driving that road in the middle of the night. But I prayed. I prayed for God to send someone to help me.”
Justin clears his throat. “And he did,” he says quietly.
I nod. “He did. I don’t know who he was, but I climbed into his truck. The last thing I remember before waking up in the hospital is praying the guy driving that truck wouldn’t kill me. Not like there was anything I could do about it. I think it was the blood loss or the exertion, but I passed out mid-prayer.” Numbly, I wipe the tears from my cheeks I didn’t realize I was crying. “And that’s the night I died.”
I finish and sit quietly to let Justin process what I’ve told him. He’s eerily quiet and still. I watch him. He’s not looking at me or doing anything really. While it feels good to have it in the open, his reaction is what I feared all along. He’s freaking out.
“Say something. Please.”
He doesn’t. It’s my turn to sit patiently and wait for the panic to pass. I’m waiting for a reaction or more questions. Neither comes. Deciding I’ve embarrassed myself enough for one night, I slip my socks and boots on and pick up my jacket. It’s my turn to leave.
6 - Time
Two days pass. I haven’t had any nightmares, and I haven’t heard from Justin either. I don’t know what I expected, but I had hoped at some point he would have called or texted me. I guess it was too much for him.
Kate bursts into my room. “Wake up! You’re going to be late.”
I laugh. “I’m not going to be late. This is my usual alarm time.”
“What? You never have to wake up with an alarm.” Her expression shifts from panicked friend to saucy friend.
I shrug and force a timid smile.
“Whatever!” She exclaims as she storms to the door. Turning back to me, she says, “We’ll talk over breakfast. Hurry up!”
I shower and dress for work. Applying a little bit of makeup, I think how Irma was right, as always. At some point, I need to call her. The thought reminds me that I owe Rhae a call to update her on Irma’s health.
Kate makes breakfast. I tell her how I left Justin stunned after our chat, and that I haven’t heard from him since. She is lost for words, which is just weird for Kate. I dismiss myself before it can get any weirder and head to work.
Work is typical. The only exception is how light I feel as I breeze around doing all my normal daily tasks. Although, I haven’t seen Justin, I’m all the better for having told him.
For the first couple of days, I feared I would see him, or that he would tell someone else and the rumor-mill would get cranked up. It hasn’t happened, and I know I’m over-thinking it.
When lunch rolls around, I consider a mad dash to Irma’s house again, but think better of it. Instead, I decide to eat alone and give Rhae a call. As I approach the café a few blocks from work, I hear a voice that sparks a memory. Fear lances through my heart, and I stop walking. “ It can’t be!” I turn toward the sound of the voice, and that’s when I see Kent.
I plaster myself flat against the wall of the building and peer around as he’s leaving the office building next to the café. His hair is longer, and slicked back. Other than that, it doesn’t seem that the last five years have affected him. He’s shaking hands with a man in a suit. They exchange pleasantries, and Kent walks down the street in the opposite direction from me. My knees falter, and I feel myself sliding toward the ground. My brain spirals into old memories, and I know that it was really him. I didn’t imagine him. Holding my stomach, I can feel the scar through the material of my blouse. Nausea builds as I sit. I mentally chant my mantras.
I lay my head on my knees and pull my hair up off my neck. I need some air. Breathe, breathe, breathe . I keep swallowing to stop the nausea that’s building. Telling Justin about him must have raised the damn devil himself. I think I might pass out when I’m brought back to the present by
Justin clears his throat. “And he did,” he says quietly.
I nod. “He did. I don’t know who he was, but I climbed into his truck. The last thing I remember before waking up in the hospital is praying the guy driving that truck wouldn’t kill me. Not like there was anything I could do about it. I think it was the blood loss or the exertion, but I passed out mid-prayer.” Numbly, I wipe the tears from my cheeks I didn’t realize I was crying. “And that’s the night I died.”
I finish and sit quietly to let Justin process what I’ve told him. He’s eerily quiet and still. I watch him. He’s not looking at me or doing anything really. While it feels good to have it in the open, his reaction is what I feared all along. He’s freaking out.
“Say something. Please.”
He doesn’t. It’s my turn to sit patiently and wait for the panic to pass. I’m waiting for a reaction or more questions. Neither comes. Deciding I’ve embarrassed myself enough for one night, I slip my socks and boots on and pick up my jacket. It’s my turn to leave.
6 - Time
Two days pass. I haven’t had any nightmares, and I haven’t heard from Justin either. I don’t know what I expected, but I had hoped at some point he would have called or texted me. I guess it was too much for him.
Kate bursts into my room. “Wake up! You’re going to be late.”
I laugh. “I’m not going to be late. This is my usual alarm time.”
“What? You never have to wake up with an alarm.” Her expression shifts from panicked friend to saucy friend.
I shrug and force a timid smile.
“Whatever!” She exclaims as she storms to the door. Turning back to me, she says, “We’ll talk over breakfast. Hurry up!”
I shower and dress for work. Applying a little bit of makeup, I think how Irma was right, as always. At some point, I need to call her. The thought reminds me that I owe Rhae a call to update her on Irma’s health.
Kate makes breakfast. I tell her how I left Justin stunned after our chat, and that I haven’t heard from him since. She is lost for words, which is just weird for Kate. I dismiss myself before it can get any weirder and head to work.
Work is typical. The only exception is how light I feel as I breeze around doing all my normal daily tasks. Although, I haven’t seen Justin, I’m all the better for having told him.
For the first couple of days, I feared I would see him, or that he would tell someone else and the rumor-mill would get cranked up. It hasn’t happened, and I know I’m over-thinking it.
When lunch rolls around, I consider a mad dash to Irma’s house again, but think better of it. Instead, I decide to eat alone and give Rhae a call. As I approach the café a few blocks from work, I hear a voice that sparks a memory. Fear lances through my heart, and I stop walking. “ It can’t be!” I turn toward the sound of the voice, and that’s when I see Kent.
I plaster myself flat against the wall of the building and peer around as he’s leaving the office building next to the café. His hair is longer, and slicked back. Other than that, it doesn’t seem that the last five years have affected him. He’s shaking hands with a man in a suit. They exchange pleasantries, and Kent walks down the street in the opposite direction from me. My knees falter, and I feel myself sliding toward the ground. My brain spirals into old memories, and I know that it was really him. I didn’t imagine him. Holding my stomach, I can feel the scar through the material of my blouse. Nausea builds as I sit. I mentally chant my mantras.
I lay my head on my knees and pull my hair up off my neck. I need some air. Breathe, breathe, breathe . I keep swallowing to stop the nausea that’s building. Telling Justin about him must have raised the damn devil himself. I think I might pass out when I’m brought back to the present by
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