Find Me

Chapter 9

Amanda knew that she was in deep trouble because that was the first time she had ever heard Kate swear. It's also hard not to be in trouble with the person who had help you unknowingly dig up a body.

Amanda shook her head and said, "I wish I could explain, but I probably can't." She pressed her free hand to her mouth as tears stung her eyes. She noticed that Kate had not let go of her other hand.

"Of course you can explain. You have to. You owe me at least that much."

"You're going to think I'm crazy."

There was a beat of silence, then Kate said, "The way people think that your sister is crazy?"

Snapping her head around, Amanda glared at Kate. Through clenched teeth she growled, "How dare you call my sister crazy. My sister is not crazy."

"But I'm sure that there are people who think she is. Just because they think that doesn't make it true. You say that I'll think you're crazy; what you really mean is that you don't think I'll believe you." Amanda looked away. Kate sighed and said, "Look, clearly something is actually going on here. No matter what 'crazy' story you're going to tell me, something is happening and you need help. I'm already this deep, so what harm could telling me do?"

Biting her lip, Amanda gazed at the stark-white bones. Her bones. Kate was right, she had already seen that there was a body out here; what could telling her about these visions do? She wasn't surprised that Kate wasn't running for the hills right now, or taking pictures to hand into the police later. She couldn't do whatever this was alone, and she had a friend sitting right next to her.

Taking a deep breath, Amanda said, "That body isn't anyone's body...it's my body."

Kate stiffened and leaned slightly away from Amanda. Realizing how that sounded, Amanda stammered, "Not that I killed them, I mean. This is my body from a past life."

"A...past life?"

"Yeah. I just had this dream that...so all week I've been...wait, this is a lot. I need to try and start at the beginning to have it all make sense." Amanda stood, pulling her hand from Kate's grasp and pulled herself out of the grave. She paced while Kate slowly crawled out after her, looking weary. Kate might have volunteered to hear what Amanda had to say, but it was clear that she was questioning if she made the right decision or not.

Finally, Amanda stopped and said, "Do you remember that teacher from my sister's school?" Kate nodded. "When I went to pick her up on the first day of school, I saw him, from all the way across the parking lot. He didn't see me at first but when our eyes met..." Amanda shuddered at the thought of those dual-colored eyes. "...it was like I was instantly transported somewhere else. I was in this cold, dark room, and I was scared...but then he came in, and he told me he was going to bring me home, but instead he...h-he wrapped his hands around my throat and..." Amanda couldn't continue, having relived that night enough already. She turned away, trying to subtly wipe away the tears that were forming in her eyes.

Clearing her throat, she continued. "Ever since that night, I've had nightmares, always the same one, of him coming in and--and murdering me. Except for tonight. This time, after he killed me, for some reason I was able to follow him...here..." Amanda turned back to see that Kate's face had softened and she was gazing at Amanda with a look of...pity?

Oh my God. She does think I've lost it.

"Did you know that my family is Buddhist?"

The question was so random Amanda couldn't comprehend what Kate said for a moment. "I--what? Oh, no, I didn't know that."

Kate nodded. "One of the things we learn in Buddhism is that life is not a straight line with an end, but more of a cycle or birth, life, death, and rebirth. My mother likes to spend long hours meditating to try to connect to her past lives. Currently she believes she's connected to a past life in which she was an Armenian soldier during one of the World Wars. If you told her what you had just told me, she would most likely never speak to you again out of jealousy." Kate chuckled. When Amanda didn't respond, Kate said, "I'm trying to tell you that I believe you."

"Wait, that's it? You follow me out to the middle of the woods at three in the morning, help me dig up a body, then just believe me when I tell you a past life brought me here?"

Kate laughed and said, "Two minutes ago you wanted me to believe you, now you don't want me to believe you?"

"No, no, it's just...you're taking this too well. It's suspicious."

Kate's smile faded. "I'm not taking this well at all. You've just shown me the body of a murder victim, your murder to be precise, and your killer is walking free, not just teaching, but teaching at your sister's school? When I saw you freak out with him earlier, I thought you were being overbearing and way too protective, but now, I'm surprised you haven't gotten back at him already." She paused and said, "I know this is all probably a lot for you, which is why I'm remaining so cool right now. But I also know you well enough to know you're not lying."

"How? If I had brought any of my other friends out here, they'd be locking me up in the madhouse right now."

With a shrug, Kate said, "I just know you, okay? I don't know how to explain it, but I know in my heart what you're telling me right now is truth, and not just because I've been studying tells for liars. Can't that just be enough for now?"

Amanda pulled her hands inside her sweatshirt sleeves. It was nice to have someone else know about what was going on, to know that she might not be completely loosing it. Who was she to question the help she had just so desperately asked for? With a nod, she said, "Okay."

"Great! Now, what are we going to do with this body?"