ECHOES OF PAST

y waist. A soft breath against my neck. For a moment, I almost convince

s snap

't the white sterile hos

Evan and I had a future. The curtains flutter in the soft morning breeze from the cracked window. The

lams again

, his chest pressed against my back. Hi

this. No, this isn't real. I shift slightly, testing the weight of his arm. His hand twitches but doesn't let go. His scent fi

aceful. Beautiful. The same face I loved for ten y

ke he hadn't just killed me. A tiny

es meet mine. He smiles, the lazy morni

oice still rough with sl

my stiff body. He leans forward to

like you s

me. His brows knit togeth

My hands are trembling. My bre

, sitting up to

o right. The room is exactly the way it was years ago. The ugly lamp we found at the thrift store. T

is th

get here?

you talking about? You'

late, but yo

n't know him. Because I

an before the

refully, "did you

e. That's easier

weakly. "Somet

step back. His hand falls to his lap, and so

liar look I ig

g on with yo

"Nothing. I jus

. I grip the edge of the sink until my knuckles turn

ound. Something. Bu

as years ago. There are no brui

bracelet I lost six years ago g

ack at me isn't the one who died last night. She's younger. Softer.

god," I

all. A cheap cat calendar Evan's mom

17

ars ea

I open them again, the numbers do

ly cam

ough the door makes me jump.

" I say to

ork?" Work. At this time, I was still a junior assistant a

inst my chest. It's

oom. I know his routine by heart. He'll make coffee, complain about the re

already dressed in a gray Tshirt and jeans, his hair messy in that annoyingl

you're oka

." He narrows his eyes, like he's trying to

before I died. But something inside me stirs. A sharp, c

find out about that thing with

ree

didn't move. But I heard his v

other thought. This one lazier, smug. Gotta get her to stop nagging about the trip

ing against my ribs. I can hear hi

ri

say quickly, gra

"We're supposed to have bre

I hear it. She's cute when she's upset. It's like a slap. I can see him clearly now. Not the mask. N

neighborhood looks exactly like it did ten ye

s. Patterson's fence. The world sme

. This is real. I died. I woke up here. And I can hear thoughts.

she left the stove on. A teenage boy on his

gainst my ears, bu

t, the noise dulls. Not gone, but softer. Manageable. Like turning the volume down. I take a deep breath. Okay. I can control this. Maybe

re at the emp

ything goes wrong. Ten years before he

ting the cool air fill my lungs. I should feel broken. T

. I hear footsteps crunching on the path. A m

n he does, his gaze flicks toward me

pecting to hear his thoughts too. But there

im with my eyes. I can hear ever

e hell

k once, and then walks away. The silence aro

know who he is. But something in my

ppeared, my pulse racing. Ten yea

wind blows through the park, and I swear I hear a fai

g, Aria. My bl