My fingers glided across the keyboard, typing with comprehension only I could compete with. Or that was what I liked to believe. This was only the school project I needed to work on for weeks, after all. I stopped, and leaned back in my swivel chair. I daydreamed, feeling my thoughts dissolve in the endless sea of my mind.

A few minutes later and I heard the oven chime. That was my cue. I turned off my laptop, and hopped off my chair, running through the open door. My house wasn't that fancy. The hardwood floors were worn out, and creaked when someone stepped along it. The peeling color on the walls needed to be repainted. Pictures of art I made hung on the walls.

I ran down the stairs, being swift and precise in my movements. I was so graceful that my footsteps didn't make a sound, which was odd because these stairs are as squeaky as a rusty spring in a couch. I made it to the carpet on the first floor. It was a light, cream color, and was slightly rough from all the years of being used. I ran to the kitchen, where the oven was.

The reason I was here, was because dad had texted me that he accidentally left lasagna in the oven when he departed for work... which is weird. What the hell, dad? He said he was in a hurry, but that's no excuse to trust me in watching the lasagna.

Anyways, it was time to take it out. I reached and turned the oven off, hearing a beep from the button I pressed. I bent down and opened a drawer, putting on silicone oven mitts. Swiftly closing the drawer, I opened up the oven and carefully took out the lasagna. I set it on the counter, and took off my mitts before taking in a whiff. It smelled delicious, and I couldn't wait to eat it.

I sighed. "Oh how I'd wish this would cool down faster..."

I slumped, and twirled around, moving away from the counters. It was somewhat early in the morning, and dad was bound to be gone for most of the day. Thankfully today was Sunday. I would have this entire day to myself, before I had to return to school tomorrow. Well... in-person school, I meant. This is still a pandemic, but because vaccines are here, the schools have opened up again. I was ecstatic about it! I wanted to be with my friends, or at least be able to interact with others again.

I squealed to myself. "April, Kenya, Alisa... you have no idea what's coming!"

I spun around, bouncing across the floor, not hearing anything... weird. I came to a stop and looked down at the floor. Why are you so quiet today? I lifted my leg, and stomped the floor with all my might. To my horror, no sound came. I felt the force, but I didn't hear anything.

"What is happening..?" I croaked, crouching down to the floor and feeling it with my hands.

I still felt its texture, but it didn't feel me. I felt myself, only to freeze up in shock. I had no texture. Every bit of me, from my clothing to my skin and hair, had no texture. Like solid space.

"I need to test things." I declared, standing up.

I went to the kitchen counters again, and picked up a butterknife that had been laying around. I held it above the floor, and let it drop. With a loud clatter, it hit the hardwood, its noise echoing across the room. But when I hit the floor with my hand, no sound came. No pain came either, only proving my suspicions further.

"If I can't feel pain from that, then..." I murmured.

There is only one thing I can do now to determine what is happening. If I am dreaming, I will wake up at the feeling of burning pain. If not, then... I came up to the lasagna. It was still hot from being in the oven. Hesitantly, I moved my hands closer and closer to the pan it rested on. Until... I was holding the pan with my bare hands.

It was very hot, but I didn't feel pain. I didn't want to jerk away. It was just hot.

I let go of the pan and moved away. "Nononono.... this has to be a dream..."

I felt myself tremble as thoughts flooded my head, and then I stopped. I ran to the bathroom, where a mirror was. I stared at the mirror. I had no reflection. I wasn't there in the mirror world, even when I held the soap in front of the mirror. It was just floating there, like I didn't exist.

I set the soap down and went to my room. Someone exactly like me was sleeping in my bed, cold to the touch. Lifeless.

This confirmed it.

I was dead.