Memories From a Dead Girl

There was no sound, only darkness.

At first.

Then, and I didn't know how long, there was light. And shadows had melted together to form objects — a table, a rectangular board — and I knew at once that what I'd done had worked.

I was inside Austin.

I took a breath. Another. And another.

When I saw Chloe, my heart — his heart — expanded and threatened to explode. Tears pricked my eyes and I raised my hand to wipe them away — only I didn't. Austin did.

"It'll be okay," my sister said gently.

She touched the hand I currently controlled, and I put the palm of that hand against her cheek.

"It's you," I said, my voice thick with emotion.

"Of course it's me," Chloe answered. Her eyes searched mine. "Austin, are you okay?"

I knew if I told her who I was, she wouldn't believe me. Or she would think Austin was pulling some sick joke and kick him out. Then where would I be? I shook my head and smiled, but it felt more like a grimace.

"I'm fine," I managed. "Just a little tired."

Chloe nodded. "Do you want to try the Ouija board again?"

"No," I said in Austin's voice. "But I want to tell you something. It might take a while to process, so you should sit down."

Chloe looked worried. "Just say it, Austin."

"That's the thing." My lip — his lips — curved upward. "I'm not Austin." I watched her face for any sign of surprise or anger. When I didn't see any, I continued. "Chloe, it's me. It's Olive."

Chloe's eyes narrowed, and I felt her palm connect with my cheek. She glared at me, her body and voice shaking. "That's a really fucked up thing to joke about."

"Chloe—"

I wished I could just flip a switch and be myself again, have my own voice, not Austin's. But I couldn't. I wasn't myself, I wasn't even alive. This body was a host, and soon I would be expelled from it. I had to try to convince her.

"Get out." Her voice was small, low, dangerous.

I blinked. "No, please, you have to listen."

If I pushed her, she would never hear me out. What happened that day would be stuck inside me. They would never know what I saw — the memories would be locked away in someone who didn't exist anymore.

"Austin." I'd never heard her say his name that way before. "If you don't leave now, I'm going to call the cops."

"And tell them what?" I yelled, surprising myself. "We were channeling the other world, Chloe. We wanted answers. I'm not doing anything wrong."

That's what he would say, right?

I hoped so.

Chloe's green eyes sparked. "I could tell the cops you scared me, that you thought you were my dead sister, and I feared for my life."

The malice in her voice astonished me. When did my sister turn into such an uncaring, manipulative person?

That was an easy answer.

After my body had been discovered.