Rogue bundled herself as usual, long coat, hood up, opera gloves to the elbow, boots up to the knee. This was her daily routine, and it wouldn't be so unusual if it wasn't the middle of August and a hundred degrees outside.
The heat was sweltering under all those layers, but it was necessary, and it was her turn for a supply run.
The day was bright as she headed down the walkways lined with shops, double checking her list, and wondering in amazement at how anyone could need so much stuff.
Rogue was distracted with her duties and the prospect of getting out the heat and out of her confining layers...

I died today.
I knew I dressed different.
I knew it wasn't safe.
But still I went out.

It hit her out of 'd forgotten to study; her worst subject and she'd forgotten to study. She was gonna fail and Scott was gonna have her head.
But why should she have to study on her birthday? People could be so unfair sometimes.
Like Jamie. James Madrox, a new student whom Rogue had taken to hanging out with. He had promised her a surprise for her birthday, but all her attempts to discern what it was had failed, and he wasn't helping matters.
People could be so cruel...

I dreaded the math test we'd have today
But Jamie said he'd have a surprise for me.
Today is my birthday.

The swarm hit her fast and hit her hard.
She didn't know what provoked it and she didn't care. She cursed her layers for not allowing her to access the one thing that could save her...

But there would be no test.
No surprise.
Jamie would always be waiting.
I died today.

It was over fast, for them at least.
For her it took forever.
Forever for the pain to dull her senses and her breathing to slow.
Forever for something to tear inside her and her lungs to fill with the blood that once pumped through her heart only minutes ago.
That was a lifetime ago.
Part of her laughed at that joke...

They buried me today.
There was no viewing.
There was nothing left to see.
No one cried.

They buried me today.

They disposed of the body that once held a life less human, in a back alley.
Found an old fish market and dumped her in among the trash in the dumpster. The smell would cover the decay and the compacter would handle the rest.
Gave a whole new meaning to the term 'sleeping with the fishes', the life in the body would have found that funny.
If it could have felt anything at all...

I knew I dressed different.
I knew it wasn't safe.
But still I went out.

Jamie walked through the halls, he caught Logan as the older man thundered down the stairs.
"Hey, have you seen Rogue"?
"Nope, she's probably out trying to avoid all the birthday cheer, she'll turn up".

I died today.
I knew I dressed different.
I knew it wasn't safe.
But still I went out.

I dreaded the math test we'd have today
But Jamie said he'd have a surprise for me.
Today is my birthday.

But there would be no test.
No surprise.
Jamie would always be waiting.
I died today.

They buried me today.
There was no viewing.
There was nothing left to see.
No one cried.

They buried me today.

I knew I dressed different.
I knew it wasn't safe.
But still I went out.