Twist of Fate

Chapter One: Ghost from the past

She strolled vacantly on the roads swarming with hordes of people, running about to accomplish the tasks and the planned transactions of the demanding day stretching ahead of them. There was a sharp bite to the morning air she sucked in which stabbed her nose and fetched tears to her eyes. 

The air traveled down her throat like a frosty draught. The cold went down her clothes freezing them; her skin became pimply and drained of blood. The only supplies of clothes clinging to her skin were thin and coarse with an addition of a ragged sweater.

Her mind recounted the events of last night, the bawling of Aunt June still ringing in her jaded ears. She must have to do something, do anything for money. Her eyes were glued upon the impenetrable mist astern, searching for the first glow of the rising sun that would ascend a sense of assurance and protection upon her. That would help her to battle with the tribulations and challenges the merciless life was intent on throwing her way.

Two weeks earlier, Felicity had moved from Darrington to Seattle with her Paternal Aunt June and a Paralyzed Uncle Edmund. A stroke had driven her Uncle into hemiparesis causing him to lose his job, the only source of income for the family. They had resolved to shift to Seattle for more opportunities and to start anew. Since Felicity's Uncle could not work anymore, it was up to her to fulfill their needs.

 Two weeks had passed in Felicity hunting for a job only to end up in failure. Aunt June's constant taunting and scoffing was now intervening with her head. Early that morning, Aunt June had still resumed badgering her with the queries of money. Incompetent to take any more of her crap she had exited the house abandoning her fuming Aunt behind flinging demeaning words at her.

 Nevertheless, once out and about, the frigid morning air had pellucid her head. Mentally chiding herself on her irreverence and shameless demeanor she turned around the corner of an unknown wide extensive road aligned with spacious and grand mansions on both sides.

She kept walking, her body numbing with cold. She continued to haul her feet onward with a shivering body. Her steps ceased now and then until finally, her fatigued body declined to move ahead. Reluctantly, she gave up her combat with her body and halted in front of a splendid mansion. Momentarily a gush of air pervaded with a familiar scent swept past her. Impulsively she forced her eyes close, the reflex merely intensifying the anguished and the achingly luscious feelings.

Images after images dawned on her, folding and unfolding the anguish and euphoria of the past. She stood there; savoring and fearing the flashing face of that one person who had caused her the pain of her life yet had endowed her with the bliss of no evaluation. She stood there for what felt like forever, passing through an impasse. 

Her mind insisted her to get away from that place as quickly as possible but her heart compelled her to relish the harmony. The numbness of her body began to strengthen the torment and diminish the joy. All at once she got dragged out of her reverie by the sound of skidding tires behind her. She had neither time nor the power to move away from the spot, and as she felt a light thud on her body darkness sucked her in.

Cassidy descended the back seat in panic and ran towards the fallen figure of a girl on the road. She moved her lightly but got no response. She checked for any injury or blood but the girl looked fine. Her face was pale and her skin was freezing cold.

"Marshal! Help me carry this lady inside." She ordered her driver, who stood timidly over her.

When Felicity opened her eyes to the blinding sunlight streaming inside the room through the drawn curtains. Her brain thudded with the blood pounding through her veins. She bolted upright, drenched in sweat, her breathing labored. The faint echoes of the a distant memory from the past still sounded in her mind even when she closed her eyes briefly to erase them. His honey eyes were haunting her.