Last Call, Sally.

The bar had quieted down as a woman in her 40's toyed with the drink in her hand. She spun the black straw counterclockwise, watching the ice rotate in a clunky circle. She laughed slightly as it stirred up a memory of when she was a child. She desperately wanted to do magic. She would try so hard to move the spoon in her chalky, Nesquick chocolate milk with her mind.

"Brenda, did you ever try to do...you know..." She laughed as she threw her hand up feeling kind of ridiculous. "Did you ever try doing magic as a kid? I always thought I could do it if I just tried hard enough." Leaning her left elbow into the bar top she placed her head in her hand as she stared at Brenda. The bartender had gotten quieter as the night had gone on. A phone rang behind the bar. Brenda didn't move.

"You know, Sally, that is the Last Call." Brenda wiped her glass; inspecting it in the dim light before wiping it again. The phone kept ringing.

"Oooooh-kaaaayyy. Well, give me my tab and I'll get out of here." Brenda gave her a sad smile. Why was she doing that? And wasn't she going to answer the damn phone? The ringing was shrill and annoying.

"It's the Last Call, Sal." Again Brenda seemed so sad.

"Yeah, I get it. Last call. Give me my tab and I'll get out of here." Looking for her purse Sally checked behind her, on the coat rings in front of her, the chairs next to her and on the floor. "Hey, uh, where is my purse?"

That damn phone kept going.

"Last Call, Sally." This time Brenda looked at the phone then back to Sally. "It's for you, hon." Confused, Sally looked around the bar. Something felt unnatural. Something told her the phone was for her. Something also told her that she didn't want to answer it. Was she the only one here? Wasn't she talking with Mike and Ronnie just a bit ago?

"Uh, I'll just pay you tomorrow, Brenda. Maybe I left my purse in the taxi. You know I'm good for it!" Giving Brenda a strained smile Sally got from her seat and headed towards the bar's front doors.

"Wait! Sally! You need to take the Last Call!" Brenda looked alarmed as Sally kept walking. Sally looked behind her. The bar was so dark. Did lights go out? Brenda didn't have a glass or towel in her hands anymore. The bar was fading? Sally paused at the door. Fussing her hands around in her jacket pockets she chewed on the inside of her cheek. Maybe she shouldn't have had that last drink.

That damn phone kept ringing. "God, Brenda just get that phone!"

"I can't. It's for you. Last Call." Brenda herself started to fade. Closing her eyes and pressing the heels of her hands into them, Sally refused to look. Something wasn't right.

"Uh, no. No, I'm good. Last call...I gotcha, Brenda. I'll go." Keeping her eyes closed she pushed out the front door.

"Sally, wait!"

The door closed behind her. The air felt cool with just a hint of warmth. It felt nice. Opening her eyes Sally smiled at the ocean before her. This was such a good place to be. Peering over her sunglasses she smiled as Ron reached for her hand.

"Have a nice nap, my love?" Sally stretched on her beach chair before meeting Ron's hand with her own. She nodded with a big smile. A coldness started in her toes. One that she chose to ignore.

"Where are Kathrine and Ray?" Ron's smile faltered.

"Why don't we get some more drinks sweetheart. God, I just love this place." The rush of the waves drowned out Ron's call for the drinks. Maybe he didn't hear her? Letting her hand fall from his she threw her right arm over the back of the chair. Where were the kids? Maybe they found a group of kids their age down the beach.

"Last Call." Sally sat up confused. Last call? It was the middle of the afternoon! This resort didn't stop the alcohol until 3am.

"Haha, oh man. Ron did you hear that? Last call? They must be pulling our leg." Sally laughed as she readjusted her sunglasses then her bikini top. That cold feeling had continued up her legs and laid in her stomach like a stone.

It was clenching.

Hard.

Uncomfortable.

Ron gazed at her lovingly. Lovingly and full of regret and sorrow. "It is the Last Call, Bug."

"Oh, stop it. It isn't that big of a deal. I just think it's silly that last call is at two in the afternoon!" Giving a short laugh it died off as a resort server held a tray with a phone on it.

It started to ring.

"Last Call, ma'am." Sally pulled back as much as her chair would allow. It was as if her body was rejecting the sight of it. Disgust pulled on her features. Desperately, Sally tried to form her face to neutral.

"I didn't bring my phone with me. Hahaha, and that isn't mine! I left it in the room. If last call isn't happening I would really like a Beachtini if you don't mind."

"Last Call is happening." The phone rang. Sally got up from her chair. Ron stood with her.

"Bug, it is time. You have to take the call."

"Why would I take a call on a phone that isn't mine?" Grabbing her hands Ron ran his thumbs over the tops of them. It was comforting and yet Sally realized that it was a reaction. Or a memory. She couldn't actually feel Ron holding her hands. "I - I don't understand..."

"You have to take it. Last Call, Sal. You have to -"

"No!" Pulling from him Sally turned and ran down the beach. Everything started to fade into a dim light. Soon she was running in darkness. Her feet slapped against the ground, echoing as if she was in a tunnel. A bright light caused her eyes to squint as she held up a hand. Slowly everything started to come together as the image in front of her took shape.

There she was with Ron, Ray and Kathrine. Flowers were next to her bed. Machines beeping. A cold hand lay on her shoulder. She didn't turn.

"I was hit in the crosswalk. I don't even know how long ago..."

"Yes. Two weeks ago." Death stood beside her. It was almost comical. He was in fact a skeleton with a cloak; hood and all.

"How do I go back?" Sally's voice was a whisper as she turned to face him. His skull mirrored the movement as gaping black holes for eyes bore into hers.

"I've been trying to give you the chance." Death's voice was so many layered voices. She could almost hear various loved ones on top of each other and yet, it was incredibly unique. "The Last Call." It dawned on her then. Every memory she was in was Death's way of trying to get her to take the phone.

"That...that gets me back to my body?" A slow nod. His bony hand left her shoulder and pointed back to the way she came. A ringing was off in the distance.

"If you miss this last call there is nothing more that I can do." Turning from her Death hovered by her hospital bed. It was either to take her or grant her a second chance.

"Why?"

"I always grant another chance to those that did not cause their death."

The ringing came again. Sally looked at her family, at herself and at Death once more. Her heart began to race. She had to get this. She had to make it to this Last Call. Turning to face the way she had come Sally broke into a run searching for the phone that would give her one last chance.