Short Stories

Grayson

I lay on my back staring up at the ceiling, watching a spider weave her web. The only sound was my own breathing and the drip of water from somewhere. The sound and the spider were enough to keep my mind off my impending death. Yes death. I was going to die in the morning. Why? Cause I killed someone. He deserved it, but of course the Queen didn't see it the same way. She took great offense to me spitting the throat of her head guard. Didn't seem to matter that the man was a traitor and would have brought death upon us all. So the fact that she was sleeping with the man might have had something to do with it. In the morning I was going to be beheaded for my crimes, but for now I was going to stare at the spider.

*****

"Time to wake up."

"Who said I was ever asleep." I reply as I sit up. My eyes lock with the guard who had spoken. Jeffery, he was a good guy, in temporary command until the queen found a new lover. Ah I mean new head guard.

You see I used to be a guard. That was until I went rouge. Jeffery was the one who brought me in. Seems only right he was the one who takes me out.

"You look like hell." Jeffrey comments as he unlocks my cell.

"Look like where I'm headed." I joke, holding out my hands for him to place the cuffs on.

"How are you so calm about this?" He inquires as he leads me out of the cell.

"Oh I've had all night to come to terms with this all." I reply following him up the steps. The sun was just starting appear when we step outside. "Beautiful day to die."

Jeffery chuckles under his breath. He leads me out and into the courtyard. Usually the place is fairly empty, but today it's packed full. Guess watching me die was a favored attraction. My eyes lift and land on the guillotine. The sun reflected off its silver surface and shone in my eyes. Jeffery walks me up the steps before handing me off to a guard in a black mask. How dare we see the face of my killer.

"Grayson Falters for your crimes against the crown I sentence you to death by beheading." The queen declares from her perch on the balcony above. She looked as wicked as ever in her golden dress and pale skin.

I roll my eyes and they land on the last person I had wanted to see there. Mary. Her eyes were wide and ringed in red, evidence of her tears. As much as I wanted to I couldn't look away. Why was she here? She shouldn't be here. She didn't need to see this.

The only regret I had about killing that guard was Mary. I knew that killing him would result in my death. I'd be leaving the woman I loved alone and broken-hearted. Her wide eyes are filled with a deep sadness.

The guard shoves me forward, breaking my gaze from Mary. "Kneel." He orders in a brusk voice.

I obey, kneeling down and placing my head in the guillotine. This was it, where it all came to an end. I take a deep breath and close my eyes.

Mary POV

It hadn't felt real until I saw him, standing up there with his hands in cuffs. My throat started to close and tears pricked the back of my eyes.

His eyes don't leave me until he's pushed forward. My whole body felt numb as I watched. The guard steps forward, grabbing the rope that held the blade up.

"No!" The scream is ripped from my throat as the guard releases the rope and the blade falls, separating Grayson's head from his body.

I collapse to the ground, my legs having given out. My body shakes as sobs escape my mouth. Suddenly I'm being picked up and carried away from the courtyard. I protest at first but soon give in and allow myself to be carried away.

*****

Everything comes back at once. I gasp for air, feeling as if my lungs had just herd released from a tight grip. My eyes peel open and I find myself staring up at a wood ceiling.

None of this made sense. The last thing I saw before he head got cut off was-

"You're awake!" Esme exclaims, soon coming into view. She looked like she just came out of a storm. Her hair was a wet mess and her skin was covered in a film of water. What happened to her.

"What happened?" My voice comes out sounding raw and not at all like me.

Esme's face falls and she looks conflicted for a moment.

"What? What did you do?" I ask, my voice still sounding off.

Esme stands up only to returns a few moment late and holding a mirror. I was confused until she held it up in front of my face. Except it wasn't my face. I was staring at the reflection of a complete stranger.

I sit up straight, instantly getting dizzy. "What the hell? What did you do?" He demand? Pointing an accusing finger at her.

"I-I grabbed your soul before you died and put it in-" Esme looks away from me.

"Put it in what?"

"In the body of one recently deceased." She finishes, looking back at me.

My breaths speed up as I process everything. I died. I died and now I'm alive in someone else's body.

"W-Who?"

Esme sets the mirror down in her lap. "I don't know. He died in a bar fight. It-He was the best I could find." She explains softly.

I reach over and pick up the mirror, looking at the body I'm trapped in. Blonde hair replaced with dark curls, blue eyes turned brown, light skin now dark. It wasn't me.

"Mary?" My eyes snap up to Esme. "Where is she?"

"She's okay. She's outside." Esme reassures me.

I'm on my feet within seconds and am heading to the door. The sun outside blinds me and stops me in my tracks.

"Esme?" Mary's timid voice draws my attention to her. She looked so frail in the morning light. There were dark circles under her eyes. Her cheeks were tear stained.

My feet instantly carry me over to her. I lifts my hands to cup her face but she flinches away.

"Mary, it's me." I tell her, desperation in my voice.

Mary looks behind me at Esme. "It worked?"

Esme much have nodded her head because Mary looks back at me. There confusion and sadness in her eyes.

"Grayson?" She whispers.

I nod my head. "Yes...and no i guess. It's me, just doesn't look like me." I so badly wanted to touch her. To pull her close and kiss her, but I couldn't risk her pulling away again.

"We need to get moving." A familiar voice says.

I turn my head to see Morgan walks out of the woods. He freezes when he sees me. There a moment of confusion before realization dawns on him. "It worked?" His eyes flick to Esme then back to me.

"Looks like it." I answer for Esme.

"Your real body was better looking." Morgan says bluntly.

My eyes drop down and I realize I'm shirtless. This body was fit, but definite not as toned and defined as I was.

"You said we need to move?" Mary speaks, drawing my attention back up to her.

"Yes, we've been here to long. They'll be getting close soon." Morgan replies.

Mary gives me a wary look before turning away. She gets to work on packs.

A hand rests on my shoulder and I turn to look at Esme. "Give her time. It's a big shock." She says softly.

I nod my head and let out a sigh. Only twelve hours ago and I was dead, beheaded. Now I was alive, stuck in someone else's body.