Immortal Mistakes

that was real, wasn't it?

"I need to see Susan and Felipe."

"You need to go to the clinic and scan away your injuries," Henry said.

Chloe's hip throbbed and her face felt raw but she wanted to keep the pain. It was hers. She put a hand on Henry's shoulder and stood, keeping the weight off her left leg and trying not to wince. "Later, maybe. First I need to know they're not here because of me."

Henry stood too, weaving his arm around her waist. "Who? Susan and Felipe. Of course they're not here because of you. They've been here for months. Susan for a couple of years, I think."

"Months? But I saw them. Last Friday. We all went to that stupid dancing competition and Felipe won. There were hundreds of people there. Everyone saw him. It made the news feed." Chloe looked up at Henry to make sure he was listening. "That was the day before you went to Lake Wivenhoe. The day before you died."

"You need to get some rest, Koala. Eat something. Get a scan."

Chloe wrenched Henry's arm off her waist and pushed his chest away. "I don't need a scan. The scans are the problem. Don't you see what they're doing here? I know you came through my clinic today. That's why I'm here. I know I saw all three of you last week. I -" Chloe stopped. She didn't know. 

She stamped her left foot and felt pain shooting through her. She ripped the new scab off the side of her face and rubbed the fresh blood between her fingers. That was real, wasn't it?