Detached

Awakened

The chemistry between Seb and I was undeniable. Sometimes I wondered if it was only because we were "twins". I didn't like that thought. Axel was right, what happens when they send me home? It's illegal to date your "sister". I would be tortured if I went home with the family...Kinda like they'd be tortured if I left..

I avoided Axel at all causes. I couldn't face him. He was right about the kiss, I had felt it too. The lie I fed myself was that it was my first time kissing a wanderer and that's just how it feels. We all know the truth, right? I decided to risk seeing Axel and visited my hospital room early that morning. To my surprise, much of my family was there, including Jazz. I found Axel at once.

"Axel, what's going on?" I said.

"You're awake, Willow. The soul is still inside you."

"Oh. My. God. This is bad." I said. "What do we do?!"

"Maybe you should have thought about that when you were making out with your brother-boyfriend." Okay so when he put it like that it sounded bad.

"I wasn't making out with him- this isn't the time to hate me!" I said.

"You walked away when I kissed you, Willow." He said.

"I know and I'm sorry. I'm scared, Axel. And for more than one reason now!" I said.

"Willow. Thank God there you are!" The doctor that helped me before said.

"What's going on?" I said.

"Your body is awake..and so is your soul. She hasn't said anything yet but your parents are trying to communicate. I'm going to try to get her out of there so that you can get back into your body." She said.

"Get back into my body?" I said.

"Isn't that what you want?" She said and Axel shot me a look.

"Yeah. Of course. What if- What if she talks to my parents?" I asked.

"The doctor, your parents, who ever's there will make up an excuse as to why it doesn't sound like you. It's what society does when they can't explain something. They make up anything that sounds normal to try to explain what's happening." She said. I nodded. "One more thing, Willow."

"Yes?" I said.

"Do you remember when I'd said I'd only seen this once before?" I nodded. "We couldn't get the soul out. She turned rogue, Willow."

"Rogue?" I said.

"Unnaturally bad, um evil. We had to kill the body."

"What happened to the real soul?" I asked.

"She's still here walking around this hospital. Telling people her story."

"Can I meet her?" I asked.

"You did. That soul was me, Willow." She replied. I saw Axel's hard expression change to shock.

"You?! I thought you said you still work in the hospital?" I said.

"I do. I took over someone else's body, Willow. Granted the soul was long gone and the body was dying. It was an old woman who had no family. It's very dangerous though. I still get her thoughts every now and then. You can never fully take over. Sometimes I get flash backs of different, horrific events. I just have to get out. I shouldn't have done it, Willow. It's not healthy." She said. I swallowed hard and then nodded. "If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to find me. And Willow?"

"Yes?"

"Don't end up like me. Taking over someone's body isn't fair." She said and with that she was gone. I turned to Axel.

"Hate to say I told you so." He said with a smile. I hit him on the arm and then hugged him. It was all I could do to help feel some sort of normality. He held me there for a long time. The warmth between us was amazing. "Willow." He said.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" I said and looked up at him.

"I mean, well you're going through so much already and I just add to it. I just don't want to be alone for the rest of my life. And when I kissed you I felt so right. Like I could deal with this if I had you here. When in fact all I'm doing is making things harder on you. I can deal with us being friends..but promise me something?" He said.

"What?" I said.

"You won't leave me?" He said.

"No, Axel. I won't leave you." I said and he smiled.

"Okay. And don't tell anyone about my queer speech right there. It'll ruin my rep among these halls." He said.

"You have a "rep"?" I said with a laugh.

"Yeah. I know you're jealous."

The soul continued to stay silent and like the doctor said, they made up and excuse as to why. Apparently my amnesia was so bad I'd forgotten how to talk. Who would have thought? Axel promised to watch things in my real hospital room while I went back to Sophie's. I was glad Axel and I were on good terms again.

"You sleep like the dead, you know that?" Seb said.

"Mm. You have no idea." I mumbled.

"Grandma and grandpa Luey are coming to visit today." He said with grin.

"What's that face for?" I said.

"Oh, you'll see." He laughed and at that moment an elderly couple came in. The woman was very short and plump and the man was very tall and thin.

"Samantha.Oh, Samantha! We were so worried."

"Grandma. Grandma! Her name is Sophie." Seb said.

"Goodness Bryan. Did you loose weight?" Seb rolled his eyes.

"It's Sebastian, Grandma." I stifled out a laugh.The old woman walked over to the old man who was eyeing my prescription medications.

"Benji. Benji what room are we in again?" She asked.

"Your grand kids, Maurene. Sebastian and Sophie." He said.

"Sebastian and Sophie live in Georgia!" She said.

"We're in Georgia!" Benji yelled back.

"Don't take that tone with me young man! I will take you right back to the car, Bryan!"

"Maurene, I'm Benji, not Bryan!" He said. By now it was all Sebastian and I could do not to laugh. The next thing we knew Grandpa was chasing Grandma down the hall telling her that there were no ghosts in my room. I was laughing so hard it hurt.

"They really are great." Seb said. "Grandma forgets to take her meds a lot of times. She's "forgetful"." He said with laugh. I looked into his big brown eyes and he held my gaze."You're different, Soph." He said.

"I am?" I asked.

"I can't quite put my finger on it. Those eyes. They aren't yours." He said and I quickly looked away.

"Yeah they are. What are you talking about?" I said.

"I don't know. Never mind. Hey, uh, Gabby's here. I'll be back in a bit. We're gonna get some lunch." He said, kissed my forehead, and left the room. I decided to go check on my body.

"What's the verdict?" I asked Axel when I saw him. He looked at me apprehensively.

"She's talking. A lot. They know something's up. We gotta get her out, Willow." He said. I took a closer look. My mother had a panicked look on her face and my dad was crying. Jazz sat on the chair with a deer in the head lights type look.

"Tonight." I said. "We have to get her out tonight."

"What if she doesn't travel, Willow?" He said.

"Then we do some serious damage. She has to travel sometime. It's in my blood." I said and at that moment I swear she looked right at me, almost mocking, with this hateful grin on her face. I shivered. This couldn't go on any longer. I had to do something. No one was going to take over my body.