Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace

Colin was the strong, silent type–a man of action, not words. If he could sort something out with his hands, there would be no need for idle chit–chat.

I’d barely managed to hold him back when I saw Melody, her dress stained with blood, being carried out in someone’s arms,

Dexter’s brow furrowed in impatience as he turned to take Melody from the arms of the others, his face a dark cloud of annoyance as he walked away.. ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

I watched with a morbid fascination as subtle shifts played out between Dexter and Melody.

Was Dexter tired of her already? What a classic player.

Knowing Dexter as I did, it wouldn’t be long before Melody, if she kept clawing at him, got a taste of the hellish experience he once gave me.

“Colin, let’s get out of here,” I said, taking his hand and leading him away.

Outside the hotel, I watched as Dexter handed Melody off to a friend, not bothering to follow her to the hospital.

I hooked my arm through Colin’s, my laughter tinged with sarcasm. “See… people are fickle, disgustingly so.”

“That’s not true…” Colin cut me off.

I looked up at him, surprised.

“I’m not like that,” he said, his gaze shifting.away as the tips of his ears turned a faint pink.

I paused, my laughten growing more ironic.

What was he to say that? Seeing me as a stand–in for someone else?

“If you’re not like that, why are you so nice to me? We’ve only known each other for days, right?” Colin and Foebe Larson hadn’t known each other much longer.

“Because you’re Phoebe Caldwell,” Colin suddenly said with a serious tone.

Hearing him say my name so directly still made my heart tighten. Sure enough, he was still obsessively using Foebe as a placeholder.

“Phoebe…” I murmured softly. Colin had always called me Phoebe, not Foebe with an F.

“What if you’ve got the wrong person?” I asked cautiously, worried he might lose it like he had before.

“I know you’re Phoebe.” He took my hand firmly. “No matter what you look like, I’d recognize you.”

10:49

His certainty unnerved me.

Even Stella couldn’t recognize me. If I confessed, no one would believe me.

We live in an age of disbelief, where talk of spirits and the supernatural is dismissed. A person dies and is reborn in someone else’s body? That would get you sent to a psychiatric ward if you said it out loud.

But Colin… the man everyone called a lunatic firmly believed I was Phoebe. Was he deluding himself, or had he truly seen something?

“How… how did you know it was me?” I asked softly.

“You opened your eyes, and I knew,” Colin said, gripping my hand. “I just knew it was you.”

So it was a madman’s delusion, not a real recognition that I was Phoebe.

“I just knew… you are,” he insisted, his voice trembling slightly.

I didn’t dare push him further. Just leave him be. I just wanted to know the truth.

“It’s okay if you don’t remember me…” Colin pulled me into an embrace. “I’ll be here with you.”

His voice was soft, forgiving, promising to stay by my side.

My heart beat strangely, a sensation I’d never felt before.

I didn’t remember him? I’d forgotten him? What role had he played in my life? Why couldn’t I remember at all?

Our driver arrived to pick Colin and me up, just in time to see Dexter leave Melody alone to go to the hospital. Dexter’s expression was off as he drove away.

Resting my chin on my hand, I stared out the window, my gaze fixed on Dexter’s retreating figure.

“You want to see where he’s going, don’t you?” Colin asked, then instructed the driver, “Follow

that car.”