When I got outside the hospital; I still couldn’t find Lori anywhere. I started to walk around a bit, ending my little venture when I came to a small empty bench next to the emergency room sliding doors. It was freezing today, and I felt as though it was completely a surprise to me that it was the middle of winter. I sat down hugging myself for warmth. It occurred to me that I could be inside where it was warm, but I really didn’t want to be. I had been in that jail of a hospital for days and at least sitting outside made me feel a little more human.
I started to think again, over the last few weeks. Everything seemed so surreal, but somehow I accepted it for what it was. At least some of it anyway, whatever “it” was. But I couldn’t shake this feeling, one that told me that things would just get weirder from here.
I looked at the ground, attempting to kick a cigarette butt with my foot. Of course, I missed it by like an obvious 4 inches or so. I began to wonder if my depth perception was also failing me, on top of everything else.
Practically in a daze, it didn’t really register with me when my name was called.
“Brandiee??”
It sounded like a female’s voice, or so I guessed, still not coming back to reality completely.
“Bran?? Is that you?” I heard little foot-steps getting closer to me.
Then, I saw Laney in my face, automatically snapping out of wherever I was.
“Woah!” I sort of flew back a bit, completely surprised. “Laney, what are you doing here?!” Sounding way more shocked than I really felt.
“I called her.” Lori said, he was standing behind her with his arms crossed staring at the ground.
“Yeah, what he said.” She looked at him seeming a bit annoyed that he answered for her.
She sat beside me on the bench. Lori still stood looking at the ground tapping his foot simultaneously on the pavement.
I shot a look at him; he caught it out of the corner of his eye.
“Lori, what is going on? Care to fill me in?” I was more than aggravated now.
“You’re going with Laney.”
“Yeah,” She began, “He called me to come pick you up, and I’m guessing he didn’t tell you?” She also shot him a look.
“No, he didn’t.” I stood up, furious.
“Oh..Well, should I leave you two alone for a moment?” I could hear how awkward she felt in her voice.
“Yeah. Just for a minute.”
“She nodded and stood up, walking into the hospital lobby.
“Lori. What the hell?” I stood facing him, crossing my arms.
“I can’t explain now, Okay?” He was avoiding looking me in the eyes.
“Yes, you can.” I replied coldly.
I stood there glaring at him for a few seconds before he spoke.
“I can’t.”
“Don’t try and pull that shit on me, Lori. God, will you stop trying to be so damn mysterious and fucking tell me what the hell is going on?!”
I could tell people were staring, but I really didn’t care at this point.
“Brandiee, stop.” He shook his head.
“No!” I exclaimed, “YOU stop! Stop hiding everything from me like I’m a fucking child!”
He finally looked me in the eyes. “Brandiee, please. Let’s continue this in the car if we must.”
“What do you mean, “If we must”? I refuse to be left in the dark anymore!” I was basically screaming at him.
“Brandiee.” I was beginning to hate my name, since he was saying it so damn much.
I muttered “Fine,” and followed behind him as we walked to his car. I stuffed my hands in my pockets; they always sweat when I’m angry.
He opened my door and I threw myself in, grabbing the door and slamming it behind me.
As he shut his door behind him, he stared at me quietly, absolutely no emotion in his eyes.
I looked at him and furrowed and eyebrow, trying to indicate that I wanted an explanation. I was still raging inside but tried my best to compose myself on the outside.
“So, you know those visions you’ve been seeing recently?” He questioned me still not making any expression whatsoever.
My eyes widened and I felt my heart stop momentarily in my chest. I couldn’t answer so I just nodded slowly.
“Yeah, well, I know all about that.” He confirmed.
“H-how?” was all I could seem to say.
“I’m sure you have some idea how Brandiee. You know how it was me who put you in the trance that sent you into a coma. Don’t act dumb. You know it was me; you just refuse to put the pieces together. And it’s the same thing with the visions. Except I am not the one doing that, but it’s all the same concept.”
I was completely taken aback now. Somewhere in my mind, I knew he was the cause of most of this, but I didn’t believe it until now.
“Who is it, then?” My voice was a little less shaky this time even if I had no idea how, I was still just as floored as I was not even a minute or two ago.
“Think about it.” He said with a small grin, “whose body are you in when these visions occur?”
And then it hit me, like a ton of bricks. Which only confirmed what has been going on all along.
“Roxyanne..” I whispered without even thinking.
“Exactly. And do you know why it is her you inhabit and not Evant?”
I shook my head, that I didn’t know.
“Because of this, you are her link, or in other words, line to this world. You are the only sense of humanity she has left. She has let you walk through these various moments of the past in order to weaken your own spirit. Her main goal is to rid you of your own spirit so that she can completely inhabit your body, so that you would really be her. That means, well, you would cease to exist. “
“Wha—t?” My voice shook again.
I didn’t want to believe all of this, but I knew somewhere deep inside that it was indeed the truth.
He nodded. “I’m sure you are wondering what part Evant has in all of this as well.”
“Ye—eah..”
“Well, think about it. Who has been by your side all these years without fail?”
“You..” I immediately knew the answer to that one.
“Yes. And the day we met back in 7th grade was the day I made the deal with Evant. Which without my knowledge, sealed your fate.”
“What do you mean?”
“Evant’s spirit came to me on that day, as crazy at it may sound. He made a deal with me that if I let him share my soul with me that I would live forever and that I would gain abilities that would make me invincible. And being a stupid 13 year old, I agreed. But, he didn’t tell me the catch until recently. He neglected to fill me in on the fact that his ex-fiancé would do all she could to inhabit the soul of the woman I love years down the road. He also didn’t fill me in that Roxyanne would stop at nothing to be with Evant again, even if that meant taking you and your soul away from me.”
I choked down the huge lump in my throat, fighting back tears.
“But, why did they attach to us of all people?”
He sighed and completely locked gazes with me. “Because we were the last one’s to see them alive.”
