Waking Up to Her True Face

nd bitingly cold. I, Ethan Miller, a so

s, waiting for the aurora borealis. Thi

diagnosis. It was a lie, I'd learn late

gone for two years, lost in a bo

he small wooden structure.

noise, I heard it – a woma

of the lights, was suddenly illuminated by the frantic beam of a f

man, younger, supporting a woman. As they

itched. Oli

rant red hair plastered to her forehead by sno

rs of marriage, two years

ped us all in the

nal for help. Olivia was injured, a deep gash on her

r, his face pale. I

hen, a terrible sound, a rumble

ge violently. When it stopped, Olivia was

s, the same eyes I had loved, fluttered open

hispered, her voice raspy. "Li

closed. Again

n sweat. My bedroom. Seattle. Sun

und, disoriented. The calendar on the wall: ten

, sleeping peacefull

"second death," her confession – it was all a nightmare, a

oo deeply etched in my soul. I touched my che

slowly. She smiled, a soft, sleep

head," she murmu

chill down my spine. The future, that terrib

k, but it felt like

n elbow, looking at me.

" I said, the word

ing my cheek. Her hand

ss me. I flinched,

chen. I heard her starting the coffee m

I was hyper-aware of he

ed in my mind: "I regret Liam... not you." Liam.

offered me one, with a piece of chocolate

e yo

usually loved. Today, I couldn't. "No,

own creasing her forehead.

." My voic

the woman from my "future." She just shrugged, popped the

m her marketing firm. "Big campaign launch,

d but cheerful. But I w

a constant hum beneath th

r voice was low, laughing softly. It wasn't a work call. I kn

ight, almost forced smile on her face. "Just Chloe,"

eeks were flushed. A tiny seed of suspicion, wa

"Don't wait up," she called as she rushed out, dressed impec

, watchi

ome and drove to her office building. He

, I saw her. Sh

r as they walked out of a nearby upscale restaurant,

not his own, I'd later learn. She leaned in, said som

rive away before

The casual intimac

dation of our marriage, right here in this new past