Olivia flipped her hair, "Oh well, it's not like we need them anyway." There was a chorus of laughs as we all agreed. Seat-belts were unnecessary in today's world, if we got in an accident the doctors could patch us up just fine. We'd be running around in no time.
My last memory. I had remembered the moment I died, and now I would have to relive it.
"So who wants to--" her words were cut off by a shrill scream. A truck had barreled out of the lane, and was coming straight at us. Then I was screaming too. The truck hit our tiny car, full speed. We skidded off the road and into a ditch. My head hit the passenger's seat, and everything went black. I heard nothing but my own shallow breathing and weak heartbeat. Then the sound of my breathing stopped. My heart gave out, and I was plunged into even greater darkness
I jolted awake, screaming loudly. My body slumped on the warm hospital bed as I realized that I was alive. I moved my toes and fingers just to be sure. I studied my head with my hands. No bandages, no bruises or bumps. Definitely no dent in my skull where I'm pretty sure one should be. This confused me. I was supposed to be covered head to toe with white bandages, all my bones broken.
But all I had was a bad headache.
I called for a nurse. The words sounded foreign and awkward on my tongue. As if I've never spoken before. I knew I had; there were countless memories of me talking and even singing. I dismissed that thought, and called the nurse again. She came in a few seconds.
"Sorry I didn't come when you called the first time dear," she pulled off her gloves, "Is there anything I can get for you?"
My stomach made a low rumbling noise. "Food," I said. I searched for some more words, "I'm hungry."
"Anything specific?"
An image flashed through my mind. Hot meat, almost falling of the bone it was so tender, sourdough rolls, potatoes mashed until they white and creamy. My favorite meal. "Anything close to a turkey dinner?"
She gave me a wry look. "I'll see what I can do." The nurse turned to go. As she was leaving, I spotted the bruises. Around ten in all, they wrapped around her neck. Each oval-shaped mark was about an inch long and half as wide, with the two largest by her collarbone. It took me a second to realize what they were.
Fingerprints. Somebody had tried to strangle her.
A memory surfaced, but it was gone just as quickly as it came. I struggled to remember it. Then a voice broke my chain of thoughts completely.
"Avery," a woman burst into the room, followed by a tall man, "Oh Avery, we thought we'd never see you again." She bent down and gave me a hug. Over her shoulder, I saw a little boy edge out from out of the man's shadow. He looked at me with wide eyes, then went pale and ducked back behind the man.
The woman released me after a few seconds, and the boy peeked out at me. His brown eyes were large and scared. Suddenly, I remembered him. "Noelle, why are you so afraid of me?" I put one hand on my chest, "It's just me, your sister Avery."
He shook his head, "No you're not, Avery was different, you're not her!" He ran out of the room, the man and woman followed him.
My head throbbed horribly; in both confusion and pain.







