The Day I Died

The Day I Got The File

Chapter 7

The Day I Got The File

He is crying. I can hear the muffled sob and I hug him harder.

"I'm so sorry Sam" I whisper pulling back and furiously rubbing at my eyes. His death was my fault.

He just smiles sadly and pats my shoulder.

"Don't apologise, it wasn't your fault or mine. Anyway I'm fine, it was quick. It didn't hurt..." He takes a seat where Steph was sitting and I pick up the dress from the floor.

"Oh God."

I look up at him and see his hand is over his mouth. "What?" I ask, sitting down and placing the dress across the arm of the chair.

"Well, you're dead!" He says shocked, his hand still over his mouth.

I grimace "Well, yes... I suppose I am." There is a long pause. "But I get a second chance so I can get my life back." I say, trying to get rid of the tension in the room.

He just shakes his head. "It's hard Scarlett, harder than you can even imagine." My eyes widen at this.

"You mean you...?"

I trail of, unsure of what to say next.

He takes his hand away from his mouth and I can see that he is frowning.

"I had to go back, save a girl.. She was in a plane crash, I stopped it.." He clenches his fists and continues.

"But I couldn't do it. I couldn't save..." He stops abruptly and I lean forward, moving my chair closer to his.

"You don't have to tell me." I say quietly, shaking my head.

He looks up at me and I'm shocked to see that more tears are clouding his eyes, I don't remember ever seeing him this sad. Not even when his hamster Toast died.

"I couldn't save you and me. I tried so hard. It lasted a week. Eventually you snuck out to the park and I had to come and find you. I died again and.. Well, here I am." He says the last part quietly, almost to himself.

I'm just about to console him when he looks right at me, determination in his eye. "I'm going to help you. Get your life back I mean..' He stands up and begins to pace about the room.

"Ill go get Steph, you need to start right away. A few hours, okay? Ill come and get you in a few hours and ill save you." He rustles my hair as he strides toward the door, stopping abruptly a few steps away.

He spins to look at me.

"Oh and Scarlett?"

I smile "Yeah?"

He smiles lightly.

"Nice shoes."

I start to smile but I stop as Steph comes back into the room, clutching a wedge of files to her chest.

"Hey Steph.. Are you uh... Feeling better now?" I ask cautiously.

She grins and although she is putting on a brave face, I can see through the facade. Her eyes are brimmed with tears but I hold my tongue.

"Yes thankyou. Now, we have a few things to discuss." She puts the files down on her knee and sifts through them.

"Here is your copy." I turn over the first page and she swats my hand away.

"Tut tut, patience." She says, smiling though so I don't think that she is being serious.

"Inside this file, is the name, age, address, family details and reason of death for the person you have to change. There is also a picture on the last page but I suggest you read all of the information first." She nods and reaches into her pocket.

"Oh and I almost forgot, here are your wings.." She hands me a brooch with a pair of perfect, golden wings on it and I run my fingers over the smooth metal.

"Thankyou."

The file feels like a tonne of bricks on my knee. Full of secrets. I'm almost too nervous to open it, almost but not quite.

"Ill be back in a few minutes, get changed and read the file honey. You start tomorrow."

Then, with a nod and a reassuring shoulder squeeze. Steph is gone.

I change I to the dress first. The folder stands out in the clean room and I can't take my eyes off of it.

The dress stops a few inches from my knee, the material airy and light, the bodice covered in tiny gold flecks of glitter. I pin the badge over my heart and take a deep breath.

Just open the folder. Just open the folder; I chant to myself.

Finally, when I decide that I need to do this, I sit cross legged on the floor and open the file.

My eyes flick across the almost bare page.

Name: William Hayes

Age: 17

School: Moldrews High School

Death: Car accident- drunk driving.

Day of death: Friday 6th November.

All of this seems completely logical and I'm pretty sure that I can try and save this person until I reach the last few lines.

Family: One sister- Maisie Hayes.

One father- Andrew Hayes.

Deceased-One mother- Steph Hayes.

Wait what.?