typical loving family. That's so fucking unfair I want to cry again.

And then it hits me. I get up and run after them, a daisy in tow.
'Excuse me! I heard you want to go to the amusement park, right? I'm afraid it's closed today, technical maintenance or something. Just wanted to save you a trip'
All four of them look at me, disappointed.
'But there's a cinema just around the corner. They have a Disney marathon starting soon, so...'
The kids recover instantly and the parents smile.
'Thanks, that's very considerate of you. We'll go to the cinema, then'

And so they did. I sit on a bench, put a daisy behind my ear and close my eyes. Did I outsmart death? Will they be spared or die in different circumstances? I have no idea. Somehow I'm sure I'll never know. But for the first time in months, I feel good about myself.