The morning after she died
As sleep gradually released its hold on her, the sensation of dizziness dissipated, and Marie-Rose's eyes slowly fluttered open, weighed down by drowsiness. The gentle caress of a warm, piled blanket enveloping her body provided a strong sense of comfort. Her head having rested all night on a plush pillow, she awoke with a comforting feeling of security that only added to the overall coziness.
As her vision cleared from the remnants of slumber, her gaze landed on the face of the man lying beside her. Her eyes widened in disbelief at what she had just seen.
In a sudden surge of realization, she snapped into full consciousness, and a brief, sharp cry escaped her lips, rousing the man from his slumber.
'No, no! This is too much!!' she thought.
"What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" he asked, blinking his eyes open. She recognized those eyes, that face. "This can't be," she thought incredulously. But it was, shockingly so. He was there, in the flesh.
As she meticulously observed his movements, slowed by the abrupt awakening from his slumber, a thought crossed her mind:
'So, Daniel was right after all. You never truly know who might breach the sanctity of your home while you lie sleeping in the farthest chamber.' Anger surged within her at the realization of his accuracy. Subsequently, an overwhelming sense of dread gripped her.
'I can't bear this! This is a nightmare!!' she cried to herself.
Marie-Rose sat there, frozen in place, even though she had just emerged from the eternal sleep of the death. Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined this.
"Darling, we should break up immediately!" she declared firmly, her voice trembling with a mix of dread and determination. She huddled beneath the blanket, petrified, feeling vulnerable and clutching it tightly as if it might protect her from some impending revelation.
The man's blue eyes met hers, a look of confusion clouding his face:
"I beg your pardon?" he asked, genuinely puzzled.
She wished she were dead again. Anything seemed preferable to being this man's wife—or whatever. She wasn't sure yet what role she filled for him.
There was no doubt about it; they had to break up, and Marie-Rose couldn't care less about what he thought at that moment. One thing was crystal clear in her mind – she did not want to spend any minute of her future life with Daniel. Yes, the man standing before her was Daniel Boyer.
This was the worst possible outcome, a scenario she did not foresee. So many things could have gone awry, but for this to unfold before her eyes... it was utterly unbelievable.
However, within a matter of moments, judging by his composed expression, Daniel seemed oddly at ease.
'She must be overreacting,' he mused internally. 'Perhaps she had a sudden bout of jealousy overnight. Maybe she had a troubled sleep due to overthinking.' He recalled the various women they had encountered at the event the previous night, pondering whether his attentiveness to any of them had triggered her seemingly irrational response.
"You're just feeling insecure, that's all," he reassured her as he climbed out of bed, still unclothed. At the sight of his nakedness, she quickly averted her eyes, feeling both repulsed and apprehensive. Daniel's physique was impressive for a man in his forties, but the thought of sharing a bed with her worst enemy - or even worse, sharing more - was a nightmare she never wished to endure.
'This is karma! I'm ending this ordeal right now!' She mentally screamed as she tried to maintain her composure, her body tense as she eyed the windows as possible means of escape. Her impulse-driven nature was legendary, and she wasn't sure how much control she could exert in this situation.
She was absolutely terrified about what would happen when the memories of the host's body would be recovered. The thought of recalling the night this woman had spent with the man in front of her made her stomach churn.
Daniel retreated to the bathroom, affording Marie-Rose a moment to inspect her surroundings. She couldn't help but look under the blanket, searching for any evidence of what might have transpired the previous night.
Last night, in the afterlife, when she had inhabited this woman's body, there hadn't been enough time to investigate her thoroughly. She had acted hastily, fearing she might lose consciousness and drift away into death. Furthermore, the process of returning immediately to life typically required careful preparation, as one couldn't simply choose any body. Each spirit was tethered to its own body by an invisible, electric cord, preventing other spirits from taking its place.
Unless someone dealt with possession.
However, for a spirit to possess a person meant violating the code. It was a grave transgression for a sorceress, carrying the risk of losing all her abilities. Marie-Rose needed to find a better solution than possession. Typically, in cases of murder, the law allowed victims to select the bodies of individuals who were terminally ill or seeking to end their own lives. This way, they could receive an opportunity to seek for justice. However, this option wasn't suitable for her, as she needed to find the most compatible host body.
Last night, she had to find her doppelganger; it was imperative. The motivation extended beyond the mere ease with which Jayden could recognize and accept her. There was a technical aspect at play as well, driving her to seek out the woman who shared her exact appearance – and more.
Her double was the ideal choice for an adult body she could inhabit and exit at will without breaching any codes. It was the sole body that could remain tethered to the cord while allowing her entry, all thanks to their matching vibrations.
Clueless to the woman's identity, she had seized the opportunity without hesitation, momentarily trapping the woman's soul in the underworld, oblivious to her predicament.
Marie took a better look at the original owner's form. It was identical to her own. With hurried movements, she slid out of bed, finding herself just as naked as Daniel. She quickly located a discarded satin nightgown at the foot of the bed and draped it around herself, feeling a shiver of discomfort and shock.
'No, I'm putting an end to this!' She punctuated her thoughts with loud, dissatisfied grunts. "Aaaargh!"
Before she could get dressed, the bathroom door swung open unexpectedly, making her turn in that direction. Daniel stood there, still naked, and she quickly averted her eyes again, repulsed and horrified. She stifled another scream and swiftly perched on the edge of the bed, wrapping herself tightly in the sheets.
He approached her, placing a hand gently on her back, causing her body to tense even more. She hadn't sensed him approaching, so traumatized was she by their situation. When he pressed his lips to the base of her neck, she abruptly pulled away from his touch.
"I have a headache, I'm sorry," she replied to his advances, but in her mind, she was screaming with every fiber of her being: 'What in the world? I can't bear this! I'm going to lose my mind.' She wasn't lying about the headache; the immense stress had indeed caused her head to throb unbearably.
She yearned to locate Jayden the moment her consciousness returned. But her plans to reunite with Jayden as soon as possible had been derailed. What was supposed to be a simple task had turned into an excruciating ordeal.
How could she escape Daniel without leaving a trace? Would this man be able to find her if she simply vanished? The previous day, she had hoped to wake up in a distant location and then exert enormous effort to return to her hometown. But now, she was within arm's reach of Jayden, and yet, her hands felt tied, her fate sealed.
Her eyes scanned the room for a mirror, and although it appeared as if she were getting ready for a new day, once she was standing in front of one, in reality, she was meticulously examining her features. They were an exact match – a woman with red, wavy hair and green eyes. This was her face, and she trembled in disbelief.
Though physically identical, this woman was her opposite in a peculiar way. Marie-Rose anticipated her counterpart to reside at the opposite end of the spectrum of magic.
She couldn't help but feel intrigued by the fact that Daniel was involved with her doppelganger. Was it just a casual hook-up? Was she Daniel's girlfriend? Or worse, his wife?
The questions made her flinch. She remained deep in thought, turning her attention to Daniel's friend, Cezar. Cezar Cyprian. She recalled being taken aback when she saw him with a woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to Jolene, another witch who had left the org.
"This is strange." she whispered to herself.
***
"You didn't even come out to greet us when we first came to your classes," he complained in a fit of anger.
It was the first time she saw his wife, who bore a striking resemblance to Jolene.
This group of individuals with high-class pretensions had made grand claims, yet they hadn't lifted a finger to assist her when she moved two months ago. When help was needed, they were conspicuously absent. Despite her deteriorated mental state, they pretended her to personally welcome them, no matter what. She had to treat these individuals as if they were accomplished CEOs, even though they appeared to be nothing more than a bunch of thugs.
"You haven't accomplished anything; we've checked up on you. You're just a bunch of worthless losers. As for me, I've built a house, own a car, and have a child," he continued to shout like an agitated dog, hurling insults around. "I've been studying for the past six months. We're obliged to take up continuous education."
Yes, he was certainly accomplished, but with what money? Outside of their circle, he was merely a prison guard.
He had to study diligently, indeed, to ensure prisoners didn't escape, quite unlike her, who had to continually certify her child psychology skills. This was a piece of cake compared to his trials!
Yet, none of them could have achieved more than her through honest means alone.
She pondered who had convinced them of their entitlement, as they seemed to take everything for granted, exhibiting behavior worse than that of a spoiled child or a gold-digger.
She couldn't help but notice Daniel and the sisters had neither mansions nor children, but mind not the double standards! While Daniel was driving his car from work.
"You will allow me to rejoin the classes and admit me into the advanced group immediately. You're not the one in charge of the rules here," he continued to yell into his cell phone, his frustration mounting.
He expected Marie-Rose to bend the rules for him. After half a year of absence, nobody remained proficient in magic. His claims were absurd.
"If you dare to reveal to anyone that I've been absent for over six months, be aware that I can do you harm," Cezar's furious voice echoed through the cellphone, filling the room. Marie-Rose could practically picture him scowling with his brown eyes like an agitated gorilla. Oddly, she wasn't surprised by this display of alpha-male posturing. This was a father? For goodness' sake! The only harm he could do to her was making her sick of his behavior.
***
"This is a strange coincidence." she repeated.