10 Untitled

Chapter 10

I felt something poked my cheek, "Hey, can you hear me? Are you okay? Hello? You've been staring at the letter for the past 10 minutes." Luna stared at me with a slightly concerned expression.

Clearing my throat, I sighed almost remorsefully, "Yeah, I'm fine." I ran my fingers through my hair and let out an exasperated breath, "I just feel kinda bad for taking over Alice's life. Is it better I'm here? How would her family feel if they found out? Would it be better if I told them about this? What do I do if they do eventually find out?"

Luna nodded, "Many people feel the same as you do when they first enter into a new body. But think of it this way, would it be worse or better if Alice's family members knew their child or sibling had passed on and someone else has taken over her mind and body? A person they would have to see and live with every day? A person with Alice's face constantly reminding them of the loved one they've lost?"

She gently patted my shoulder, "I advise you to think over these questions, think of what you have to lose, and think of Alice's letter."

Nodding my head, I asked Luna, "So how exactly do I get back to the real world?"

She grinned mischievously, "Well, I guess this is the end of our meeting. Goodbye, Winston, good luck, and may you have peace and prosperity," and flicked my forehead.

"Wait a min-" I started falling backward and suddenly I was back in Alice's body. I shot up in the bed, panting, I tried to catch my breath.

"Alice? Oh my god, Alice is awake, get the doctor, hurry!"

As I slowly turned my head toward the direction of the voice, I gasped out in a slightly winded voice, "Sam?"

She leaned over, and grabbed my hand, with tears pouring down her face, snot dripping down her nose, she cried, "Aliii, *cries* you've barely been back for a week and you're already back at the hospital again." *wipes snot*

I gently patted her hair, "I'm fine, don't cry. At least I didn't die." I instantly felt bad for saying that because technically I've died twice. Once when the real Alice died and once when I died back in my old body, sigh.

By the time the doctor walked in, Sam had already stopped crying and was on the phone with mom to let her know I was awake while wiping more of her snot off with her sleeves.

The doctor, Dr. Watkins, did a check-up and told me I was free to go home, and that all I needed was more rest, eat a few probiotics, also what types of probiotics I should take, and eat a little less for the next few days before I could slowly eat more.

"Um, excuse me, Dr. Watkins? But can you tell me what exactly made my barf out blood in the first place?" I asked him, I genuinely wanted to know what I had been diagnosed with.

"It was most likely food poisoning, you don't seem to have anything wrong with your body, except for maybe being slightly underweight or any diseases that could potentially make you regurgitate blood."

...underweight...food poisoning...well, I guess it sort of makes sense?

After informing Sam and me more about what I would need in the next few days Dr. Watkins said goodbye to us and left the room to attend to another patient.

Sam sat next to me, looking more composed than someone who had just been crying their eyes out just a few minutes ago should ever be able to look, and informed me, "Mom says dad will be here in 30 to 40 minutes to bring us back home."

About 35 minutes later, our father came to pick us up, "Alice, sweetheart you don't know how worried we were for you."

He scooped me into his arms, "My poor little girl. I've asked the principal to dismiss you from school for a week so you can get some rest."

I smiled, these people really did care about Alice, "Okay dad, I'll do as you say and stay home for a week to rest." She was a lucky girl to have had this kind of family.

Dad patted my head affectionately, "Good, now, let's go home. Your mother and brothers are worried sick for you."

"Alright, let's go home."

"Oh, I brought some clothes from home for you to change into," He handed me the bag, "Here you go."

"Thanks, dad, please give me a few minutes so I can change."

When I walked into the bathroom, I suddenly got hit with a wave of deja vu. For some reason, I felt as if I've done this before.

Quickly shuffling out of my hospital gown and into the clothes Dad had brought me, I looked into the mirror and studied my face. Alice's familiar, wide green eyes stared back at me when I looked up. I gently touched my cheek, it was soft and smooth. There was indeed no doubt that I was back in her body. A body that I can now call mine without having to worry or feel bad for doing so because I now know Alice had willingly given it up.

Sighing, I shoved my hand through my hair out of habit, before I fixed it and walked back into the hospital room, "Dad, Sam, I've finished getting ready."

Dad smiled, "Good, I've signed the discharge papers so we can leave now."

Sam grabbed my hand, "Let's hurry and go home, Mom and our brothers were really worried about you."

Clasping my hand in hers, I grinned, "Yeah, sure. Let's go home." Home was now with these people that cared about me or at least cared about the person they thought was Alice Morton. But hey, I'll take what I can get even if that makes me a horrible person for doing that.