I floated for a while. I could hear my breathing, feel my heart beat, but I couldn't open my eyes. I was stuck in the darkness. I don't know for how long I was left alone with my thoughts. Hours? Days? I had no sense of time in here. I was just… floating in peace.
'I guess this is the afterlife.' I thought as I once more tried to regain my sight. But this time, I heard someone call out. It was murmured the first. It became clearer the next.
The last time was a whisper I heard clearly.
'Cressida, dear, wake up.' The sweet melodic voice called out. It sounded familiar somehow. I opened my eyes. The tube light was the first thing I saw. It was too bright, so I covered my face with my hands.
'Wait' I realized, 'These aren't my hands'
I sat up straight immediately. I looked down at my hands, observing them carefully. They were so… young. No wrinkles. My back ache was gone too. I tried cracking my back, but barely a sound came. I was dressed like it was 2022. But it wasn't 2022. Was it?
I looked at my surroundings. I remember this place. It was the social worker's office. I was sitting on the leather sofa in front of which was a coffee table. In front of me was her desk and on its right was the door.
My social worker, 'Ellyn Peters', it said on her name plate, had returned to her stiff leather chair behind her desk.
'Good, you're awake.' She smiled sweetly at me, 'Are you aware of where you are right now?'
I slowly nodded. She smiled slightly wider.
'I'm sorry, I had to ask. Trauma patients often forget their uninvited experiences.' Ellyn explained. She looked so young, and tired. I knew well enough when people didn't want to deal with me. I figured it out long ago but despite the fatigue, all I could see was pity.
I didn't mind it; people gave things to you out of pity. Society wasn't accepting of troublemakers, shunning them for their actions without looking at the reason whereas when people give those acts of kindness due to pity, suddenly all they care about is the reason. Pick one bitch. And I did. I chose to not look at the fucking reason. It was what it was. A troublemaker made trouble. I'm sure they had reasons, but they still caused trouble, right? They should be punished for what they did because even if they were trying to find a solace, trouble is not it. They have to be taught that.
'Yeah, I-'I stopped myself.
'How do I sound so young?'
'I need to use the bathroom first please.' I quickly continued. She nodded simply.
'Down the hallway, to the right, end of the hallway on your left.' She gave instructions. I
Slowly got up and walked out of the office. My pace quickened once I had exited the room until I was practically running towards the bathroom. I burst in through the ladies door and instantly turned to look in the mirror.
'I was right, I have returned to the past.' Although I knew it, I still couldn't believe it. Everything was as it was before. Like my entire life never happened. Like I had a second chance.
I knew for a fact the only person who let go of an opportunity like this was a fool, and I was many things. Fool was not one of them.
I quickly washed my face and headed back to the office. This time I sat on the chairs in front of the desk, my little bag of things that weren't damaged still on the sofa. The velvet chairs were much more comfortable than the sofa.
'So, why am I here? I thought my mother mentioned an explicit guardian for me in her will?' I asked Ellyn. I remembered her distinctly. She was the kindest social officer they had to offer, and she usually dealt with trauma patients. I did research on her once I had the resources.
'Yes, but you see, there was a little bit of… conflict.' She tried to word it. I was confused.
'Conflict? What con- oh. That,' I then very clearly remembered this day. It was one of the most Earth-shattering days for me, and one of the hidden turns I could've taken to avoid that sicko future.
'It seemed Ellyn noticed my confusion.
'Despite your mother leaving Ms., Mary Hager as your guardian, we have found another blood relative of yours. Your father.' She explained. It was still as shocking for me as the first time I heard it.
'B-but my mother told me-'
'That your father had died, I am aware. I am… sorry to say that information is untrue.'
I leaned back into my chair, trying to wrap my head around it. I died, and was just told my mother raised me without one of the most important figures in my life because… why? Why did she do it? I never found out.
'We want to give you a choice, Cressida. Will you go to your father, or Ms. Mary Hager?' Ellyn asked me. I pursed my lips.
Before, I had chosen Ms. Mary immediately since I was familiar with her, and went to live with her family that treated me as their sister. It was a nice homely environment, they paid for my tuition and I lived a good life, but in the end, I still ended up locked up in that damned home. If I wanted to make a change to my future, I knew it had to be now.
'My father.' I called after a moment. 'I want to live with my father.'