Fate My Darling

Switched

I stared at the truck hurtling my way.

Oh God, I thought and then everything went black.

I jerked upwards only to find myself encased by large hands. Whaaat?!

The last thing that I remember is my car being smashed by a truck. I recalled the person behind the steering wheel. Her. The woman that stole everything from me, my family, my lover, my friends, and eventually my life. I looked around.

I had zoned out, ignoring the woman and man embracing me, but now I knew. I knew that they were my parents. And they loved me. I felt tears leak out my eyes. Tears of happiness. For I had finally found a home.

Reincarnation might not actually be that bad of a thing. I thought.

Oh, if only I knew what was to come.

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

I was now a few months old, and I loved my parents with all of my heart, relishing in the attention that I never had in my past life.

My name was Ella, and I was the only daughter of two extremely rich and loving parents. I lived the life that I had always wanted.

But I should have known.

That good things never last.

One night I was sleeping soundly when I woke up with a start. "BANG!" I heard screams. Gunshots. And I was absolutely useless. Suddenly, my maid appeared. She bundled me in many blankets and placed me in a basket. She shushed me, and I knew that she was trying to hide me from the intruders. I did not make a sound as she hurried out of the mansion into the brisk night air. She ran, with me bouncing in her hands until she could run no more. She breathed heavily and glanced around. She then hid me under a bush, once again telling me to be quiet. I could understand how urgent the situation was. She then rushed back to the house so that the intruders would not notice anything out of place.

I waited. And I waited. But no one came.

Minutes became hours and I was starting to get hungry.

I could not help my baby instincts to start crying, but I tried my best to restrain myself. I whimpered, feeling tears crowd my eyes. Did she forget about me? I waited for several more hours, and now could not restrain my wails.

I cried until I had no more tears, but then I heard footsteps. I peered over, hoping that it was the maid, but she was not there. Instead there was a grisly man. I felt fear. Was he one of my pursuers?

I shut up immediately, but then realized that my wariness was unneeded when I saw him pick me up carefully. He seemed indignant. "I can't believe those irresponsible women, leaving a baby in the woods all by herself." he muttered.

He carefully carried me away from my hiding place and into a car. I once more got worried, but he didn't seem like a bad person. He kept on driving for a while until we arrived at our destination. I looked around me. It was an orphanage. He smiled and talked to the woman at the front explaining where he found me and so on. The woman seemed sympathetic. She took me in her arms and started talking to me. I didn't catch onto her words, after all of the commotion today I was starting to get tired. I yawned then drifted off into sleep.

Meanwhile, in the forest the maid was frantically searching. She had been held back by police officers who wished to hear and investigate everyone involved in the case. She had rushed back as soon as she could, but the baby was no longer there. Oh no, she thought. The mistress will kill me. She will make it so that I will never be able to find employment again. She will sell my child. She will make my life a living hell. The maid then resolved herself. She ran back to the mansion, but not before stopping at her house first. She picked up her daughter and wrapped her in blankets and changed her clothes. Thankfully, both of the babies were about the same age so it would not be easy to tell the difference until they were older. She kissed her daughter's head before running back towards the mansion. "You, my dear darling, are now named Ella."