Another lil Benley collection

Twilight Zone

Miranda jolted awake, the remnants of a dream slipping away. She reached out, expecting to feel Ben's warmth beside her, but her hand rested against someone else. Her eyes snapped open, heart pounding.

"Eli?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "What are you doing here? Where's Ben?

Eli stirred awake, blinking at her with a sleepy confusion. "Miranda, what do you mean? I'm your husband. This is our bed that's why I'm here. And do you mean Ben your ex?"

Miranda recoiled, her mind racing. "No, you're not. Ben is my husband. What's going on?"

Eli sat up, concern etching lines across his face. "Miranda, are you feeling okay? Maybe you're just having a weird dream. You broke up with Ben years ago"

She glanced around the room, her pulse quickening. The room was familiar yet subtly different—new furniture, different paint, a strange arrangement of their belongings. Panic rises as she scrambles out of bed.

"I'll get you some coffee," Eli offered, his voice soothing, as if calming a frightened animal. He left the room, and Miranda took the moment to look around.

She scanned the walls, her eyes landing on framed wedding photos. She stepped closer, and her eyes widened with surprise. The bride and groom smiled back at her, but it's Eli in the tuxedo, not Ben. She ran her fingers over the glass, her reflection merging with the images of a life she doesn't remember living.

Miranda's mind spun with possibilities. Had she lost her memory? Is this some cruel joke? She felt like she was in an episode of The Twilight Zone, where reality twists into something unrecognizable, and only she knows the truth.

Eli returned with a mug of coffee, his eyes filled with worry. "Here, drink this. It'll help."

Miranda took the cup, her hands shaking. She forced a smile, hiding her confusion. "Thanks."

As she sipped the coffee, she made a silent vow. She knew she needed to figure out what's happening, to understand how her life has shifted so drastically. But for now, she was determined to play along, navigating this altered reality until she could find a way back to the world she knows—the world where Ben is her husband, not Eli.

Miranda slipped on her robe, the fabric offering a slight comfort in the midst of her confusion. She stepped into the hallway, her footsteps echoing in the unfamiliar space. Every corner of the house feels wrong, like a distorted reflection of her reality.

Her gaze landed on a door, slightly ajar. Curiosity mingled with trepidation, she pushed it open and stepped inside. The sight that greeted her stole the breath from her lungs—a nursery, adorned with soft pastel colors and filled with the gentle hum of a mobile.

Miranda's heart pounds as she stepped into the nursery, her breath catching at the sight of the sleeping baby. The room felt foreign yet strangely intimate, as if she stumbled into someone else's life.

A lump formed in Miranda's throat as she heard the light coos of a baby. She turned to see Eli standing in the doorway, concern etched into his features. "Miranda, are you okay?"

She ignored  him, her eyes fixated on the crib in the center of the room. With hesitant steps, she approached, her heart pounding in her chest. Peering into the crib, she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her. Her hands trembling as she reached out to brush a finger against the baby's cheek. The infant stirred, emitting soft coos that tug at Miranda's heartstrings.

Tears sting her eyes as she looks at the child's features—a perfect blend of herself and Eli. A cruel reminder of the daughter she and Ben were supposed to have.

Panic rose within her, threatening to suffocate her.
Her mind reeled, struggling to comprehend the surreal scene before her. This can't be real. It's like a nightmare woven into her waking life—a twisted version where Eli is her husband, and they have a child together.