Memories From a Dead Girl

We were back in Chloe's apartment, back in the present, and she was standing next to me, visibly shaken by what we had seen. "How did he manage to convince them?"

"He let you die," she whispered, her eyes narrowing.

For one blissful moment, I thought she could see me. But when she walked away into the kitchen, I knew she only saw me back there, in that memory.

The memory of my final minutes.

The memory full of lies.

When Austin emerged from the bedroom, I stiffened. Chloe turned, her eyes wide. Then she said in a low hiss, "Get out of here."

"Look, I know you're still mad. I'm sorry." He came closer, reaching for her.

Chloe, backed against the counter, slowly pulled open one of the drawers. Then there was a knife in her hand. One look at the blade and Austin stopped dead in his tracks, his mouth twisting slightly. When his eyes narrowed at her, I moved to her side. Even if I couldn't do anything to protect her physically, I could still muster enough energy to hurt him with an object if necessary.

"What are you doing? Put that down before you cut yourself."

His smile made my skin crawl.

"Tell me what happened," Chloe said, her voice trembling. "I know how Olivia died. How she really died. It was drowning, not a stab wound. You let my sister die!"

Austin frowned at her, his eyes narrowed. "Is that what you think?" Not only had his expression changed dramatically, but so did his voice; it was cold, cruel, taunting.

"It's what I know, what I saw," Chloe answered. "I was right. She's here. She brought me back into her memories to show me what you did. She was confused, but I understand now. You left her in that water, she was weak and barely conscious, but you knew that, didn't you? God, you're a bastard. How could you do that to her, to me?"

Austin was smirking, advancing on her to pull the knife away, when it happened. His eyes widened briefly and he grunted, his hands on her shoulders, gripping tightly. He needed her for balance, because of what she had done.

As I watched the knife slid into Austin, feeling nothing as he finally let her go and sank to his knees, all of the missing pieces connected at once.