When I Die

The Devil Drinks Margaritas

This is the one and only chapter

I tried to take a breath. But nothing happened. I tried to open my eyes, but everything still looked black. I couldn't tell if I was sitting, standing, or even floating. I tried to remember how I got here, what happened. But it was all black. Just like my mind and memories.

A bright, harsh glow appeared, and there was a man standing in front of me. He looked average. I mean, in the nicest way possible, he looked average in every way possible. From his straight brown hair to his plain brown shoes. He smiled, showing his slightly crooked teeth "Hello."

I stared at him, unsure of what came next. He began approaching me, the blackness around his feet vibrating like ripples as he stepped on it "You must have a lot of questions. I'll start by telling you your name. It's Elizabeth Regina Elmwood. You went by Ellie."

Elizabeth. It hit me. A random little memory faded around the edges like an old picture, but still clear enough to make out. A woman with short blond hair and kind green eyes was smiling down at me "Good morning, Ellie."

I blinked, confused about what that was and who that woman was. The man nodded "You got a memory. That's the earliest time you remember hearing your name. You were five. Your mum was waking you up to get ready for school."

I shook my head. Mum? What was that again? I remembered the word but I didn't grasp its meaning. But the word school brought another memory. I was walking down a sidewalk beside my 'mum' a man with light brown hair and dark blue eyes, and a little girl with long blond hair and green eyes.

The man smiled again "Those other two people were your dad and your twin sister Faith."

The word Faith triggered a flood of images spinning through my mind. Whirling and twirling so fast, I could hardly grasp them all. I caught an image of Faith and I arguing over a small toy rabbit, her kissing my knee when it was bloodied, and a glimpse of her laughing at a table through a room of kids, laughing like she didn't have a care in the world. I felt my eyes fill with tears "Faith." my voice was haggard and scratchy, as if I'd swallowed sandpaper.

A more recent memory played before my eyes, crystal clear. I was sitting in front of a small screen with letters attached to it. I quickly searched for the word... computer. I was in front of a computer, typing words into a document while referencing a large book. I recognized it as homework, something associated with school. I suddenly got an intense pain in my head. I heard myself swear loudly. It hurt a lot.

I touched my head as I watched the memory, suddenly feeling the faded ache from the pain. In the memory, knew I should go tell my mum (I now recognized the word) but I collapsed, the pain becoming too intense for me to even think straight. As my vision blurred in and out, I saw someone come up the stairs into my room. Faith. I moaned, unable to put my pain into words. I felt like screaming, it hurt so much.

Faith immediately crouched down beside me and put her hand on my side "Ellie? Ellie are you okay?"

I groaned again. This time, my vision now so blurred that I couldn't make anything out. I felt Faith grab my neck and check my pulse "Holy shit. Christ. Mum! MUM!"

I began fading into blackness. I heard Faith's voice calling, getting fainter and fainter "Ellie! ELIZABETH! Ellie, stay with me. Ellie!"

The memory dissolved and disappeared into my subconscious. I felt like collapsing and sobbing on the ground. Or, blackness. Whatever I was standing on. But I just let the silent tears roll down my face and bowed my head.

"Brain aneurysm." the man explained "Incredibly rare to be found in kids your age, but you managed. Poor Faith was heartbroken. So were your parents. Oh, and I can't even begin to describe the devastation among your friends."