Chapter 4 | The SHIFT

I opened my eyes, unstable as I took in an unfamiliar view. Wandering my vision and thought. Curtains are half closed. A single chair facing the table. Neatly painted peach walls. 

The sun raised in majesty bringing in the surrounding's real color, it dyed the clouds a bright orange. Trees are quiet from rustling winds. The light penetrating from the dusty window kissed my pale skin. I woke up barely breathing in heavy air. 

"Brylle!" I cried, I suddenly sat up on my bed. Wait it's not my bed.

Where am I? 

Have I been here before?

Is he here?

Dazed and cold, I strode my fingers on the soft edges of the silk covering. I heard a loud resounding thump outside the door, making its way towards my room hinted from the sound getting louder. My hands trembled and relinquished a tight grip on the bed cover. The door was desperately opened with a strong force coming from the other side. After a sec, a woman in navy blue night dress threw herself to me.

"What's wrong?" she asked in her gentle and loving voice. I slowly looked at her, my brows curled as puzzles started to creep in my system. Nibbling my lips in nervousness. I stood up and took a step close to the table beside the bed. In my peripheral vision, I saw that the kind woman with me at the moment darts a confused look at me. She's confused? So do I. 

My stare was locked on a picture that caught my attention. A young lady in white long-sleeved dress partnered with a little elevated low cut brown boots. She's wearing a genuine smile, her glittering brown eyes were beautiful, it were stained with red reflected from the scene of the sunset.

I turned to the lady whose now sitting on the edge of the messy bed. The blankets were curled up as if it was whipped by a strong wind, the edge was already kissing the floor mattress.

"Who's this girl?" It took me courage to ask that, my voice almost cracked. Pointing my index finger on the photo, I'm intently waiting for an answer but I received a deafening silence. I can say that she is in her early 20's at 5'0 tall. Her velvety black hair was stunning. 

Her fingers fast rythm playing in the soft garment slowed bit by bit until it came into a halt. Her eyes display her emotion of disbelief and confusion, "W-what's wrong with you, Alyana?" she said whilst still sitting, letting out a soft chuckle, she took the picture in my hand, "it was you!" presenting the photo to me, she smiled from ear to ear.

"Hey, listen" i placed both of my hands to her shoulder making her smile shift into shock. I forced her to exchange position with me, pushing her to the table, she felt her hips hit the edge.

I'm not Alyana, my name is Vien. I don't live here. And at the first place, I don't know you! I'm about to spit those words to her face, but everything were swallowed back to my throat the moment that I caught my reflection on the mirror. The cold morning air caressed my arms, it blew me stiff and cold. I loosened my grip on her shoulder. 

A young lady, which I can say was in 21, with a remarkable brown eyes, wavy black hair, milky white skin, and rosy pink lips appeared before my eyes like a ghost. The girl in the mirror was the same girl in the picture and.....it was me.

I helplessly fell to the floor. I covered my ears in attempt to cover the building conclusion in my head. No! I'm still in the ceremony right?!

Flashback

"It's the end... So it means both of you can already face the end all because it's already a happily ever after...." Everyone turned to the church's door in sync, the stature and aura surrounding the uninvited guest didn't seem quite congratulating. After saying that, she lifted up her hand with a loaded gun, her other hand supported a tight handle.

On the same day, the once happy couple that gathered a large crowd on their grand wedding was the same couple that gathered the same crowd for mourning. Brylle was dead in head shot. 

"Brylle!" I wailed holding the lifeless man in my hand, my wedding dress was drenched in the blood of my man. I stroked his hair. After that, everything went black. I passed out.

I jolted up to where I'm sitting, wiping my tears. I scanned the image plastered in the mirror, tears started to roll in her rosy cheeks again. I stretched out my shaky hands, I touched the reflection. My heart was squeezed tight. It can't be true!

A part of me knew that it was indeed the reality while the other refused to believe and wished that it was all just one of my crazy dreams. 

"Brylle... can't leave me" I mumbled, just above a whisper. But, a pair of feet appeared on my left side 

"Alyana, I think you just had a bad dream, hush now" she tried her best to calm me down. My gaze was trailed all the way to her pretty face, I don't really know her but a part of me says the other way. She weakly smiled. She pivoted and made her way towards the door. I watched her flawless back drift down the staircase that was approximately five steps away from my room's entrance.

Roaming my gaze a bit more, I saw a calendar beside the stack of books on a mini shelf. My hands were drawn all the way to my mouth. Printed in bold lettering. I saw it with full accuracy.

The date was June 30, 2020. That was exactly twenty years ago! 

Once again, I scanned the body that I have. There's a nameplate on the gorgeous necklace.

Engraved were the texts:

Alyana Yvonne Veneracion

Inside my head, I'm screaming. No, she can't be me! I woke up on someone's body! I woke up in a different body!