Shadow Cursed

Chapter 1: The Second Chance

"When do you think she going to gain consciousness?" At least 3 voices, were speaking in a low volume. "And how hard do you think she will take it?"

Another voice responded, "She's not the first to be in this situation, let her come around."

"We'll hold it off then until she decides then. I'll see you later." Footsteps left the room.

All this time while my head was pounding, a groan of pain escaped my lips. What had happened. Why was I here even and how did I end up here.

I had remembered nothing, I must have hit my head really hard and have amnesia. Quickly I ran through important questions in my mind. What was my name? Isabella Caywood. How old was I? 16 years, almost 17. I knew who I was and how old I was. My birthday was January 16th. I had no pets, since I killed them all accidentally. But the important question was, where was I?

One of them noticed I had woken up finally. "She's waking up I see. I'll leave you two alone to decide and go over the options while I go back to work. Call me if you need me, I'll be in the other room." The other voice left the room with a flapping of wings. Wings?

The one person left in the room responded, "I will." She turned her attention to me and asked, "How is your head dear?"

Realizing I was lying on the cold hard ground, I sat up and took in the surroundings. The room was kinda like a hospital room, but not in a way. It was not Earth like and I felt someone watching me. There was a winged human standing in front of me and they had a long white dress on, probably an angel. "Where am I and what happened?"

The flashback hit me hard as soon as I asked. I was riding in the car again, traveling home from school; There was very little traffic in the city. My friend Marissa had the radio blasting one of her favorite songs. Everything was calm, until I heard a screeching sound of tires on the road and looked out the passenger seat window quickly. A car was coming at us, twice our speed. "Marissa! Watch out!" She ignored me like I never said anything, like a ghost in the car. The impact of the car hitting the passenger side of the vehicle threw me out of the seat and the scene faded to after the accident. There were police cars and ambulances all around the remains of her car. The windows and windshield were shattered and the car was wrecked. My eyes automatically floated to the crowd of people watching from the side walk. Making my way to the front of the crowd, I almost screamed. A body was covered with a cloth on the side, and I couldn't take my eyes away. They were pulling a limp body to the ambulance and drove off to the hospital in a hurry. Leaving the flashback in shock, I returned to the room uncontrollably shaking and on the verge of breaking down.

I couldn't speak for minutes cause of Marissa's death. "She's dead..." I choked back the tears. A few silent minutes passed and I looked up at the angel looking for an answer, "Why did it have to kill her?"

"She died from direct impact, your body withstood it." Silence passed again. I let the tears flow as I cried after losing my best friend and I was helpless. We had been through so much together, and now she was gone for good. I could still remember her laugh, her smile, and the warm feeling of her hugs when I was having a bad day. I wished she was here to comfort me through this nightmare.

I spoke the words I was frightened to say, "Am I dead or alive?" I didn't want to hear, fearing the answer.

She spoke calmly, "That's for you to decide. You're lingering on the edge of life and death, and your decision will decide your fate. But, be warned, if you choose to live there is a price to live again." She ended on a dark tone of voice.

Cautiously I asked, "What's the cost of me living again?" Every part of me wanted to run away, from all of this nightmare.

"I can't tell you, you'll discover that on your own if you decide to." She looked at me, waiting for an answer. I could feel her eyes staring into my soul. I hated eye contact with people. Breaking the eye contact, I stared at the ground.

I had finally accepted she was gone, but I had a chance. If I chose to go back to my foster mother and her daughter, sure I would be miserable, but I wouldn't be a memory.

The only thing that bothered me was, the price she mentioned. In the legends and myth I've read, they had to sacrifice something important to them like their souls. But she surely wouldn't ask me for that, she only said I would find out in time.

It felt as if the weight of the world was drowning me with the choice. I couldn't speak when I tried, my throat was closed shut. To choose to live with a cost or die and be free from suffering with Marissa in the afterlife. I wouldn't get a second chance after this. I took deep breaths, and the options made me think even harder about it. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, I finally spoke the words I dreaded, "I want to live."

She spoke, "You'll wake up soon, then you will be on your own again. Good luck." The room faded and I was back alone in the darkness of death. Did I make a mistake choosing to live again? I was worried about regretting this decision. I took another deep breath as I faded to nothing.