I Woke Up a Stranger to Myself

ospital room, Chloe f

l in the coffin of

ll of them. Said you needed to focu

y paints, my

You let the lease go. Said the ne

otic, inspiring

lack, grey, navy. Power suits. Designe

nd t-shirts, leathe

about a different pe

question tearing at me.

ed to make the marriage work, Ava. To fit i

bered from five years ago was arrogant, aloof. The Etha

o piece it together. "It was arra

ty. Your parents and his parents, they pushed for it. It wa

y. Traded for shares

resented being forced into it as much a

I loved him. Th

't make

d. A message.

from the hospital at 3 PM. Yo

u're feeling better

ss the room. It hit th

my voice shaking. "I can't be th

you goin

t I'm not going t

ed expression, collected me as scheduled. He

eights, overlooking the bay. It was st

wasn't

se, he

f rooms. Beautifully decorated,

re to welcome you. He has an urgen

I said, my voice d

lone in the

sive, boring garments. My face stared back at me from a silver-framed photo on a nights

ggled the handle, then looked around. A hairpin from th

learly. But on one wall, covere

eas

st the wall, canv

d off t

its of

es, half-finished pain

of

, but with an emotion that terrifi

gilded cage. Secretly painting the ma

dline in the master s

rling, i

Her voice w

gotten hold of it, have they? It could destabilize the merger

, honey?" but "Is

m," I said, m

the Hayeses, we're all hoping for an announcem

. The next step in

lt s

" I hung up before

cated by this life, b

one Peterson had left on the charger, r

gripped me.

ish you were here... oh, wait, you are." A soft laugh. "The suite i

He was supposed to be on

" I said, my voice

ther end. "Ava. What a surprise.

ness trip with

ust business. With benefits." Her v

phone down, my

Humiliat

dn't b

eek, unfamiliar one. My finger

i

riend. The one who under

me was

ssed

warm, familiar. "Ava? Is that you? Chloe

ed out. "I need... I need to feel alive

the old warehouse. Midnight

e docks. Where the unde

of my old self igniting in t