Poison

My breath came in gulps and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing; that I was seeing. My whole world was different though – I was no longer in my old home, but this place looked familiar. I stood up from where I was lying down on the floor. My body felt strange, looking down I saw that the floor was a lot farther down than it used to be. I must be at least six foot tall now. I grabbed my head and as my hand passed by my face – I was shocked to see how thin it was. Barely there and tanned, a beach girl’s body.

I looked around the home I was in. New and hardly lived in, I thought as I played with my hair – It was platinum ‘porn star’ blonde hair; it fit well with the tanned color of my new skin. My clothes were destroyed skinny jeans and a Glamour Kills cardigan that had a tank top underneath, well at least I wasn’t completely stuck up. I moved around the house to find a mirror and to see if there was a purse with a license in it.

I was in luck – in the upstairs bathroom, I found a knock-off Dooney & Burke that had a wallet inside. My new found identity was there – My name; Jamie Sommers. I was only twenty one, barely legal to drink. I looked through the rest of the wallet to find that I there was no pictures of any family which, was actually a little saddening – but towards the bottom of the bag my hand clutched around a piece of paper.

Pulling it around, I opened it up and began to read it;

Jade –

You have been sent back – to seek your justice, do not worry about this body; worry about your mission. This is the night before you were killed. Do not make any attempt to stop the future – Your future, but make plans for the future. Understand? Good.

The paper disappeared before my eyes and my not so sure I really did understand. This was the night before Jack came home and killed me? My new heart raced in this new chest. I stared into the bathroom mirror – My eyes, they hadn’t changed at all. They were still blue, I think. Something was different about them – something was a bit darker about them. Like I could kiss you one moment then snap your neck.

I smiled in my reflection – I liked that. No, I fucking loved that.

I walked downstairs, my bag in one hand and the keys in the other. As I stepped outside, realization hit me big time. I still lived on the same street – I was only across the street now, I lived next to Alex and Lisa now. I didn’t realized though, how long I had been standing in front of my new car until someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“Hey, are you alright?” My eyes snapped up to meet Lisa’s. My mouth opened and closed once. I could believe she was standing right in front of me and I couldn’t say a word to her. “You’re the new neighbor girl from Texas, right?”

Something snapped in my mind and suddenly a string of memories about growing up in Texas come to mind, “Yes, that’s me – It’s nice to meet you!”

I could hardly believe I sounded so cheerful as simply meeting my old best friend – Or is Lisa my new best friend? And my accent; when the Texan sounded flooded out of my mouth – I thought someone else was talking, well I suppose, someone else was.

Lisa smiled, “Do you want to come over for some coffee or tea? Sprite or beer? We have everything!”

I laughed – I knew everything that could or would be in her kitchen. Nodding along, I followed her next door and into the kitchen where we sat and I had a beer, which was actually very uncommon of the old me.

“You know,” Lisa said as she herself was drinking a Sprite, “You remind me so much of my friend Jade!”

I could honestly feel myself start to freak out – What did she mean by that? Was that a good or bad thing? “Oh really? Who’s that?”

Keep calm, act interested.

“Jack’s soon to be ex-wife – don’t tell anyone though! Jade hasn’t given him the papers yet.” She took a sip of her pop.

I nodded agreeing to the secrecy, “When are the guys getting back?”

“Tonight.”

I was in the middle of taking a swig of my beer when Lisa said that. I nearly choked on it, but it slid down in a rush, “Wow – that’s just wow.”

“I know, I’m missed Alex so much! But hey, we’re all getting together tonight at Hightopps – you should come too. I’m sure the guys will love you,” Lisa smiled, so welcoming. It clicked in my head that Lisa was my way in to complete my plan, my mission.

“Thanks, Lisa – You’re definitely going to be a great friend,” I raised my beer to her. She laughed as she clinked her Sprite can against it.

“Thanks.”

[>>>]

A few hours later as I was getting ready to go to the bar; I couldn’t help but check the clock. It was around eight o’clock – Jack was home and the fight was starting, was he choking me yet? Hanging me? I shook as I grabbed my keys and walked outside to my car – It was a new Camero, black on black. I got in the drivers seat and put the key in the ignition – the car wouldn’t start.

One, two, third time is a charm. Great. I got out and started to walk towards Lisa’s house when someone yelled my name, “Hey, Jamie?!”

I whipped my head around to see Jack running across the street towards me – I felt like a dead caught in the headlights. More so because now I knew that I was dead. Nonetheless I smiled, “Hey – Jack right?”

He stopped right in front of me, just off of the sidewalk – staring directly into my eyes and I stared right back. If I didn’t know any better, I wouldn’t say that I was staring into the eyes of a killer, a murderer. But I was and goddamn I was the only witness.

“That’s me. Lisa said that a girl moved in next down – She didn’t say how pretty you’d be though – “

I put my hand over his mouth, “Cut the crap, are you going to take me to Hightopps?”

He took the hand that was over his mouth and held it for a second until I snatched it back – I wasn’t going to make it that easily for him, hell no. “Yeah, come on, let’s go.”