Valentine
Hello readers, this is my first post on this site. I hope you enjoy it. Here's is some background on the story. The idea came to me when I was observing daily life at school. I realized that people hate answering questions. Especially the ones that make them question their values. After school, I decided I was going to write something along those lines. I wanted it to be powerful, and intense. Please tell me what you think.
Questions in the Dark
“How much do you value life?” The man asked, if he was a man. His voice echoed in shaking vibratos across the expanse of nothingness. The voice remained silent, tenderly searching for an answer in the silence. Even without words of persuasion, the silence tugged away at the girl’s mind. She promised herself she wouldn’t answer, swearing she would shake this madness away. The silence pulled her forward, striking up the flames of thought in her mind. She shuddered, petrified at her answer, scared as she was forced to look into herself. Slowly her lips wavered, and opened.
“I don’t know what you mean,” she replied, and immediately began to attempt to reassure herself with lies. She was answered with more silence. This time the silence was harsh and chilling. It spoke into her, telling her she new exactly what it meant. Her hands clamped shut, sweaty, and again she looked into herself, weary of what she would find. The answer was clear now, as she began to accept it. “I value life above anything else,” she said, gradually bolder with each word.
“Why do you value life?” The man asked, if he was a man. The question rang in her ears painfully. This question was harder, and instantly she felt herself closing in on herself. More lies sprang in her mind, making it increasingly easier to brush it off and not question her values. But there was only one way out of this.
“Without life, there is nothing,” the girl stammered. A chill spread down her back, ending with a shiver. She smashed her lips shut, causing a small bead of blood to trickle down her mouth.
“Are you a religious person?” The man asked, if he was a man.
“Yes, I’ve been to church,” she replied, in a high pitched scream, “Why do you care?”
“Then you’ll know,” he began, ignoring her question, “that it’s a sin to lie.”
▪▫▪
The girl slammed the door shut, completely smothering the sounds of shouting the rose up the stairwell. She quickly locked the door and stepped into the bathroom. Her hand brushed away the tears and hair that mingled on her face. Her lips wavered as she stood in front of the bathroom mirror. Her lip curled up in disgust. Angrily, she slammed her fist into the mirror, which cracked and opened thin red lines on her knuckles. She tore away from the mirror, ignoring the throbbing pain in her hand, and began to search for something in the cupboard. Her arm completely disappeared and then reappeared holding a coil of robe. She pulled the shower curtain back tied one end of the rope onto the metal bar. Her chest rose heavily up and down but she remained still for a moment, then she tied a loop, and slipped her head through.
▪▫▪
“How much do you ‘really’ value life?” The man asked, if he was a man. The girl remained quiet; her fingers absently caressed the faint scars on her neck. Tears slowly gathered around her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
“I-I hated myself. I thought it would fix my problems,” she said in a faint whisper.
“So, you’ve learned?” The man asked, if he was a man.
“Yes! I would never do that again!” She sobbed, “I was just lucky the bar gave out.” A few moments later, her lips opened. “Why are you asking me this?” She asked pleadingly.
“Simple, because you’re dead,” the man replied, if he was a man. The girl’s eyes opened in disbelief. Her hands swept over her body, and she cried out as she felt warm blood on her fingertips.
“What happened to me?” The girl asked, tasted bitter blood in her mouth.
“You died,” The man replied, if he was a man.
“Then how-how am I here?” She cried out.
“Because your soul never dies Emily,” The man began, if he was a man. “You’ll always be alive. Living on Earth is simply your chance on being able to live with me forever,” Emily hung her head, exasperated, “Just tell me one thing Emily.”
“What?” She asked tiredly.
“Promise me that you’ll be more careful. Promise me that you value life above anything else.” The man said, if he was a man.
“Who are you?” Emily pleaded.
“Some day you’ll know. I love you Emily.” The man finished, if he was a man. Emily’s eyes fluttered shut.
“Clear!” A voice echoed in her head. She felt electricity jolt through her body in an intoxicating current. She opened her mouth to scream.
▪▫▪
The girl’s body was limp on the hospital bed. Bandages covered most of her face, and body was completely invisible under the bed sheets. Her room was empty except for a visitor who sat in the corner of the room. He stared at her from behind his shaded glasses, until he stood up, smoothed his suit, and exited into the hallway.
He walked briskly down the hallway until he reached a specific nurse, who was busily writing behind a desk.
“The patient in room 40 is awake,” The man said, and immediately turned and walked away. One thing is certain. He was definitely not a man.
The End
Valentine
I think this was a very interesting idea. It is something like you said that people don't want to think about and often haven't and I think you were brave to tackle something like this. But it seemed a little confusing. You didn't exactly tell where the girl was in the beginning so when she is away from the man I was confused. I'd like to think she was trying to attempt suicide when the man was speaking? Maybe she was just thinking about it? But you didn't tell me so I don't know. I hope I'm right but it would be better if you expanded a tad more and told where she was and what her surroundings are. And also we don't know exactly what happened to Emily. One second she was attempting suicide then the next she is dead but why would there be bandages around her if she hung herself? 
So, you might want to clear that up... or you could leave it as is, because I rather like the fact that she thinks she's dead from her attempted suicide and then wakes up. Like peanut mentioned, some of her wounds seem odd without the information about the car crash, so that would need to be cleared up, but I'll leave that to your discretion. 
