Pathways

Chapter 12

I wake up in the hospital with my younger sister and Jake standing over my bed. Of course, my mother isn't here.

"Baby, I'm sorry," Jake pleads, " I'm so sorry I can't believe this happened to you. I -I wanted to apologize for pushing you at the park but I just couldn't bring myself to look at you. I'm so ashamed."

I slowly turn my head to his voice. I try to open my right eye but it stings so bad I keep it shut. I want to scream at him, to tell him to go away but I feel so weak and deflated I can't even do that. I just lay on my bed staring at both of them with my good eye. My sister rushes to my bed arms out. For the first time, I'm grateful to see her. She may have her outbursts but she pulled through in the end. I suddenly feel guilty for being ashamed of her."Anna, I came as soon as I heard. Mom's outside, and I forced her to drive me. I- I thought, I thought you were in way worse condition, I thought-" She begins to cry and I immediately want to comfort her.

"Hey, Ava. I'm okay. I'll be okay." I reach my hand out to her and she takes it.

I smile but it soon falters when I get the feeling someone's watching me. Not again. Jake tries walking towards me but I stop him.

"I just need to be alone right now," I whisper.

They both nod and exit the room. I turn around to the other side of the bed when I feel an ice-cold hand touch my shoulder. This feeling. The icy, melting, sunset. It's here. My stalker. They're in the room with me, I can feel it. I dart to the other side of my bed to swat the hand away but my hand goes right through the hand on my shoulder. I jerk in pain as my leg slides against the bed.

Slowly I peer up seeing that the figure has backed away from my bed. When I get a good look at it I cover my mouth because I sure as hell know a scream is trying to fight its way out of my throat. Standing in front of me is me. Or someone that looks exactly like me. It's like seeing my own reflection. It's like I'm looking at me but it's not me. Some sort of transparent version of myself. Like I'm out of my body staring into the physical form of my soul.

"Anna, my precious Anna." the ghost of myself says.

Am I dead? Did I die? Is this the afterlife or am I going crazy? "Y-you. My stalker. Y-You're me?" I gasp. I think back to all the letters I've received. Of course. Out of everyone in the world, I know myself the best. That's how my stalker knew so much about me. That's how they know the future. Because they've seen it. It all starts crashing into my head all at once like the last piece of a puzzle finally clicking in.

"Yes, I've been the one behind the letters," she says calmly, taking out a bright yellow envelope from her pocket. I cover my mouth in horror. It soon turns to awe though as I try to reach out to myself. My hand goes right through it. Her. Whatever this thing is.

"I'm the future ghost of you. I've been watching you this whole time. Trying to keep you safe. I knew you got murdered but I didn't know who and how, and I couldn't contact you or you would freak out. So I wrote you letters. Stalker is a strong word though. I don't have enough time to explain this as we speak, I'm getting erased from time because you're still alive. This letter will explain everything." she says.

She quickly takes my hand and places the bright yellow letter inside it. I watch in awe as my transparent self quickly fades to nothing. I have so many questions. I practically rip the letter open to see if it has any sort of information that can answer these questions.

Dear Anna,

This is my last and final letter. If you are reading this it means we've succeeded. We stopped your murder and I no longer have to sit in darkness. I can finally become one with you and cease to exist. I know I'll come back one day but hopefully, it won't be for a long long time. I hope you live your happiest life because it'll be my happiest life too. By the way, I knew Jake was aggressive I just wanted you to see him for who he was by yourself. You don't need him. I know what's best for you because I've seen it. I think your death wasn't supposed to happen so I was created to go back in time and figure out how to stop it. I knew we were too strong to die, not even destiny can stop us. You choose your own pathway and carve it out. I'll always be with you. To destiny. You can kiss my ass!

Yours truly- Anna.

I look up at the letter with shaking hands tears streaming down my face. I can't believe I was so terrified of myself this whole time. Anna was only trying to help me. Sure she went about it in a creepy way that left me paranoid and running to my attempted murderer but my heart was in the right place. We didn't know. I sit up and stare at the letter. Bright yellow always was my favorite color. She must have known that. The color no longer makes me sick to my stomach anymore. It gives me strength, and hope. It helps me remember that I can choose my own destiny. I don't have to follow what's written on paper and die. I quietly fold the letter back into the envelope and smile as I tear it into a million pieces. I watch as the tiny sprinkles of paper fall into the garbage can.

Looking down at the can I smile no longer feeling terrified. " To destiny, you can kiss my ass. I follow my own pathways."