The Incomer : Hated by death ✔

Debbie

Water. That was my only thought as I was surrounded by it. The water was freezing and it pierced my body. My mouth started filling with water. I wished that I died soon instead of experiencing such a torment. I was no longer able to float and my body started to descend below the water.

To my astonishment, I saw someone swimming towards me. I felt there was no use in it, as I was sure that I would be dead before he could even reach me. He had black hair, and pale skin that appeared anaemic inside the water. He came nearer and nearer. Then I heard a voice.

"Zeev..Zeev.. Do you hear me?" called a man, which woke me up. I found myself lying on a stretcher, in front of a scanning machine.

'Did I break my head in the accident?' I thought. Without any context, Stan Grace was standing by the side of my bed waiting for me to get up. I confirmed that I was in delirium after the accident, imagining people standing before me. Surprisingly, he spoke.

"Did you sleep inside?" smirked Stan, "Zeev, do you know how much I had to convince the doctor to see you without Luke noticing?" he added.

I came to my senses. My intuition said that something unpleasant had happened, for Stan Grace to pay me a visit in the hospital. And without any comprehension, he called me Zeev.

"Why am I here? What happened to me? Where's Luke?" I said. He was stunned.

"Hold on, are you Debbie now?" said Stan stupidly.

"What happened to you? I've been Debbie from the time I was born." I said. Stan looked worried.

"Well. I am Stan Grace. Pleased to meet you." said Stan sulkily.

"I know that. Just tell me why are you here and if I'm not wrong, I heard with both my well-functioning ears that you called me Zeev. "

"Debbie.. This would be a little hard to perceive, but you have to believe whatever I say now."

"You are freaking me out. Did I get any incurable illness?"

"Illness would've been better" muttered Stan

"Pardon" I said.

"Nothing like that. This is something more complicated. If I am not wrong, you've met Zeev though you've not met him, right?" said Stan

"Stan, I think you must be the one lying here instead of me."

"Ah..You don't get it. You've been in that white blank room, right?"

"White blank room? Yeah! I was even attacked by Zeev there! Was it real? I thought it was a dream!"

"So did Zeev. If you come to know what happened today, you would realize that it was not a dream"

"Don't freak me out. Just tell what happened."

"It is difficult to explain but let me give it a try. A few minutes before you were Zeev... No... Zeev became you. No... not like that..." Stan kept trying but, neither he could explain properly what he was about to tell, nor I could understand a word out of it. Finally he decided to tell something without blabbering.

"Watch this video" said Stan, giving his mobile to me. I played the video and was astounded to see myself talking on the screen.

The video was like this:"Debbie, I know it would be hard for you to believe but you have to. Now I am not Debbie, sorry you are not Debbie. Argh..I am Zeev right now inside your body. I don't have the least idea how this happened but I woke up in your body, inside your car, which was crashed against a wall. I am helpless. I don't know what to do, but I have a feeling that this would continue, which is not good for both of us. Just be brave to face whatever is about to happen. I don't have much time. Luke would be here anytime. I hope you met Stan, he will explain the rest." The video ended.

"How did this happen" I crouched.

"Are you alright?" said Stan

"How could I be?" I cried in panic,"Already my life is a mess. I don't know anything about myself. How am I supposed to face these much problems in life?"

Stan sat next to me. "I know you can Debbie. You are extraordinarily courageous. The first day I met you in McDonalds, you were normal like everyone. But no one knew that it was the first time you woke up in two years!" said Stan. I was moved by his confidence on me. I wiped my tears.

"Zeev must be grateful to have a brother like you. Look at my brother, not even talking to me when I need his comfort."

"He has a reason for it"

"Did he tell anything when I was not around? What happened? Tell me from the beginning"

Stan explained everything from the time Zeev woke up inside the car.

"Everything's because of me. I messed up everything. If I hadn't drove that badly.." I said.

"You are not the one to blame. None of us expected this sudden outcome. Instead of blaming each other we must be ready for anything that is about to happen, like Zeev said" There was agony in his voice when he talked about Zeev.

"Don't worry Stan, that white room is quite safe. He would be there."

"Really?" said Stan with his face bright.

"He'll just turn a little insane. Nothing else to worry" I said. The light in his face was gone.

"Just kidding. You know about your brother, right? He would kill anyone who tries to create harm to him. Believe me, I have experience." I said, remembering the first encounter with Zeev. It actually turned into a sweet memory from a nightmare.

"My life in these three years..." I frowned,"I wish I had a memory of it".

"Don't strain yourself. Not only you, but no one have any idea about the happenings in the past three years. Yours and Zeev's life is at stake, so I would give anything to protect you both. You just take care of yourself" said Stan.

The door opened and the doctor entered.

"Have you finished talking? Your brother is torturing me" said the doctor, annoyed.

"Oh Luke! I forgot about him! Sorry doctor, we're done. Let Luke in as soon as I get out" said Stan.

"You wouldn't forget your promise, would you?" said the doctor to Stan.

"Sure. I never defy my word." assured Stan and the doctor left.

"What promise?" I said.

"To meet you alone, I promised the doctor that I would get Zeev's autograph for his daughter's fourteenth birthday." said Stan

"Does that guy really have fans?" I said

"No doubt, you've been really sleeping for the past two years" said Stan,"I don't have much time. If you want to contact me, here is my number." said Stan giving a visiting card.

"You would be fine right?" said Stan

"Don't worry about me. You go back safely." I said keeping the card in my pocket.

As soon as Stan left, Luke entered. "Shall we leave?" said Luke happily.

"Luke are you alright?" I said

"Yeah, why?"

"A few minutes before you were mad at me and surprisingly you've changed your mood!"

"How can I not be happy when doctor has said that my sister is completely alright?"

"How did you get the reports immediately?" I said, with a suspicion, that it might be Stan's work.

"Even I was wondering about that. Just then you went inside, within minutes they gave the reports and asked me to consult the doctor. I did the same and doctor said there is nothing to worry about anymore!" said Luke. I confirmed that it was Stan's work.

Luke embraced me, relieved.

"There is nothing to worry Luke" I said. Only I knew, that it was just the beginning.

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