The Ten Things She Said While Dying: An Annotation

In the few seconds she had before the light of her world winked out forever, the dying human being said the following ten things:
“Oh God.
“It hurts.
“It hurts.
“Help me.
“Somebody please help me.
“Anybody.
“Holy Shit What Are You?”
“Oh, God.
“Please.
“Mommy.”

Her name was Robyn Howlett, and she was twenty-two years old. Robyn was an alien creature to me, product of conditions wholly at odds with those that produced my kind. She spoke in a language I had never heard. Nevertheless, I understood everything she said. It is the nature of my kind to understand everything that is spoken in our presence, a necessary adaptation given…