Zero

Ten. I heard the word echo through my brain, as if a shadow had just crossed another, darkening the grey clouds of thought. Nine. I must be going crazy. Hearing numbers in my head. But I couldn't seem to convince my mind to abandon the numbers. Eight. It's a countdown. But that was all I knew. I didn't know what was going to happen when the clock hit zero. Seven. I looked around my bedroom, and couldn't find anything that seemed to scream hallucinogen. I looked out through my window. Six. There was a cloaked figure standing in the grass, not lifting their head enough for me to see their face. Five. I opened my window. "What are you doing?! What is this countdown?!" They still didn't move. Four. "ANSWER ME!" At that, the figure lifted its head, exposing it's hollow eyes. In them, I saw nothing, but at the same time, I saw everything. I saw universes uncharted, and lives unseen. Three. "Who are you?" As the ageless face stared into my eyes, I could feel my existence unraveling. Two. "What is happening to me? Can you help me? Please, I don't-" One. "Oh." As I looked into the eyes of the stranger, it finally clicked. "I- I think I get it. I understand." Zero.