I stumbled along the dark road, my mind reeling from everything that had just happened. The crash, the reaper, my miraculous healing – it all felt like a surreal dream. Or nightmare. I wasn't sure which yet.

Suddenly, a pair of headlights pierced the darkness behind me. I froze, unsure whether to hide or seek help. Before I could decide, the car slowed to a stop, and a man's voice called out the passenger window, "Whoa, hey there! You okay?"

I turned, squinting against the bright lights, only to get met by a different light. A light that made me wonder if I'd hit my head harder than I thought.

Sure, there was a man behind the wheel, but all I could see was that his skin was glowing a shimmering shade of gold. That's when I looked down at my own body and realized I was also lit up, a glowing gray that shouldn't have been possible. What the hell had happened to my eyes?

As my vision adjusted, I finally saw the man behind the lights. He seemed to be around my age, maybe a few years older, with bleach blond hair and bronze skin that screamed 'surfer' even though we were in Chicago. He leaned over towards the open passenger window, his golden aura pulsing gently.

"I... I don't know," I stammered, mesmerized by the ethereal light. "You're glowing."

He chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Glowing? Man, that's a new one. I'm guessing that gnarly wreck back there was yours? Looks like you might've taken a hit to the noggin."

I nodded dumbly, still transfixed by his aura. He quickly pulled over ahead of me, got out of the car, and approached, his movements relaxed yet purposeful. If this guy was some kind of threat, he was doing a great job of playing it cool.

"I'm Carter," he said with an easy smile. "Let's get you some help, yeah? Mind if I call 911?"

"Kal," I managed to reply. "I'm Kal. And I... I don't think I need an ambulance. I'm fine." As fine as someone who just fought off the Grim Reaper could be, anyway.

Carter's eyebrows shot up. "Fine? After a crash like that? Trust me, you need to get checked out. It's all good, I'll make the call."

As he pulled out his phone, I found myself drawn to him. There was something about Carter – beyond the inexplicable glow – that radiated kindness and a free-spirited warmth. Why didn't I deserve someone like him in my life? Someone who didn't make me feel like a complete failure?

While Carter spoke to the 911 operator, I tried to gather my thoughts. The reality of what I'd done – what I'd almost done – began to sink in. I needed to call Kat.

"My phone," I said suddenly, interrupting Carter's call. "It's... in the car, maybe? I need to call my sister."

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Carter ended his call and handed me his phone. "Here, use mine. No worries."

My hands shook as I tried to dial Kat's number. Carter gently steadied my hands with his, and I felt a surge of comfort at his touch. "Here, let me," he said softly, taking the phone back and dialing for me.

The call went to voicemail – not surprising, given it was an unknown number. Carter offered to send a text instead.

"Tell her I'm okay," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Tell her... tell her I'm sorry." Sorry for being such a screwup. Sorry for almost leaving her alone.

Carter typed out the message, his fingers moving swiftly across the screen. As we waited for a response, the sound of approaching sirens filled the air.

"Cavalry's almost here," Carter said, pocketing his phone. "I'll hang around until your sister shows up, cool?"

I nodded, grateful for his presence. As the ambulance pulled up, followed closely by a police car, I found myself clinging to Carter's arm. He seemed to sense my fear and placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder.

"Hey, it's all gonna be alright," he murmured. "I'm not going anywhere. We're in this together."

Who was this guy, and why did I allow him to care for me? I was still confused about everything that had happened to me today. For all I knew, he could be Death's friendly cousin, here to finish the job.

The next few hours passed in a blur. I was taken to the hospital, poked and prodded by doctors who seemed baffled by my lack of injuries. Every one of their bodies glowed like Carter's. I tried to tell them what I saw, but it only resulted in them examining my eyes and ordering a scan of my head.

Carter remained a constant presence, his golden glow a beacon of comfort in the chaos. He regaled me with stories of his travels, mentioning he was a travel blogger who often took off on a whim to catch a good story. That he was gone more than he was home, even though Chicago was his home.

And he offered me a burrito from Taco Bell. That made me laugh, but he said he's glad he had a late-night craving, otherwise, who knew how long until someone found me wandering on the road. I had to admit, near-death experiences did make a girl hungry.

Then Kat arrived, her face pale with worry. "Kal!" she cried, rushing to my side. "Oh my God, are you okay? What happened?"

Before I could answer, I noticed someone else enter the room – Phillip, my boyfriend. Clarification: ex-boyfriend as of tonight. His face twisted into a scowl. But what made me gasp was the sickly green light that surrounded him, pulsing and writhing like a living thing. Why was he different than everyone else?

And why did I know I should kick him out, but his unearthly green glow made me want to have him stay? It was like looking at a car wreck – horrifying, but impossible to look away from.

"Kal?" Kat's voice brought me back to reality. "The doctor says you hit your head pretty hard. How are you feeling?"

"I... I'm fine," I said, forcing a smile. "Just a little confused, I guess." Understatement of the century.

As the room filled with doctors and nurses, each asking questions and checking vitals, I lost sight of Carter. By the time things calmed down enough for me to look for him, he was gone.

My heart sank. I hadn't even had the chance to thank him. As Kat fussed over me and Phillip hovered in the background, his green aura making me feel oddly intrigued, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd ever see Carter again.

What I did know was that something had changed within me. The glowing auras, my miraculous healing, the grim reaper and the scythe – none of it made sense. But as I lay there in the hospital bed, surrounded by the swirling colors of people's souls, I realized that my failed attempt to end my life had actually been a new beginning.

I just had no idea what I was beginning. But something told me it was going to be interesting.