4. Rebirth

Tears blurred my vision as her cruel words pierced me. How could she be so callous?

I really shouldn't have trusted Melissa. I should have listened to Jeraldine! How I wish I could be given a second chance to rewrite my story. I wouldn't make such a mistake.

Melissa stepped back and allowed the doctor to take over. He made an incision on my lower body, as I screamed in pain as he severed the fetus from its placenta. Blood gushed from the wound, relentlessly even after stitching.

I sobbed softly, losing every single sanity I had within me. This was just too cruel! Melissa would pay for this, she would pay for this.

As I laid in regret, continually bleeding, the doctor went to Melissa reporting the medical mishaps that happened.

"You didn't tell me the child was five months old! It is dangerous to abort the child! She is bleeding heavily, what do we do?" The doctor's face sneered, anger rising.

"What Else do you want me to do apart from letting her die? Your work is complete, you don't need to question my authority. Let us leave," She said, waving at me and leaving the room along with the men and the doctor.

She turned off the light, and then darkness closed in around me. "Before I forget, greet mother and father for me in heaven! They'd be glad that I also sent them to you like I did to them!"

I stared, my ears bleeding from what she just said. So it was Melissa who killed mom and dad? How cruel! How could she kill her own parents like they were nothing?

I didn't have time to argue with her as I would settle scores with her after I left the burning room. The door opened up again, and it was Melissa.

"Lest I forget, have a happy ending burning to ashes." She smiled, flinging in a lit lighter towards the fire. "Love you sister." She jeered, locking the door from outside.

I screamed, and struggled as the fire intensified. I had to leave immediately, if I wanted to make it alive. The inferno worsened, spreading rapidly throughout the room.

"No! No! I can't die like this! I can't be burnt to ashes! Please just give me a second chance. I beg of you, A second chance!" I screamed as the fire engulfed me, my flesh searing and blistering while I writhed in agony.

"I will have my revenge! I will make you pay, Melissa!" I said my last words and the fire engulfed my body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I screamed, jerking up from the soft mattress. My eyes gazed around my surroundings and I was met with a cool, warm morning, in a four walled room and not a basement environment which I previously was in.

Instantly, I flew down from the bed, touching my body to make sure I was still intact. And when I found no injuries, confusion clouded my mind.

"It can't be a dream! It can't! I smelt the fire. The fire pierced through my skin!" I shook my head in disbelief. And just then I remembered my face!

I ran to the nearest window, and checked out myself through my reflection.

"No scar? Nothing?" I paused, raising up what I was wearing and checking my lower body out. There was also no scar. Just a clean, sparkling, flawless skin.

I fell to the ground, touching my face. "Was it all a dream? Shouldn't I be dead?" My eyelids fluttered, perplexed.

Before I could process everything, the bathroom door burst open and a tall man clothed only one pair of robes stepped out. His hair dripped in water, signifying he just finished showering.

"Stay away from me!" I said, shivering in fear. I had nothing on me for defense, still I wouldn't back down from a fight.

"You barged into my room, and you asked me to stay away from you. Is this some kind of plan you have wrapped up in your head?" He walked across the room, closing the distance between the both of us.

"I don't know what you are talking about!" I hadn't regained myself. My brain is barely finding out what happened. I clutched my head as I became drowsy.

"Hey! Don't act like you are going to faint! I didn't touch you!" He shifted away from me just in case another plot of mine was about to turn up.

He was used to women playing this clichè scheme. If they didn't succeed in seducing him, then they proceeded in pretending they were ill so that he could help them.

He frowned, concluding from the way I was dressed. I had only transparent, cream colored lingerie on my body soaked with sweat.

He went back into the closet and came out with a pair of clean white shirts, tossed it over to me, and ordered me to dress up. Embarrassingly, I took the shirt and wore it immediately.

And then, something popped up in my head.

"You can see me right? I am not invisible?" I had to ask. Maybe if I was not dreaming, then I am a ghost. A living ghost?

"Are you stupid? If I can't see you, why am I asking why you are in my room?" He raised his hands to beat me and I flinched from his touch.

"Can you answer why you are in my room? Who has sent you and with what aim do you come here to execute? If it is money you want, I will give it to you." He demanded, his voice tinged with suspicion.

"Wait, hold on, if you can see me, that means I am alive. But how is that possible? I know I couldn't have survived that fire and then, no scar? What of the scar Melissa did on my face? I know I saw it through the window reflection!" I placed my palms in front of him, shushing him up, and paced back and forth in the room.

"Who the hell is Melissa and what scar are you talking about? If you are not going to talk, I will call the police!"

"What day is this, if I may ask?"

"November 6th, 2023," He replied obnoxiously, obviously irritated by my sight. I didn't care to bother about it and kept pacing back.

"November?" I muttered to myself, checking my fingers to confirm. "You sure we are in November?"

"Are you sick in the head? Why aren't you answering my questions? Why are you here and who brought you here?"

I completely ignored him and sat on the bed, my lips twitching in confusion. "I am very sure we entered 2024 and we were in June a minute ago? How could I have gone back eight months? Could I have been reborn?" I muttered, still lost in thoughts.

Annoyed by my words, he gripped to my shoulders, pulling me up from the bed. I shrieked as he pushed me against the wall, leaning over and grabbing onto my chin harshly.

"If you don't tell me why you are here, I might truly send you back eight months ago! Tell me now, why are you here!"