The Return

Straightening up, her gaze remained fixed on Faustina's face, her expression a mask of solemnity.

Then she shook her head and whispered, "She's dead."

Mary's sister gasped in shock, "But how?!" she exclaimed.

"Officer Naomi," the lead officer called out.

"Yes, ma'am!" Officer Naomi responded promptly, striding over to stand beside the lead officer.

"Transport her back to the station, accompanied by Officer Deborah and Officer Ukah," the lead officer directed.

"Ensure she is securely locked up and then you return."

"Yes, ma'am!" Officer Naomi responded crisply, then led Mary's sister away, flanked by the other officers.

They moved swiftly to carry out their mission, leaving Emmanuel standing alone, his eyes wide with horror, his heart racing in his chest.

"No, no, no... Mandy can't be dead." he muttered, his voice trembling.

He stumbled backward, but Richard caught him, holding him steady as Emmanuel struggled to comprehend the unbearable truth. Amanda was gone, what was he going to tell kendrick?

Richard released his grip, and Emmanuel slowly, hesitantly, pushed through the group of officers.

He felt like he was in a nightmare, his legs heavy, his mind foggy.

Finally, Emmanuel stood before the lifeless body, his eyes fixed on Faustina's pale face.

But his expression changed from shock to confusion as he realized this wasn't Mandy.

"Who is this?" he thought to himself, staring at Faustina's dead body with a mix of relief and puzzlement.

Just then, the officer spoke up, "Remember what I told you earlier about standing back when you're asked to?"

Emmanuel turned to her, nodding slightly, still trying to process the unexpected twist.

"I'd like you to step out of the room," the officer said.

Emmanuel knew he had no choice but to comply, despite his growing unease.

He needed to let the police do their job, but his mind raced with worries about Mandy's safety.

He nodded once more, and the officers parted to let him through.

As he walked past the officers, Emmanuel felt their eyes on him, but his own gaze remained fixed on the ground, his mind preoccupied with the daunting task of telling Kendrick about Mandy's disappearance.

Finally, Emmanuel emerged from the group and came face to face with Richard, whose intense gaze seemed to bore into him, as if awaiting a revelation.

"She's not the one," Emmanuel said, his voice low and gravelly, and Richard exhaled a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness," he murmured.

But his expression quickly turned serious again.

"What about Kendrick? Has he responded yet?" Richard asked, his eyes narrowing slightly with concern.

Emmanuel shook his head, his expression grim. "I tried calling him earlier, but he's not picking up. I should try again."

Richard nodded in agreement. "Yeah, go ahead."

With that, they both stepped out of the room, carefully avoiding the bloodstained floor, and waited in the hallway.

Emmanuel dialed Kendrick's number, and the phone rang inside Kendrick's pocket.

Kendrick was tempted to ignore the call, but the ache in his heart was overwhelming, and he desperately needed someone to talk to.

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly pulled out his phone and saw Emmanuel's name flashing on the screen.

With a heavy sigh, he answered the call, bringing a wave of relief to Emmanuel.

"Yo, bro, what's up? Why weren't you picking up?" Emmanuel asked, but Kendrick remained silent, unable to muster the words to respond.

"Say something, man, what happened?" Emmanuel urged, but Kendrick remained silent, his eyes stinging as he struggled to hold back tears.

"Hello?" Emmanuel said again, checking if Kendrick was still on the line, but there was only silence.

Richard noticed Emmanuel's concern and asked, "What's wrong, man?"

Emmanuel pulled his phone away from his ear and glanced at the screen, seeing that the call was still connected.

"I don't know, he's just not saying anything."

Emmanuel frowned, his concern deepening, and placed the phone back against his ear.

But before he could speak again, a faint sniffle from the other end made him pause.

"Yo, Kendrick, what's wrong? You okay, man?" he asked.

Kendrick remained silent, his tears flowing freely as he covered his mouth, trying to stifle his sobs.

Emmanuel's concern turned to alarm. "Kendrick, I know things are tough right now, but you can talk to me, bro. What's going on?" he asked.

"Come on, man, please say something," he urged.

"What's going on?" Richard asked Emmanuel, his brow furrowed with concern.

"I don't know, man, something's wrong with him, but he won't talk," Emmanuel replied, his eyes fixed on the phone.

Richard took the phone from Emmanuel and put it to his own ear.

"Yo, Kendrick, what's up? What's wrong? Why the silence?"

Kendrick sniffled again, his breathing labored as he struggled to contain his sobs.

Richard's expression changed from curiosity to surprise as he listened, and he handed the phone back to Emmanuel.

"Say something, man," Emmanuel urged, his voice softening.

"M-Mandy..." Kendrick finally managed to stammer.

"Mandy?" Emmanuel repeated, exchanging a puzzled glance with Richard.

"We're trying to locate her, don't worry too much, the police are on it," Emmanuel reassured, but Kendrick's response was a despairing shake of his head.

"That's not it," Kendrick said, his voice shaking.

"That's not it? What do you mean, man?" Emmanuel asked.

Kendrick sniffled again, then gulped hard, trying to swallow the lump in his throat.

"Sh-she's here, at the hospital," he stammered, sending Emmanuel's eyes flying wide open in shock.

"Hospital?!" Emmanuel exclaimed, his voice echoing down the hallway.

"Hospital?" Richard repeated.

Kendrick nodded, looking like he was about to break down.

"She was hit bad, man... real bad. She's been in surgery for a while now. I'm scared, man... I'm really scared."

"Look," Emmanuel said. "Calm down, okay? Tell me what hospital you're at, and I'll come meet you."

"I'm at St. Michael's Hospital, man, please hurry!"

"Okay, okay, send me the address, I'll be there ASAP!"

With that, he ended the call and turned to Richard.

"We got to leave, man - Mandy's at St. Michael's Hospital."

"What?!" Richard exclaimed, his eyes widening in shock.

"But how did she end up there?"

"I don't know, man, now's not the time for questions. Let's just go see her!"

"Okay, okay," Richard agreed. "We should inform the police."

"Alright, you take care of that, and I'll get the car ready," Emmanuel said, already heading out of the hallway.

Meanwhile, Richard returned to the room where the officers were busy coordinating the transport of Faustina's body via ambulance.

"Excuse me, officers," Richard said, trying to get their attention.

When they didn't respond, he tried again, "Excuse me, please!"

This time, they turned to face him. "Can we help you, sir?" the lead officer asked.

"Yes, I need to inform you that we've just received news that Mandy has been taken to the hospital," Richard explained.

The officer's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Hospital? How is that possible?"

"We're not sure yet, but we're heading there right away," Richard replied.

"What hospital?" the officer asked, her pen poised over her notebook.

"St. Michael's Hospital," Richard answered.

"I'm familiar with that hospital, ma'am," an officer chimed in. "It's just a few blocks from the school."

The officer nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Good. That's close by."

Then, she turned back to Richard.

"I'll need to come with you to get more details about what happened," she stated.

"Very well, ma'am," Richard acknowledged, then turned to leave.

"Wait!" the officer called out.

Richard paused and turned to face her, his expression inquiring.

"Yes, Officer?" he asked.

"Before we proceed, I need to notify dispatch and request additional units to meet us at the hospital. Please wait for a moment," she explained.

"Okay, ma'am, but please hurry," Richard replied. "I'll be waiting outside."

The lead officer frowned slightly before responding, "I understand your concern, but protocol must be followed. I'll be quick."

"Okay ma'am."

Richard hastily exited the room to join Emmanuel in the vehicle.

The lead officer, Captain Mariam, then addressed another officer.

"Notify dispatch that I may be extending my stay beyond my usual end time due to the critical nature of this investigation. Ensure that authorization is obtained from Lieutenant Okafor."

"Yes, ma'am!" the officer responded.

Captain Mariam continued, "The rest of you, please follow me in your vehicles. We will proceed to the location together. Those who remain, continue gathering evidence and processing the scene under the supervision of Officer Femi. Ensure that all protocols are followed and the scene is secure."

She turned to Officer Femi. "You are in charge of the scene until I return. Keep me updated on any developments."

Officer Femi nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I'll ensure everything runs smoothly."

Captain Mariam then addressed the rest of the team.

"We will reconvene at 20:00 hours to debrief and review findings. Overtime pay will be authorized for those who stay beyond their regular shift, pending approval from Lieutenant Okafor."

The officers acknowledged, "Yes, ma'am!"

Captain Mariam concluded, "Let's move out. We have a long night ahead of us."

With that, Captain Mariam departed with her team and joined Emmanuel and Richard outside.

Shortly thereafter, everyone was in their vehicles and ready to depart.

Emmanuel started the engine and took the lead, following the address Kendrick had provided.

As they departed, the officers were approaching the end of their shift, and the sky was growing increasingly dark.

Nevertheless, they persevered, finally arriving at the hospital's brightly lit entrance.

They exited their vehicles and walked into the compound, where a small group of dispatch officers were waiting.

Richard and Emmanuel promptly rushed inside, leaving the police officers to confer among themselves.

They continued walking, taking the elevator to the second floor, where Emmanuel received further directions from Kendrick over the phone.

When they arrived at Kendrick's location, they found him seated with his head bowed, facing the ground.

"Kendrick!" Emmanuel called out.

Slowly, Kendrick glanced up, his expression dull and lifeless.

As Emmanuel and Richard approached him, Kendrick slowly rose to his feet.

"Where's Mandy?" Emmanuel asked.

Kendrick's hand gestured weakly towards the operating room door.

"She's in there," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Emmanuel's gaze darted to the door and then back to Kendrick, his eyes filled with worry.

Emmanuel grasped Kendrick's shoulders. "What happened to her? How did you find her?"

Kendrick's voice trembled. "I...I  found her at some crappy abandoned lodge, all bloody and stuff."

Emmanuel's eyes widened in shock. "How, what went down?"

Kendrick shook his head, his eyes welling up with tears. "I don't know, man, I'm clueless."

Emmanuel's eyes narrowed, his mind racing to connect the dots leading to Mandy's unconscious state.

"She had her head all bloody, and...and..." Kendrick started to say, snapping Emmanuel out of his thoughts.

Emmanuel's grip on Kendrick's shoulders tightened.

"And what?" Emmanuel pressed, giving Kendrick a slight shake, as if willing the words out of him.

But Kendrick clammed up, fighting back sobs as his eyes turned beet red.

"Come on, Kendrick, spill it! What happened?" Richard asked.

"She... she," Kendrick finally spoke up, his voice trembling.

"She...she wasn't breathing!"

The words hung in the air, eliciting gasps from both Emmanuel and Richard.

Emmanuel's eyes widened in horror, his face draining of color.

"H-how?" he asked, his voice shaking, but Kendrick's distress was heart-wrenching.

He looked like he was on the verge of breaking down, his eyes welling up with tears.

Seeing his friend's pain, Emmanuel instinctively wrapped his arms around Kendrick, offering a shoulder to cry on.

Kendrick's body shook as he sobbed uncontrollably, his voice muffled against Emmanuel's shoulder.

"The second time this is happening," he managed to choke out, his tears flowing freely.

Emmanuel and Richard exchanged a confused glance, but they remained silent, allowing Kendrick to release his emotions.

They didn't flinch at the sight of their friend breaking down, even though it was a rare display of vulnerability, especially for someone as close as Emmanuel.

They simply let him cry, giving him the space to process the weight of his grief.

But their solemn moment was abruptly interrupted when the operating room door burst open and a team of doctors and nurses spilled out, engaged in a heated discussion.

Kendrick's instincts kicked in as soon as he heard the commotion; he swiftly broke free from Emmanuel's embrace and turned to face the approaching medical team.

Dashing away his tears, he hurried towards them, his heart racing with anticipation.

The doctors paused, their eyes locking onto Kendrick as he approached.

"How's she, doctor?" Kendrick asked, his voice trembling with anxiety, his eyes scanning the worried faces of the medical team.

But one doctor, his expression somber, stepped forward and removed his glasses.

He placed a hand on Kendrick's shoulder, his gaze filled with compassion, and shook his head.

"If you'd brought her in earlier, Kendrick...she might've had a chance. But now..." The doctor's voice faded away, leaving Kendrick's world crashing down.

Kendrick's eyes went wide, his whole being frozen in shock. He felt like he'd been punched in the gut, his legs giving out from under him. Emmanuel caught him, holding him up.

"Doctor, please, this can't be true, right?" Emmanuel asked, his voice shaking.

The doctor somberly shook his head once more. "We did everything we could, but it was just too late."

Kendrick's face contorted in anguish.

"NO!" he bellowed, his voice echoing off the hospital walls.

"Nothing happened to her! She's gonna be okay! She's gotta be okay!"

Kendrick jerked away from Emmanuel's grasp and stepped up to the doctor, his finger pointed accusatorially.

"How can you tell me that? She's fine, I know it! You're just saying that cause you don't care!"

Then, he stormed past them and burst into the operating room.

"This can't be happening! She's gonna be okay, I know it!"

"Doctor, I'm so sorry for his attitude," Emmanuel Apologized

"But isn't there anything you can do? Can't you revive her or something? She can't be gone, that's just not right!"

The doctor just took a deep breath before responding. "I'm afraid she is, that's the sad truth. I'm really sorry."

With that, the doctors nodded sympathetically and walked away, leaving them to mourn in peace.

Just then, the police officers arrived.

"Mr. Emmanuel, we need to have a word with you," Officer Mariam called out from behind.

Emmanuel and Richard turned around slowly, Emmanuel's eyes narrowing slightly as he approached Officer Mariam.

"Yes, Officer?" he asked.

Officer Mariam hesitated for a moment before delivering the news.

"Our team has obtained crucial information from the witness who was with us earlier. She disclosed that the deceased individual found at the abandoned lodge was Faustina, a participant in Kelly's scheme."

She paused. "Moreover, our investigation has revealed that Faustina tragically took her own life."

Emmanuel's eyes widened in shock. "Faustina? Who's she? Why would she do that?"

Meanwhile, Kendrick knelt beside Mandy's bed, clutching her hand tightly.

"Mandy, please wake up," he whispered repeatedly.

"Come on, Mandy! Rise and shine, girl! You gotta wake up, sweetheart!" Kendrick's said as he gazed at Mandy's pale face, a stark contrast to her usual self.

"Come on, Mandy, don't leave me hanging like this! You can't just check out on me, okay?" He pleaded.

"Wake up, please, baby! Say something, anything! Don't do this to me, Mandy!"

"I know you were hurt bad, but you can't just leave me, Mandy! My whole world revolves around you, and life would be straight-up meaningless without you! Please, baby, say something!"

But Mandy just lay there, her eyes closed tight, her chest still as can be.

"Come on, Mandy, come back to me! Wake up, already!" Kendrick begged, tears streaming down his face.

He gripped her hand tighter, his thumb rubbing against the ring on her finger.

"Please, baby, wake up! I'm begging you!"

But Mandy remained still, unresponsive.

He gently took his other hand to her cheek, his thumb stroking her skin as tears streamed down his face, falling onto her chest.

"Wake up," he whispered, his heart aching with every passing moment.

Kendrick rested his head against the side of Mandy's neck, his tears soaking her skin as he continued to beg, "Please, Mandy, wake up!"

But Mandy remained still, her soul adrift in a dark abyss.

She was the only beacon of light in the vast darkness, and she wondered how and why she ended up there.

Surrounded by an endless void, she saw nothing but shadows.

She turned around, calling out, "Hello!"

But her voice only echoed back, repeating the same word over and over, leaving her with only silence.

But then, a voice suddenly pierced the darkness, calling out, "Amanda..."

The echo reverberated through the void, and Amanda spun around, searching for the source.

"Who's there?" she asked aloud, her own voice echoing back at her.

"Amanda," the voice repeated, the echoing growing more intense.

Amanda covered her ears, feeling overwhelmed and annoyed by the relentless sound.

"Amanda," the voice persisted, and she continued to spin around, trying to escape the noise.

"Go away!" she exclaimed, her frustration growing.

"Amanda... Amanda..." The voice echoed through the darkness, growing more insistent.

Amanda stood frozen, confused and annoyed, her ear still covered.

Then, the voice changed its tone, singing out "Mandy... mandy... mandy... Mandy..." in a maddening rhythm.

"Stop it!" Amanda complained, her head spinning in circles, and closed her eyes.

"Amanda... Mandy..." The voice continued, taunting her.

"Stop, stop, stop it!" Amanda pleaded, but the voice only grew louder, more persistent.

"Mandy... Mandy..." It drew nearer, the sound enveloping her.

"Mandy..." The voice whispered, its presence suffocating.

"Who are you?" Amanda called out, desperation creeping into her voice.

"Look around, Mandy," the voice echoed back.

Mandy took a deep breath, waited for the echo to fade, and slowly lowered her hands.

As she glanced around, her eyes widened in shock.

Mandy found herself in a familiar yet eerily empty space - her old high school classroom.

A girl sat alone in a familiar spot, and as Mandy's gaze fell upon her, she realized it was herself.

The same rows of desks, the same chalkboard, the same everything. But something felt off, like a discordant note in a familiar melody.

"What is this?" Mandy whispered to herself, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to make sense of the surreal scene.

As she watched, her other self stood up from the chair and approached a group of three girls - her friends - who were engrossed in a lively conversation.

Her other self tried to join in, attempting to speak to them, but they completely ignored her presence, continuing to chat and laugh as if she wasn't even there.

Mandy watched in dismay as her other self returned to her seat, looking dejected, and rested her head on the desk, as if defeated.

But then, the environment suddenly shifted, and Amanda found herself standing in her school hallway.

Her eyes landed on two girls approaching: one was her other self, and the other was a friend.

Amanda waved her hand, but they couldn't see her; they walked past her, oblivious.

Just as they did, another girl appeared out of nowhere, inserted herself between them, and pushed her other self away.

"Hey!" Amanda yelled, her hand stretched out in protest, as she watched the girls walk away, leaving her other self alone once again.

Amanda's eyes brimmed with tears as she gazed at her other self, standing alone in the hallway, the memory still vivid in her mind.

She instinctively reached out to her other self, but her hand swept through the image, as if it were a mere specter.

"Why can't they see me?" Amanda wondered, her voice barely a whisper.

In an instant, the scene shifted again, and Amanda found herself back in the classroom, now occupying her own chair.

The other students' gazes were cold, intense, and fixed on her, making Amanda feel like a specimen under a microscope.

Amanda glanced around, her skin crawling with discomfort, and tried to speak, but her voice was eerily trapped in her own mind. She was the only one who could hear her own thoughts.

She attempted to warn them to look away, to tell them that she didn't like the way they were gazing at her, but her voice was barely audible, a faint squeak that no one else seemed to notice.

And then, in an instant, the scene shifted once more, and Amanda found herself standing in the school compound, surrounded by a sea of faces, all staring at her with daggers in their eyes.

Amanda's gaze darted around, and she noticed Mr. Shola, her school teacher, standing beside her, his eyes fixed on her with an expectant stare.

The students' gazes clung to her like magnets, their eyes conveying a piercing intensity that made her skin crawl.

Amanda's voice was paralyzed in her throat, her parted lips struggling to release even a whisper, but only a faint, silent breath escaped.

The scenes continued to shift and swirl, forcing Amanda to relive countless moments from her high school years that she'd rather forget.

The memories were like a relentless storm, battering her with discomfort and anxiety.

"Stop it!" she pleaded, her voice rising to a desperate yell.

"Enough of this already! Let me be!"

But the visions refused to cease, and the scene around her darkened once more.

Amanda spun around, disoriented and frightened.

"What's going on?" she cried out, but her voice echoed back at her, sending her hands flying up to cover her ears.

And then, a low, ominous voice boomed out, "Amanda... Amanda..."

"Enough!" Amanda screamed, her eyes screwed shut in anguish.

"Amanda..." The voice called out, its tone beckoning and insistent, growing louder with each step.

"Let me be!" Amanda yelled.

But the voice only grew stronger, multiplying into a chorus of different tones and pitches.

"Amanda... Amanda... Amanda... Mandy... Mandy..." The voices echoed around her, a cacophony of whispers that seemed to come from all directions.

Amanda spun around, frantically trying to locate the source of the maddening sound as it drew closer and closer.

"Mandy... Mandy... Mandy... Mandy..." The voices chimed in unison, the name echoing in her mind like a haunting refrain.

Amanda kept spinning around in a desperate attempt to escape the voice, clamping her hands over her ears to block out the sound.

But it only grew louder. "Amanda... Amanda..."

Just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore, the voice abruptly ceased.

The sudden silence was unnerving. And then, a gentle touch on her shoulder made her jump.

Amanda flinched, her heart racing, and whirled around, her eyes widening in shock as she came face to face with Faustina.

"F-faustina?" She asked, disbelief written all over her face.

"What are you doing here? How did you even get here?"

She ignored the eerie echoes that reverberated through the space, her attention fixed on the figure before her.

Faustina smiled, and her glow intensified, outshining Mandy's.

"I've come for a specific reason, and I'll be departing soon," Faustina explained.

Amanda's confusion deepened. "What do you mean? What's happening?"

"Mandy," Faustina said, her voice gentle as she stepped closer, but Amanda recoiled, her frown deepening.

"Don't think I've forgotten what you did to me," Amanda said.

Faustina's smile remained unwavering. "I know you haven't, and I haven't forgotten either," Faustina replied.

"But I want to share something with you before I go."

"Go?" Amanda repeated.

"Where are you going?"

Faustina's gaze turned upward, her eyes seeming to pierce the darkness.

She took a deep breath before responding. "God was merciful enough to grant us this reunion before we embark on our separate journeys."

"What do you mean?" Mandy asked, extremely confused.

Faustina's gaze met Mandy's, her eyes shining with a sincere light.

"I mean, Mandy, I want to apologize to you," Faustina said.

Mandy's expression turned bitter, her lips curling into a snarl.

"Well, you've already succeeded in killing me, so why bother apologizing now?"

"You're not dead, Mandy," Faustina said.

Amanda's brow shot up in skepticism. "What do you mean? If I'm not dead, why else would I be here?"

"You're here because of me, for my sake," Faustina responded.

Amanda's face scrunched up in bewilderment. "Huh?"

"I don't have much time to waste, Mandy, but I need to tell you that I'm deeply sorry, and that Kelly is behind my actions," Faustina said.

Amanda rolled her eyes. "I would have called you a liar about Kelly, but considering how Kelly behaved when I was still alive, I believe Kelly's capable of evil. However, I'm not convinced you're telling the truth."

Faustina chuckled softly, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

"I'll repeat myself, Mandy: you're not dead yet. You're slowly returning to your body."

Amanda's frown deepened. "I am?"

Faustina nodded solemnly. "I couldn't possibly be lying when I'm already dead myself. What would I gain?"

Amanda's eyes widened in shock.

"What?!"

Faustina's voice dropped to a whisper. "I am, Mandy. I killed myself because I couldn't bear the guilt of killing you."

Faustina's words sent Mandy's heart racing in surprise, mingled with a pang of pain.

"But you shouldn't have done that," Amanda muttered.

"I know I shouldn't have, but I don't regret it at all. I feel it was the best decision I ever made."

Amanda shook her head, struggling to comprehend.

"No, no, so you're...dead?"

Faustina chuckled and stepped closer. She placed a hand on Mandy's shoulder, her smile widening.

"I'm really happy, Mandy."

Amanda remained motionless, her gaze fixed intently on Faustina's.

"But why?" she asked.

Faustina withdrew her hand from Mandy's shoulder.

"You see, Mandy, we share similarities in certain aspects."

With that, Faustina turned her back to Mandy and began to scan the surrounding darkness, her eyes gliding across the shadows.

"Our hearts are akin to this darkness - complex, mysterious, and shrouded in secrets."

Faustina's words hung in the air, leaving Amanda with more questions than answers.

"What do you mean our hearts are similar?" Amanda asked.

Faustina turned back to face her.

"We've both experienced pain, Mandy. We've both been broken."

Faustina's gaze seemed to bore into Amanda's soul, as if searching for something.

"But we've also both found ways to embrace the darkness within us."

"Isolation, sadness, and many other scars, but we've learned to conceal them, convincing ourselves we've moved on."

Amanda's gaze dropped, and she nodded solemnly.

But then Faustina's words suddenly snapped her back to attention: "But you're the one who spent six years in solitude."

Faustina's gaze pierced through Amanda's, as if seeing right into her soul.

"I had friends at highschool, people by my side, but it was different for you. You faced your darkness alone."

"You're far stronger than I am, Mandy. You're incredibly resilient. That's why you can't give up yet. You have to keep going."

Amanda stood still, her eyes welling up with tears at Faustina's words.

"That's not true," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I'm weak."

Faustina shook her head. "Don't say that, Mandy. That's what others want you to believe, but it's not the truth."

Faustina's eyes locked onto Amanda's, filled with conviction.

"To have endured all that you've been through, alone and without surrendering to despair, shows incredible strength. You are resilient, Mandy, and that is a gift."

"Unlike you, I've been exhausted with life since it became a living hell. I longed to escape, and now that I'm gone, I feel a twisted sense of happiness. But amidst that, I'm consumed by guilt, thinking about the pain my mom will endure. That was selfish of me."

"But what happened to you?" Amanda asked softly.

Faustina's expression turned enigmatic. "What happened to me doesn't matter now, Mandy. You can learn about that later. Right now, it's about you and your second chance."

Faustina's hands grasped Amanda's shoulders, her eyes burning with intensity.

"Go back and live the life you always wanted. Replace the bad memories with new ones. Be happy, Mandy. People are waiting for you, especially him."

Amanda's gaze dropped, her mind wandering back to Kendrick.

Faustina's voice grew gentle, yet urgent. "Go, Mandy. Go and be happy. I've had my share of experiences, my happy and sad moments. Now it's your turn. Overshadow your sad moments with new ones. You deserve it."

Amanda's gaze met Faustina's, and tears began to flow once more like a river, streaming down her face.

"Can I really do that?" she asked, her voice trembling with hope.

Faustina nodded emphatically.

"You can, Mandy. You have him to create happy moments with. He loves you deeply and will ensure your joy."

Amanda's sniffles filled the air as she struggled to speak. "I... I..."

"Just accept your life, and you'll leave the this place this instant."

"Uhm... what about you?" Mandy asked, her concern for Faustina evident.

"I'm fine, Mandy, I'm fine," Faustina brushed it off. But Mandy's worries lingered.

Faustina sensed her hesitation and encouraged her, "Say yes, Mandy, say yes!" She repeatedly shook Mandy's hand or shouler, willing her to agree.

Mandy was willing to agree, but her concerns about Faustina's well-being held her back.

Yet, Faustina seemed unwavering, her focus solely on Mandy's return.

"Go now, say yes!" Faustina urged.

Tears continued to stream down Mandy's face as she realized she would miss Faustina dearly.

Still, she nodded slowly, "Okay...I agree to return to my body."

As soon as she spoke the words, her form began to fade away rapidly.

Faustina's face radiated joy, and she smiled warmly. "Good, Mandy. Leave the pain behind and embrace happiness."

Amanda's nods became more resolute, and her tears momentarily ceased.

"I...will," she whispered, her gaze drifting down to her increasingly translucent hands.

She looked back up at Faustina, her eyes locking onto hers.

"I won't forget you," she promised, before vanishing completely.

In an instant, Amanda's spirit returned to her physical body, and her eyes snapped open wide on the bed, as if jolted awake from a profound slumber.

Amanda's chest began heaving as she struggled to catch her breath, her body trembling with the effort.

Beside her, Kendrick's head snapped up, his eyes locking onto hers with wide, wonder-filled gazes.

He sat up sharply, his movements eager.

"A-Amanda," he called out, his voice trembling with emotion, as he couldn't believe his eyes were beholding a miracle.