《Catherine 2.0》 Collision Course
William Theodore Cooper was a thirty-year-old financial advisor in a multinational bank. He had a beautiful fiance and was days from the big M-day. He didnt think he was too handsome but his girl was a nine only because he thought calling her a ten would be bragging too much.
That fateful day, he decided to go eat at a Chinese restaurant a couple blocks on the other side of the Broadway. He usually ate at the same place but he felt he deserved an adventure. William was slowly savoring his bowl of chow mien like everyone else (it was the dish-of-the-day) when his phone rang. Dahlia, it showed in the caller ID. With a big grin, he answered it. Hello, may I talk with Mr. Stonks? Dahlias silly question was followed by wind chime giggles and a rather cute and brief snort. William had to force his poker face to avoid cracking in the middle of the crowded restaurant. He barely succeeded. Yes, you may, he answered with the same grin as before. Buh-huh, no fun. You should answer with This is Mr. Stonks, straight from wall street, she pouted. People are staring at me already because my phone rang like Im some sort of alien, he whispered. I think our kids will ask us why we call the glass data-panels phones. Oh, sorry for calling you out of the blue, Mr. Stonks! She chirped unapologetically. I thought you loved hearing my voice. I do. Say that to the preacher in a few days, She quipped and giggled again. And will whisper sweet nothings in your ear forever. I will, he babbled while trying to not float away from the chair. Im guessing you have good news? Good? GOOD? No, I dont have good news. I have WONDERFUL news! He giggled with her this time. Do tell, please. Im at the seamstress right now. Can you guess what Im wearing? A Brazilian bikini, he jested in a low voice. People were still staring at them instead of their chow mien bowls. She laughed again. You wish. No, it has way more fabric than that and its white. But I might get one if you deserve it. Its done then? One less thing to worry about, thank goodness! He exulted. Yes, and it is purr-fect! She squealed. Im so excited Will! Im too. I cant wait to see you wearing it. Tut-tut, you gotta wait. Just a few more days, be patient. Are you still having lunch? Arent you supposed to be in the office? My vacation starts tomorrow. I have nothing to do there except wait to clock out. Oh, finally, she sighed theatrically. I cant believe you worked for three years straight without taking a single day off. Hey, it paid out! He protested. We get to spend six months on our honeymoon! With a hefty bonus from the boss. Good! Ill make sure to thank him personally! Now, I must go. The dress wont be perfect unless I have sho-oes! She sang along. Kay! Love you. Love you too, now go and get me moar stonks! She made smooching sounds and hung up.
Catherine Wallenstein was a rich and popular high school senior, one plagued by a spendtrhift and alcoholic mother and the unwanted attention of a male classmate. That asshole, whose name shall never tarnish this narrative, irreparably hurt her at the worst possible moment and me by proxy. Thats how Catherine found herself in an appointment with Dr. Esther Hill, an obstetrician.
Yes, the doctor said sympathetically, attempting to sound positive but not overly so. The girl in front of her was obviously grieving and she wanted to let her make a decision she would not regret. Youre thirteen weeks pregnant, Cathy. The frail teenager sniffled and lowered her head as far down as it would go as she hugged her knees on the chair across the physicians desk. She was trembling and soon started to sob. Take your time, Esther whispered. I have the whole afternoon only for you. Esther waited while Catherine wept. The older woman grieved that Catherine wasnt the first and certainly wouldnt be the last one passing through that in her office. She hadnt asked about the father but from Catherines reaction, she knew she wouldnt. It was obvious that the girl didnt want to speak about it, the reason why as obvious as the color of the sky. The physician quietly took a paper tissue and dabbed the corners of her eyes before the girl noticed. It was impossible to keep an impassible facade and not empathize with the young womans plight, one nobody should ever be forced to experience. Yet there they were. She wanted to throw professional ethics down the window and hug the girl, tell her everything would be alright even though it would be a lie. But she held herself back. She had to keep the charade. Her wishes and feelings were irrelevant. In that room, only Catherine mattered. Without raising her head, Catherine droned, What should I do? You have a few options. I know some of them might sound abhorrent for you now, but please listen to all of them, Esther sighed. Im obliged to tell you all of them. Mmm-hum, Catherine mumbled and slightly nodded, shaking the curtain of hair covering her knees and legs. Your exams are all normal. We should make an ultrasound to make sure, but everything points to a healthy pregnancy. Your first choice is to carry on and raise the baby. It will be hard to be a mother at your age, but with your familys support-- Catherine snorted and grit her teeth. The Wallensteins had a long line of successful business and the girl could live comfortably without raising a single finger. Her late father left a sizeable fortune in a trust fund. However, they were very religious and traditionalist, not to mention Catherine''s mother was far from being supportive. Esther realized she hit a landmine dead on and quickly moved on. We can find a couple that will adopt the baby upon birth. I know you dont need to worry about money but they usually pay for all bills including exams and the delivery should you need a procedure. After birth, you may sign the adoption papers giving the baby up, or change your mind. They will expect you to go through the adoption procedure but you wont be forced. You are safe, Cathy. Nobody can force you to make any choice.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The girl just sighed. Esther continued, We can terminate the pregnancy if you want. Abortion is legal in either state, and your insurance covers the procedure. You have three choices and Ill support you whichever way you choose. But I want you to take your time and think about what you want to do. We dont have to hurry, theres no need to rush things. The young woman wanted to laugh but she couldnt find a single drop of mirth in her plight. Catherine was angry, sad, and despairing. She wanted nothing more than just vanishing. Stopping the pain. Her fingernails sunk into her shins but what she wanted was to rip open her ribcage and pluck her heart out. End everything. She asked herself what she did to deserve that. She got no answer. Fucking bastard, the girl grimaced and growled as she whispered, Ill kill him before I go. Dr. Esther wasnt supposed to hear that but she did nonetheless. That couple of sentences raised all kinds of red alerts in the physicians mind. It was all the confirmation she needed. Catherine was indeed a victim through and through. The doctor cursed inside as she would probably need to involve the police. Catherine was barely eighteen and wasnt a minor at the time of the assault so she wasnt obliged by law to report. Nonetheless, it was the right thing to do. The physician felt conflicted. She didnt want to force the girl but they had to report it. She felt cornered. Cathy, do you want to talk about it? Esther offered. No? She answered, oozing self-derision. Finally raising her head, she stared and demanded, I want to terminate it. I need my life back, Esther. Her tears mixed with her makeup, creating a mess. Even with her makeup ruined, Esther had to admit the young woman was beautiful. Despite being legally an adult, Catherine still had some baby fat on her cheeks. She had a small frame and that girl-next-door air. The stark and cold demand sent a chill down the physicians soul. She wanted to ask Catherine if she was sure, but it would be demeaning to do so. Then we should go and make the ultrasound now, Esther replied, trying to sound professional. Then we need to get clearance with your insurance and schedule a date for the procedure. You can change your mind anytime. Catherine opened her mouth as if to ask something but then shut it with a snap. Her momentary determination vanished and fear quickly replaced it. Ho-how much is the procedure? Can we do it without the insurance? Esther sighed as she lowered and shook her head. No, Catherine. We cannot and may not. You cant sweep this under the rug, my dear. We will do the procedure through your insurance, and I need to call a friend of mine so you two can talk about what happened to you. Catherines first instinct was to turn her head around and look at the door. She almost bolted for it but her feet snagged on the chairs arm as she tried to get down and almost tripped. Esther quickly went around the desk and held the younger woman by the shoulders. Puckering her lips, Catherine looked up like a cornered rabbit. Is your friend a cop? She went livid as Esther nodded. A detective. Her name is not Olivia but you wont be the first one to call her that, Esther jested. She has pretty much the same job but her partner is not called Elliot. Its a woman too. Catherine snorted and ruefully shook her head. She asked just to be sure, SVU? Seriously? Esther brushed a lock of hair out of Catherines face. Cant think of anyone as special right now. Catherine, please. Let me help you. Im here for you. Detective Martinez has a psychology degree. She can help you. The girl nodded, blinked away a fresh stream of tears, and hugged the doctor. "I can''t, Esther. Nobody can know what happened to me. The shame... my mother will kill me." She knew the girl was overreacting but Esther could tell what happened and the circumstances. She helped deliver the girl eighteen years ago but recently moved to southern Manhattan. Catherine came came to her because she trusted her. "Can you think--" "No. I looked up in the internet. You can''t say a word unless I let you. No, please." "Okay," Esther agreed as she tenderly ran her head over the girl''s head. "You are correct. I can''t and won''t say anything. How about we go make that ultrasound and take some time to think things?" "Fine. Let''s do this exam." Esther called for her assistant. Combined with the other exams, the ultrasound gave Catherine and her baby a clean bill of health. Shed refused to listen to the heartbeat and after cleaning up and putting her clothes back on, the two women were back at the office. Im going to pick up my phone and call my friend over, okay? Esther asked. Do you have to? Catherine asked, desperate to find a way out. She knew she couldnt let her mother know about her pregnancy. She would get another beating and probably hear about how she was a slut for the rest of her life. She also would never again be able to show her face in school. Everyone would know how much of a slut she was. The guy who hurt her was rich and would probably walk away scot-free while her reputation would go up in flames like a witch at the stake. Shed remembered the news that only two percent of all rapists ever faced jail. One who could hire a battalion of the best lawyers New York City had to offer definitely wouldnt. Its the right thing to do, Cathy, Esthers reply was adamant but kind. We cant let the guy who hurt you get away with it. Just answer me one thing, did it happen in New York?" Cat nodded. "Let me call my friend. Ill put it on the speaker and you stay silent if you want, okay? Catherine was hyperventilating. The memories of what happened to her, the pain of being violated, the humiliation, the struggle, all that replayed in her mind. Worse yet, she knew she had to commit a sin and kill the child. She thought she would never allow herself to love the offspring of that monster. Catherine wanted to vanish, to go away, to stab her belly until she bled it away. Mrs. Wallenstein had beaten her for way less than an unwanted pregnancy. She caught Catherine exploring her own body one time... No. The damage to her oh so precious social image would be immense. She remembered how her mothers gossipy friends reacted when another girl they knew got pregnant before being properly married. The scorn, the badmouthing. The cruel giggles and rude cackling of those crows disguised as ladies. Catherine wanted to vanish. Yet she couldnt find the strength to fight back. Giving in to Esthers demands, Catherine bit her lower lip and shut her eyes as she grimaced. After a long pause, she nodded. Esthers heart was heavy as each dial tone on the phone made the young woman flinch as if a nail was hammered into her coffin. "Just get it over with," Catherine whimpered. She tuned out the phone call between Esther and her cop friend. All she knew was that the cop was on her way to get her statement. Then everyone would know and Cats life would end. Out of desperation and ignorance, she decided to take things into her own hands. She took her purse and stood up, decided to something very, very stupid. In Catherine''s defense, she young, naive, and wasn''t thinking straight. Maybe Dr. Esther should''ve restrained her but the physician had no way to know what she intended to do. I need some air. Im going out, Esther. Call me when your friend arrives. The building had an open roof where people could see the New York skyline. Catherine easily found her way there by taking the elevator. In a twist of fate, she rode with a repair technician. A plan started to brew in her disturbed mind. Catherine distracted the technician and stole a pair of pliers from his tool belt. On the deserted roof, she walked around idly, taking note of where the security cameras were. She found the perfect spot on the wire fence where she could cover the fence from the cameras with her body and started to cut the wires. A block away, the busy Broadway swarmed with people and cars and past that she could see Wall Street if she cared to look. Her breathing accelerated when the gap was almost wide enough for her to go through. Hey, what are you doing? A mans voice made her jump out of her skin. She turned her head to see a security guard approaching her and accelerating as he noticed the hole in the fence. Without a second thought, she climbed through the hole, getting dozens of scratches on her skin as she scraped on the cut wires. Stop, lady. Please, come back here! The guard pleaded. Catherine glanced back and noticed hed stopped a few meters away. Distressed, she shrieked, Get away from me! If you come any closer, Ill jump. Dont do it, miss. Look, talk to me, He reached with a hand. Despite being several steps away, his sudden movement startled Catherine. She shook her head and said, Tell Dr. Helen it is not her fault. As the guard desperately dashed to hold her back, she jumped.
That fateful day, Williams lunch break dragged longer than usual. He was in no hurry to go back to work. Maybe he should but hindsight was twenty-twenty. Its too late now to play the blame game. Shes going to jump! Someone shouted and shook William out of his post-lunch reverie. Like everyone else on the street, he looked up to see what was going on. Dozens of stories above him, a girl was on the wrong side of the safety fence. He could barely see her. Then she jumped. William was paralyzed with existential dread by the scene. The girl looked young and oh Jesus why was she falling down? In his addled state, he didnt notice she was falling straight at him. Or maybe not. It was a windy day and it only added to the irony of the situation. She came closer and closer until she reached the ground at what he guessed was terminal velocity. William had no way to measure it. It was irrelevant but it was what a frozen William was struggling to think at the moment. The moment she fell right on his head, killing both of them. Williams neck broke and he felt only asharp jolt of pain before he found himself out of his body. Otherworldly Emissary To him, it was the most surreal experience. William could see a transparent version of himself in his business suit standing next to the bloody heap of dead corpses from the accident. As if moving in slow motion, people rushed to form a circle around them with phones ready to live stream the scene and snap photos. Surveying the scene with preternatural calm, he noticed a transparent version of the girl who fell on him next to himself. She was young, barely eighteen if much, and was totally scared. Guilty, he would guess if he had to. She was gawking at the scene, livid as a ghost. Well... Hello? He called with a wavering voice. The experience was so surreal William wasnt sure of what was going to happen. The girl snapped out of her stupor and looked up. They made eye contact and she shivered as if it were the dead of winter. William, on the other hand, felt some warmth. The discrepancies added up and increased the uncanny feeling. It was as if they were leagues away instead of side-by-side. Some flashes came from the phones, surveying the scene like a carrion of vultures. He-hello, there. What happened? Didnt I fall? William pointed down at the carnage before them, Yes, you did. On top of me, to be precise. William, by the way. She blinked several times, sighed deeply, and replied, Im Catherine... before she looked down at the carnage. The girl finally realized what happened and their current predicament. She screamed her soul out. Or, like, it was already out. William was pretty sure they were dead and currently looking at their dead bodies. Somehow it felt right to think that way. On closer examination, he could see his suit getting soaked by their blood. And oh, boy, how much blood. Gallons of it. Despite the scene and their privacy being invaded by the dastardly devices, he was oddly at peace even though he should be angry, afraid, or despairing like the wailing and keening ghostly young woman in front of him. She was still screaming and crying. Her despair wrenched his lifeblood out. Like, if he had any the pavement hadnt claimed yet. He looked up. If things went like depicted in fiction, he should see a ray of sunlight shining down on them to take them to heaven. Or not. Maybe shadows and demons would crawl out of the sewer grate and drag them to hell. William wasnt a bad person but he was no saint. He was guilty at least of a few sins. He worked at Wall Street, for crying out loud. Yet he feared not his fate. He found it odd he wasnt even longing for his beloved fiance who would be bereaved by his demise. Somehow his emotions were muted and detached from the physical realm. He was ready to step into said beam of sunlight and go away into the afterlife. Emotionless but for the girl keening and kneeling before the dead bodies. Her despair cut and chilled him like sharp shards of ice. Calm down, Catherine. Do you remember jumping from the buildings roof? She stopped her shrieking and looked up at him. Oh, God, I did jump, didnt I? This is real, isnt it? Im dead aint I? She tittered in rapid succession as she tried to hyperventilate without lungs. William wasnt even breathing anymore. Extending a helping hand, he helped her back on her feet. When he grasped her hand, he felt as if warmth was drained from his body. But somehow he felt he had to help her. What made the girl attempt to jump? William could only wonder and make some educated guesses. She looked rich from the expensive purse strapped to her shoulder and jewelry on her body. Like some jumpers back at the Wall, she couldve lost everything but even so, it was too early in her life. Sounds like you did. And you fell on me. Were probably dead. I think Im dead. See? My shoes are right there, poking out from under your torso. And those shirt cufflinks, they are definitely mine. Her chest rose and fell without rhythm. Instead of answering, her gaze shifted from him as she screamed and pointed at something behind and above him. Catherine crouched again and kept screaming as William turned around to see what was going on. What he saw baffled him. An angel was lazily gliding down toward them. The feeling of peace in Williams spectral chest soared. A handsome face, muscular build, pure white wings behind him. The angel wore a white toga with golden trim and a blue sash fastening it to its waist. Hello? William tried to greet the celestial figure. His greeting was drowned by Catherines screams and wails. William sighed and turned to look at the poor suicidal girl. The truth was, while William was seeing an angel, Catherine saw the grim reaper. A legless skeleton clad in a rotten moldy robe frayed and flowing at the bottom, with evil glowing red pinpricks in the empty eye sockets and a rusty scythe covered in bloodstains. While William felt warmth and peace, she felt cold and despair from the same figure. The stench of carrion and death assaulted her senses and the chill she felt now was arctic ice. Without global warming. William tried to shield her but he couldnt move. He couldnt even look away from the angelic being who probably came to take them. He couldnt understand why she was staring and screaming at such a celestial creature. Silence, woman, the angel commanded. As if itd pressed the mute button, Catherine stopped making any sound. Gawking, she just stared with wide frightened eyes at the otherworldly emissary. She still moved as the silent scream remained stamped on her face. Disinterested in the girl, the creature shifted to face William. Hello, Mr. angel? May I ask what is happening? William tried to start a conversation now that the creature proved capable of speech. The angel stared coldly into Williams eyes. You died. Before your time, it ruefully shook its head, causing the locks of golden hair to sway. Now it is my duty to sort the situation and take you both to your final destinations. Heaven? Williams voice broke as he suggested without a sliver of certainty.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. No. Purgatory for you, Hell for the lady. Hell? He gasped. The angel pointed at the bodies. Nobody had approached them yet. The phones were still devouring the scene with their cameras. One daring bystander was reaching for the girls purse with a knife, probably to cut the strap and abscond with its ill-gotten loot. The man moved as if through molasses. She committed suicide and murdered you as well as condemning the child in her womb. The child is still alive but is not for long in this world. Thats enough sin to warrant eternal damnation, the creature stated without emotion. He once again thought he should be angry but he couldnt find the will to feel it or any other strong emotions. He just felt peace and calm flowing under a deep-rooted desire to save the girl. He couldnt deny the feeling. William still felt sorry for the girl. It wasnt like she intended to fall on top of him. It was more like an accident than actual murder. He felt no anger, just warming compassion. It was an accident, he spoke out loud. Cant anything be done for her? She has until the day of the final judgment to repent for her sins as she is punished in the land of the damned. Only then shell find salvation. The droning voice of the angel ignited a spark of anger in Williams heart. More like righteous fury. Shes a child! He protested. I am the victim here and I say you should forgive her on my account. And if my hunch is right, shed probably have an abortion anyway. Theres no way a pregnant woman would kill herself if she intended to have the kid. No. This is too fucked up, he intentionally cursed and tried to read the angels reaction. When his blasphemous words didnt condemn him or elicit even a raised eyebrow from the celestial, or grim reaper as he reckoned the entity later, he went on. There must be something that can be done to save her! She might be an even greater victim here than me! He shouted at the celestial. Not answering Williams question, the angel knelt next to the bodies and touched dead-Catherines belly. Ghost-Catherine watched their exchange quivering and shaking like a newborn fawn. Then the celestial stood and stared into Williams soul. There is one thing I can do. You died before your time. The child is still alive, but without a living mother to nurture it, the boy is as good as dead. Fortunately, hell never draw his first breath and waste a soul from the Guf. If you want to redeem the woman, youll have to do it in her body. What? They both asked at the same time. Catherine was still under the angels silence spell so she just moved her mouth ineffectively. It was the only hint William had that she was listening to their conversation. You are granted a new chance at life, The angel explained slowly. I can use the lifeforce of the unborn child to revive and heal the womans body. But a living person needs a soul. I cannot bring a sinner destined to hell back to life, but I can bring you back since you are not yet due to the afterlife. William scratched his chin. Bring me back to life in her body? Thats not right. Cant you bring me back to life? No, the celestial replied adamantly. The unborns lifeforce is inside her body. It would be impossible for me to transfer that vitality to another body. What I can do for you is to grant you a minor boon in your new life. Ill combine all three lifespans and gift them to you. Your remaining life, the one squandered by the girl, and the lifeforce of the soulless baby. Your new body wont age for eighteen years, then age at half the normal rate for another twenty-four until it is physically thirty years old. From then on, it will age at a third of the normal rate until all three life-forces are spent. Youll also be blessed with faster healing and resistance to disease and toxins. What about her? William demanded, imperious. The angels uncaring attitude toward the cowing girl annoyed and enraged him so much he was about to hit the celestial. How can I redeem her soul? Just by living in her body? No. To do so, you have to take her along. I can bind her soul into the body along with yours. However, shell be but a passenger and never more than that. Shell see, hear, and feel all you do but control of the body will be yours alone. Youll only hear her voice in your mind when she speaks to you and you alone. A frightened Catherine stared at him. William waved awkwardly. He knelt next to her and put a hand on her shoulder. Once more, his warmth drained into her. He didnt mind. Catherine. Did you hear what the angel said? She scrunched her face in sheer confusion. William pointed at the celestial behind him. She screamed silently again and grasped his arm with both hands, trying to hide behind him. When the angel circled around them, Catherine whimpered soundlessly and scuttled backward. William shook his head. Why is she scared of you? Each one of you sees me as your souls fate dictates. You see me as a divine emissary, she sees me as the reaper. The really wicked see me as the devil, he mechanically explained. I need to talk to her. Can you sorry, would you release her from whatever you did to her and step away? Yes but make haste. The unborns lifeforce fades with each moment we waste, the angel said as it vanished. Without the looming presence of the reaper, Catherine stood up and backed away but she bounced back on an invisible barrier when she tried to go through the crowd. Puzzled, William reached out and touched a person. It felt solid but too solid as if the person was made of rock instead of flesh. He put on his business smile and tried to calm her down. Can you talk to me? We have a big decision to make, Catherine, he said. I don want to go to hell, she finally admitted. Quite reasonable. We have a rather important choice here. Did you hear what the entity said? What do you think? He asked her. I feel bad taking over your body without your permission, Catherine. She timidly nodded. I wont take over your body if you dont let me. And it seems Ill have to take you along for the ride. Or we dont and accept our fates. The entity approached them again. You might also improve your standing before the heavens, William. the angel added but it didnt feel like it was enticing William to choose either way. Shall she proves to be too much of a nuisance, you can eject her from the body into her fated punishment. At the thought of going to hell and the sight of the reaper, the girl clung to William and desperately shouted, NO! Please no! Ill do anything but keep the grim reaper away from me! She shouted. Calm down, he moved forward and held her arms. Catherine, it is an important decision-- Take it! She snapped as she rudely interrupted him. William didnt resent her as Catherine seemed quite distressed. If it is what keeps me away from hell, take it. Its not like I have much use for it now. Please erm... She fished for his name. William, William offered. Her eyes sidled back and forth, trying to find something in his face, Please, William. Save me! She hid her face in his chest and clung to him. Please, save me from hell. Im sorry. Im sorry. He rubbed the crown of her head. Good. Partners then? He asked as he pushed her away just a little. Catherine nodded rapidly. Sir angel, we made our decision. Bring us back to life! The angel reappeared next to them, causing Catherine to jump and cling even more to Williams spectral form. Ill bring you back to life. Remember, shell just be a ghost possessing you. A passenger, as I stated before. Make no mistake, William Theodore Cooper. You are the one in charge of your new body and your own fate. Her life is over and thats a mandate from an authority beyond mine. Catherine whimpered again. William squeezed her back. Are you ready? He asked her. The ghostly girl nodded as she rubbed her face against his chest. Lets do it, partner. The angel waved his hand and everything went dark. When William next opened his her eyes, she found herself in a hospital bed. Hospitalized and Under Custody White ceiling, sterile lights. The beeping of the cardiac monitor. The cold air was forced down their throat through a tube. Speech was impossible as was any kind of movement. It felt like their whole body was stuck in a cast. They felt no pain, just a full-body itch. Just what they expected if they were indeed in a full-body cast. The beeping accelerated as their heart soared, which summoned a nurse. The nurse flashed a light into their eyes, causing them to flinch. Awake? Nod if you can understand me, She said. They nodded slightly. Good. Dont go anywhere, Im going to call the doctor. The nurse went away before the irony of her demand sunk in. How would they go anywhere if they couldnt move? The nurse returned a few minutes later with a middle-aged physician lady. She hummed a nursery rhyme as she examined the instruments out of their field of view. Once she was done doing that, she put her face in front of them and smiled. Good. Good. How are we, young miss? The doctor asked. They nodded slightly. Not much more they could do. The doctor sighed, You are okay. Ive never seen anyone recover as fast as you do. Well remove your cast and do a full-body x-ray before start with physical therapy. Itll take a while for you to fully recover but it seems youll be just fine. Look, blink one time slowly for yes, two fast blinks for no. Do you remember who you are? They blinked one time, slowly. Is your name Gertrude? Two blinks. Martha? They groaned. Okay, Catherine. As the one in control of the body, William blinked twice, then winced. Catherines voice rang in his head. Sassy, eh? The doctor grinned. Lets try it again. Is your name Catherine Wallenstein? She demanded. William complied. Good. Now, dont worry about anything. Just focus on getting well, young miss. Ill prepare to remove the tube from your throat. Mighty inconvenient, isnt it? They blinked once. The doctor did well on her word. After getting some instruments, she removed the tube from their throat. It was worse than vomiting at a frat party milk-jug contest. William had been there. Their throat itched and burned. With rasp grunts, they breathed, the looming threat of the doctor with a brand new respiratory tube in case they failed enough of an incentive. The physician dripped some water in their mouth, telling them to swirl it around the throat. There must be some anesthetic or medicine mixed in with the water because their throat got better. The full-body itch? Not so much. William did a full body check by trying to move each part individually. Fingers, toes, elbows, shoulders, knees, each bounced in the cast one by one. Then the dreaded crotch test. It felt clearly different from what he was used to. Ow, they attempted to speak but just a raspy croak came out. The pitch, however, was way in soprano territory. It wasnt a dream or hallucination. William was indeed in Catherines body. Catherine? they managed to drawl after a few trials. Good. U okay? They croaked. Hell, he cursed absentmindedly. Sorry. Didnt mean it. Youre safe. I understand. Did you say something, miss? The nurse approached, curious. They shook their head. The cast technician is coming in a few minutes. Hang in tight. A lot of people entered the room after a while. The nurse along with a burly woman in a white lab coat with a tool case and a cop. Miss Wallenstein, the cop approached. You are under custody. After your cast is removed, Ill have to handcuff you to the bed. Please comply. Who let you in the room? The doctor chastised the police officer out of their field of view. You are handcuffing nobody. She is no threat. Out of this room. Maam, its standard pro-- Call detective Martinez now, officer, the physician lady was having none of the standard procedure bullshit. She is unable to move and will need extensive physical therapy to even stand up. Are you telling me a girl weighing less than ninety pounds who had over forty-five bone fractures is a threat to anyone? Get out now or Im calling the mayor. And the media. Lets see what they think of your adequate use of force. We have elections in less than ten months. She. Is. Not. Dangerous. William knew better than to speak with the police when under custody without a lawyer. Fifth Amendment, they grumbled over the sepulchral sound in the hospital room. Get my lawyer. They heard a phone dialing. The call went through and a woman answered, Sullivan & Rothman, how may I help you? Tell Oliver his client woke up and requested his services, the doctor said. He better hurry. Thank you, maam. Your message has been sent. Anything else? No, have a nice day. Sullivan & Rothman thank you for your call. Why are you still in the room? She sharply asked the cop. I cant let the suspect-- The doctor was losing her temper, Shes naked under the cast. Are you really staying in the room, MISTER? Is your body camera recording this? Yes, maam. It is. The windows dont open and are made of ballistic glass. Theres only one exit to the room. You have your partner outside. None of my crew feels endangered by the girl. Out. They could hear the cop stomp out of the room. The tall woman used a specialized saw to cut the cast. They had to relocate the IV drip to their left hand and indeed they were stark naked under the cast. The nurse gave them a towel bath, removing the dust and sweat. Their limbs felt sore and limped out on the bed. They could at most twitch them. All strength had left them. After the towel bath, she gained a diaper and a hospital gown.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. Im going to do a physical check then well take you to do some x-ray scans, the physician informed. Is there anything you want to know? William rolled their eyes. Ignoring Catherine for a moment, they asked, Damage to my body, procedures, prognostics. Humm, the doctor was taken by surprise by their objectivity. You heard youd too many broken bones. That was true. You had dozens of lacerations and almost all of your organs were damaged. You spent days in surgery and it is a miracle you survived. Most doctors wouldve just given up but we didnt. Sorry, that sounded patronizing. We were amazed at your resilience and recovery. It was obvious the doctor didnt want to answer the question. Im fine with it. Just tell me. Permanent damages? We need to check how your bones healed, thats why we are heading to the x-ray room. Your internal organs are mostly healed but you lost a kidney, a third of your right lung, and your womb. Sorry, but the fetus had necrotized and the organ was compromised. William remembered they had a rapist to fry. Did the cops collect DNA evidence from the baby? Yes. Detective Martinez got a warrant. They collected DNA samples from both you and the baby. They frowned. Catherine explained, Hum, right, they answered both the doctor and ghost. Need to press charges of sexual assault. We talked to Dr. Hill, your obstetrician. Wait for Mr. McNamara and detective Martinez. I am sure they will be here before we finish the x-ray. Shall we go now? They nodded. After a physical check, they were taken to the x-ray room. They felt discomfort on several parts of their body, and William was sure they had at least a few pins in their bones. He hazily remembered the state of Catherines body on the sidewalk. Shed indeed broken too many bones. After the visit to the x-ray room, they went back to bed. The doctor adjusted their medication and iv drip personally before preparing to leave. She caressed their forehead with grandmotherly care. Ill check on your x-ray images now to see if theres any damage to your bones, miss. You must be tired, do you want me to give you something to sleep? I recommend it. We took off your sedatives and once you start to regain feeling in your body, itll itch like hell. Catherine suggested. Yes, please. The doctor nodded and the nurse injected something in their IV. Then they blacked out again.
As they woke up again, their body itched like a swarm of fire army ants on fire crawled all over them. Every single inch of their body both itched and burned. At least they werent handcuffed to the bed. William decided to call himself Cat in their own mind. "William" was dead, his life over. It was undeniable hed become a female and using the singular they to refer to themselves was getting old. Cat tried to move around and found she could at least raise her head a bit. She glanced down and saw Catherine her own body underneath the blankets but felt too tired and sore to try to move around, not to mention the burning itch. Craning her neck around, she attempted to look around. It was a hospital room like hundred other hospital rooms, without any fancy furnishings. At least it wasnt an ICU, she reckoned. But she was hooked to several machines. Some electrodes ran to her chest and temples, the IV drip, some sort of clamp on her left index finger, and a urinary catheter going into her crotch. She could feel a bag resting against her leg and the tube going out of the diapers. She tried to talk but found her lips and throat dry. Her tongue felt like sandpaper on the ceiling of her mouth. She tried to gather saliva to wet her lips but even that was hard. Without much recourse, she waited patiently for the spit to gather and then finally regained some precious moisture. Water... She mumbled. Her blood felt like molasses, refusing to flow properly through her body. There was nobody in the room to listen to her. Then she remembered there should be some kind of switch to call in a nurse. After struggling and fumbling around for a while, she got her right arm free from the hospital blankets and groped around the pillow for a switch. A few failed attempts later and she finally found a button at the end of a cord with the word nurse written on it. A yawning nurse entered her room a long while later. Yes? Catherine? Water, she grumbled. Oh, dear. Right away, she took a plastic bottle with a long flexible straw and offered the tip to her. Drink slowly. Dont suck, let me squeeze the bottle. Itll feel like torture, but you need to trust me. Drink it slowly. She was right. It did feel like torture. She wanted nothing more than to suck that bottle dry and then another ten. But the nurse did well on her promise. Once she tried to suck on the straw, she pulled it out. No sucking, miss. Or youll go without water. The IV will keep you hydrated anyway. Cat nodded. The straw came back and she patiently drank the water, moving it around her mouth to wash it. Do you want to spit it out? The nurse empathetically offered. Catherine nodded. She produced a banana-shaped tray and gently tilted Catherines head so she could not spit it out but drool the water and mouth gunk she washed out. It felt awful. In the morning Ill come to brush your teeth before my shift ends, how does that sound? Good, Cat tried to smile. What time is it? A quarter past midnight. More water? You can drink this bottle, and then Ill try to get you some porridge to eat. You must be hungry, right? As if on cue, her stomach protested mightly. Cat retched as an acidic burp escaped her throat but managed to keep the precious water from coming out. The nurse raised the front of the bed, propping her into a slightly reclining position. Thanks, Cat said once the water bottle was gone. The porridge will take about half an hour to come. Do you want me to turn on the TV? Some silly channel, She suggested and the nurse left. Cat wasnt ready to face the news. She just closed her eyes and enjoyed the sounds of some late-night cartoon channel. After a few minutes, she felt her body react to the water. She pumped her right hand to get the blood running. Once she regained feeling and movement in her arm, she touched her face. The bodys former tenant asked. Cat tried to reply mentally but got no reaction. Are you there, Catherine? She asked out loud. She replied sarcastically. Can you hear my thoughts? It seemed that Catherine was better able to think than Cat was. The ghost of the former owner of the girls head probably didnt need a brain to think. She gave up on trying to imagine how that worked. [Said the girl who jumped out of a building,] Cat did as she asked and sub-vocalized. She didnt hear Catherines reply because remembering what happened caused all the pent-up emotions he couldnt feel as a disembodied soul to come crashing like a tsunami-earthquake combo on Fukushima Daichi. The grief from losing his perfect life and his perfect fiance and everything else in between struck him like a starving heavyweight boxing champion low on ear-vitamins. The girl on the hospital bed started to cry. William still remembered the sharp, sudden, and instant pain of having ones neck snapped. The joy of his last phone call with Dahlia forever tarnished. He wailed thinking of how devastated she should be right now. Worse yet, he was now his own killer. She dreaded to see firsthand how huge the damage to his own life was. That combined with Catherine''s own precarious situation. He had no idea yet, but the girls life was no rose garden either. [Look, if Im going to live in your shoes, I need to know more about you. For starters, I dont see any flowers, visitors, or even a Get Well card. Did you live under a rock?] [Where do you, I we live?] Catherine replied with a hint of pride. [Isnt that in New Jersey? I had a client who lived there. Lots of nice houses.] she proudly chirped and boasted. Cat tried to remember what Catherine wore when they died. He believed it was fine designer clothing but it was ruined along with their bodies and mostly drenched in blood. [Rich kid?] Cat kindly left the spoiled part out. the dead girl boasted. Then why nobody visited you? Does anyone care about Catherine? You must tell me all about your mother and your family situation.] As Catherine talked, no, bragged, about her life in detail, Cat grew angrier and angrier about her decision to commit suicide. They ignored the mental distress she was put under but it was obvious the girl would have no problem raising a kid with that amount of money. Mrs. Wallenstein was a wastrel because Cat didnt want to use a harsher word and put a rift between the two body-mates. But she came out as petty and vain, throwing her life away and ruining Williams in the process. Cats anger at their predicament boiled over. Bound to the body as a passenger, Catherine felt the rage building up as the heart monitor soared. Catherine offered empathetically. It was of no avail. I dont want your apology, you useless bimbo! Fuck you! Cat shouted out loud. Catherine went silent after uttering a mental whimper. Cats shout summoned a nurse and a female cop. Whats the matter? The nurse asked. A male arm wearing a suit jacket appeared from behind the door to block the cops entrance. Im sorry, maam, but I require time with my client before you interrogate her, the owner of said arm said with a well-articulated and well-modulated voice that fits extremely well with the words expensive lawyer. Oliver McNamara, Criminal Defense Lawyer Cat knew she was screwd. She took deep breaths to steady herself. The cop lady, probably detective Martinez because she was clearly of Latin ethnicity rolled her eyes, Fine. Have it your way. Hey, Catherine, Im Dr. Esthers friend! Im here to help you! Dont answer that. Dont say anything, miss, the lawyer said as he moved in between the cop and the door frame. Detective, you shouldnt eavesdrop either. My associate here will make sure you dont loiter next to this room. Fine, fine, the cheerful detective said placatingly. Well keep watching the door. Bye, Cathy! Cat forced her new body to remain impassible as he tried to control the sobbing. If lawyers and cops were involved, shit was about to go down for real. The nurse checked the instruments, replaced the saline IV bag, and adjusted the drip-feed before silently leaving the room. She and the lawyer exchanged a nod before closing the door. Cat was still hiccupping when the lawyer shut the door and placed a smartphone next to it playing some gibberish sounds. It will better mask our conversation and mess with microphones. Cant be too sure. Greetings, Miss Catherine. Im Oliver McNamara, your lawyer. The guy was well into his forties but was well-groomed and well-cared for. The gold Rolex on his wrist and the Italian designer suit gave Cat a hint of how expensive he was. And how rich Catherine and her family really were. Catherine hinted. [We need to have a long conversation, you and I, my body-tenant.] She scoffed. Cat decided to ignore Catherines paranoia as much as she could. Oliver took a chair and sat by the bed. Now, miss, I should inform you that everything you say here to me is confidential. Ill work in your best interest to get you out of your current predicament. Cat pressed her head against the pillow and shut her eyes. Her breathing was still out of control, with sobs and hiccups coming now and then. She concentrated on her diaphragm and flexed it, a breathing exercise William learned in his days singing at a choir. The muscular spasms that led to hiccups ended as she released the air in short bursts. Mr. McNamara waited patiently. Who do you work for? She asked after a long silence. You. While your mother hired me, it is from your bank account that my fees come from. I know where you are coming from but rest assured you are my client. On my professional ethics, I wont report anything that happens here to your mother. You dont have to worry about any information you dont want to reach her ears even if shell pester me and my associates for every little detail. You have my word. How long have I been here? You were in an induced coma for four months, miss. Cat was desperately trying to avoid the conversation about Catherines suicide and his death. She suspected she was being charged with her own murder. She knew better than be childish at such a crucial moment but it was had. Humans are at the end of the day extremely complex biological machines. One has to work within the confines of ones biochemistry. Even though Cat had Williams memories, the body was still of a teenage girl. All the hormones and neurotransmitters particular to Catherines body were messing with Cats reasoning. It was like (bad metaphor incoming) trying to run Android O.S. on an iPhone. What am I being charged with? How legally fucked I am? She finally asked. Cat was at the limit of her wits. Having a phantom grumbling and whining inside her head wasnt going to help. She snapped and mumbled even though Oliver was right next to her. [Its my mouth now. My body. Dont forget Im doing this to save you from whatever punishment awaits you in hell. The least you can do is to be helpful. We gain nothing by antagonizing each other.] [You killed me, Catherine. You didnt intend to, but your stupidity killed three people. And now it is I who is going to pay for your folly. Maybe even go to jail. Is orange really the new black? Please take your time to think about that.] She grumbled, annoyed. Catherine seemed like a spoiled rich kid that had serious issues with her mother and was going through a rebellious phase. They really needed to have a long conversation about their new reality. But one point William wouldnt concede was ownership of the body. And as the angel said, he could always eject Catherine and let her deal with her own fate. It was in her best interest to cooperate and be a good body-tenant. Speaking of which, now that some time had passed and they got used to the dozens of minor inconveniences of being hospitalized of which the IV drip was the least of them, William tried to get used to the sensations of this new body. Most of it worked exactly like his former one but he could feel the weight of the blanket pressing down on their chest and the clear difference down there. It was impossible to not notice the lack of the male organs and the odd feeling of another entirely different structure down there. The catheter was poking her on a very sensitive spot, after all. Damn bloody tube. However, any curiosity of that nature would have to wait. Cat was too high on the painkillers and other medication fed through her IV drip to explore her new body. And she probably should focus on talking to the lawyer now. Oliver, you specialize in criminal law, right? Yes. However, I am well versed in other branches of my business too. And if I dont think I am up to the task, Ill delegate the job to one of my associates. We pride ourselves on covering all bases regarding legal advice. Good. I need a full inventory of my assets. Withdraw any powers of attorney I granted before my accident. I need to know when each cent leaves my bank account or my estate. Its my fault for signing stuff off without making a fully informed decision, Cat replied. Oliver made a puzzled face but she waved him off. Nevermind, Im talking to myself. Have someone do an audit of the trust fund too. If Catherine signed off her assets to her mother, the trustee of her fund shouldnt be trusted (pun intended) either. William knew how easy was to make sub-optimal choices and gain an advantage to themselves doing transactions on someone elses behalf. While he wasnt big enough to call himself a true Wall Street shark, he was at least a pira?a. I can do that. Meanwhile, your personal belongings were returned by the police. Your purse was stolen during the accident but it was recovered. Ill need to check with you if anything is missing. That put Catherine on overdrive, Not now, Catherine Oliver, I need you to hire a social media and PR specialist for me. People were snapping photos and filming the accident, we need to put our version of the story out in the open.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. How do you you are correct, miss. Dozens of pictures and videos of your accident are circulating the web. You even had crowdfunding and blood drive captained by your obstetrician Dr. Hill to help with your extensive surgical procedures. Im going to have someone here to help you manage it by tomorrow. A female if possible, and have her sign an NDA. Be generous with her wages. Call the doctor. I had her give me a run-down of my most critical wounds, but I want a full report with you present. A wise choice, Oliver agreed empathetically. Ill be back soon.
Catherine, how are you today? The doctor asked with a grandmotherly tone. Alive, She replied laconically. Did Oliver told you why I asked you to come? He did, but please tell it to me yourself, She replied with a smile. How badly damaged was I? Cat asked. What did I break, what did I lose, what procedures did I have to go through? The physician sighed. How badly damaged you were when you were admitted here? Honestly, the only bones Im sure didnt have fractures were the ones inside your ears. Its a miracle you are alive and functioning, my dear. You had multiple internal injuries and you used up half of our hospitals blood bank. The nurses call you Miss Wolverine behind your back, she chuckled as she jested. Not only you demonstrated a marvelous ability to heal, but you also have a few pounds of titanium in you right now, she explained. But you recovered completely. Lungs, spleen, liver, heart, bones. The x-rays we took yesterday showed we might have to even remove some of the pins and plates soon enough. Youll need extensive physical therapy. The doctor went on explaining everything while Oliver took notes. The only place on her body that wasnt critically injured when she was admitted was the head. She even joked that people from the Guinness book wanted to record her case. She was officially the person with most bone fractures to survive. Cat joked to herself that she might even be nominated to a Darwin award hadnt they miraculously survived. Then we have the lung lobe and kidney we had to remove. Suffice to say that all your other organs healed miraculously without the need for transplant except for your womb. Im sorry, you wont be able to have children naturally in the future. But we removed the cervix so you wont have to worry about cancer either. Cat hurriedly shook her head. No! You did great, thank you. I dont mind it at all. Catherine lied. Cat could tell by her tone that she desired children. It reinforced his assumptions of what happened to her to make her kill herself. She mentioned it en passant only but with detective Martinez on the other side of the door, Cat knew she would learn everything soon enough. The doctor mumbled something to herself as she checked the instruments next to Cats bed. She adjusted the IV drip and asked, Did you feel any pain when you woke up? No. Good. Any nausea, itches, or anything abnormal? Yes, a horrendous full-body burning itch. I do feel like going to the bathroom all the time, theres something down there. She nodded. Thats the urinary catheter. I can ask the nurse to remove it and you can try going to the bathroom to relieve yourself on your own. If it doesnt work, Im afraid well have to put it back in but I dont think it will be necessary. Please take it off. The physician exchanged a glance and a nod with Oliver. Sure. But I think you need some time alone to talk to your lawyer now. Ill come back later after you had your interviews, young miss. But dont worry. Youll be with us at least for another month before we discharge you. With that, the doctor exchanged another silent glance with Oliver and left. The lawyer went to put the gibberish noise smartphone under the door. While he was out, William took the opportunity to ask Catherine one question. [Catherine, please dont be upset but were you raped?] He heard her sigh and whimper before she spoke curtly and sorrowfully, [Im sorry. Really sorry.] He chuckled, [I dont see why not. Everyone calls called me Will.] Are you okay, miss? Back on the chair, Oliver startled Cat. Yes, yes. Im fine. Mumbling to myself helps me think, she lied. He smiled. Thats fine. Mumble as much as you want. Now, what do you want to know. What do the cops want? What do cops always want, to put someone in jail, I think. But what they want with you is twofold. One, they want to talk to you about your alleged sexual assault. Not alleged. It happened, Cat was adamant. Fair enough. Do you remember who assaulted you? Yes. I know who. And I want to see that fucker become some prison gangs bitch for what he did, Cat spewed acridly between clenched teeth. All of them. We will try to do that. Do you want me to pay the prison guys to be extra careful with handling your assailant when he goes down? I know most criminal lawyers in Manhattan. Well cross that bridge when we get to it, Cat chuckled ruefully. Lets stay on the clear for now. Regarding the cops, whats the other thing they want from me? Am I being charged with something? They have you in custody because you are charged with involuntary manslaughter but detective Martinez wants to talk about the sexual assault. I recommend being thorough in your report even it ashames you. It will help with your charges but theres no chance youd get convicted and even bringing you to trial would be just a waste of everyones money, including the taxpayers. You were under serious mental distress and it is an election year. Catherine chirped at the mention of mental distress. Oliver continued, Both the mayor and the DA are in full gear for re-elections. They dont want justice, they want a PR case advantageous to them. We can work with that by giving them a tragic victim instead of a perpetrator of dubious motives. You have a lot of sympathy on social media, most of that the hard work of Dr. Hill. Be sure to thank her for that. Catherine shouted. She was getting the blue bird jitters. Did my phone survive the crash? Cat asked to placate the specter in her head. What model did I use? I think it was an Apple device. Its with the police but I dont think it still works. I can buy you a replacement. Please do. Lets change the subject. Oliver, do you have any news of the deceased? The man I killed, who was he? William Theodore Cooper, a financial advisor that worked for a bank in Wall Street. A tear rolled down Cats eye. Did he have any family? Parents, siblings, and a fiance. No children. She sobbed and summoned the courage to ask, How are they? In one word, bereaved. Let me call the detective now, Oliver said as he stood up and dashed for the door. Cat didnt notice but the lawyer wanted to capitalize on her distressed state to garner sympathy with the police. He returned with the detective and another police officer with a big case containing a computer and a printer. Before the detective could talk, he gave Cat some advice. Dont answer any questions unless I tell you to, Catherine. You may start, detective. The detective was friendly enough and asked about Catherines rape and her suicide attempt. Cat danced to Olivers tune, answering only what he allowed and shutting her mouth when he signaled her to. The detective mentioned the DNA samples from her and the baby. William had to rely on Catherine to relay the information but it only caused a bit of a delay in the vocalization of the answers. Like Christian and Cyrano, they played their parroting perfectly. Catherine went to a party on Staten Island. She usually didnt drink alcohol (because of her abusive alcoholic mother) but she was peer-pressured into doing so. Long story short, the drunk girl was led to a bedroom by a friendly schoolmate of the worst kind of male persuasion and lost her virginity despite struggling to fight back. The skinny girl was no match for the athletic guys physical prowess. The ghost inside Cats head was incomprehensible as she sobbed and cried. The girl mimicked her spectral companion and let the tears flow freely. Cat forced the phantom to give the most detailed report possible, cooing and goading the dead girl to talk about the trauma that led her to the suicide attempt. Detective Martinez was empathetic and helpful, while Oliver seemed to approve of the interaction. The girl had ground a new layer of teeth enamel by the time she finished giving the full report. They replayed the recording of their conversation and at the end asked Cat to confirm everything she said was the truth which she did. The other police officer then typed the transcript on the laptop, printed it, and read it aloud. After confirming the contents, everyone signed each page with Oliver keeping a copy for himself. Satisfied, the police officers left the room leaving Cat and Oliver alone. She was exhausted. Cat sighed, barely able to keep her eyes open. How did I do, Oliver? Perfectly, he cheered. Dont worry about them pressing charges. We might need to talk to the DA but they will probably be more interested in pursuing your sexual assault than the other case. Ill have a psychiatrist visit you and testify if you are brought to court. Im sorry youll have to repeat the same story over and over. Ah, I might hire a PI to gather evidence on that scums wrongdoings. I am afraid youre far from being the only girl he hurt. If we can get another victim to testify, hell surely go down even worse. Damages, Oliver. Squeeze every penny you can from him. The guy is even richer than me. You arent rich, Miss Wallenstein. The trust fund is. Cat chuckled. Fair enough. I promise the guy will regret ever touching you. Good, good, you do that, Cat wickedly croaked. Get me his balls on a golden plate, Oliver. And his dick sliced up and fried in an Italian skillet. With enough pepper to make an Indian beg for water. Catherine retched. Im not eating it, Cat added out loud. As any decent man should, Oliver was at the same time stern and angry. You bet I will, Catherine. I promise you. Thank you, Oliver. I think Im going to sleep. She was snoozing before she heard the door close. Toilet Deja Vu When Cat woke up, the catheter was gone from her crotch and she felt relief the tube was no longer in such a sensitive region. She smelled hospital food and her stomach rumbled. Catherine whined. [I dont think were able to eat anything else. We went four months without anything solid in our shared stomach. Do you remember how the nurse gave us water yesterday?] The food, if that could be called it, was on a floating tray over their stomach. Cat tried to prop herself on her elbows but felt a sharp pain coming from the left shoulder and gave up. Probably one of the titanium pins poking her flesh from the inside. She instead pressed the nurse button. [You know, Catherine, I have an odd feeling about our current predicament. I somehow feel like I was not the first one to wake up hospitalized in a womans body.] The feeling of deja vu was so strong it threatened to break some invisible fictional wall. [Someone mustve been in exactly the same situation as us, thats what Im trying to say. The angel we saw was too nonchalant in its offer to let me live again in your body.] [It literally said that every soul sees it differently. I saw it as an angel, you probably saw it as the grim reaper. The truly wicked sees it as a demon.] Catherine sighed. she replied sarcastically. [How are you now?] [Hey, not only watch. You can also taste and feel everything I taste and feel. Like the sweet aroma of this hospital gruel,] William joked and sucked in a lungful of the inane scent. Cat chuckled, [Yes. Because someone would eventually broadcast farts. So, I think Ill try this out. How bad can it be?] Feeling vengeful, Cat grinned. [Too late. My stomach is grumbling.] Cat took the spoon and slowly shoved the gruel down her throat while Catherine whined and pleaded in their mind. It tasted as awful as it smelled but Cat was really starving for food. Four months without eating anything did that to a person. She stopped on the fifth spoonful, not willing to subject both of them to the food torture. At least it had some inane gelatin to wash down the bad taste. [I dont think TripAdvisor rates hospitals.] she scoffed. Cats stomach gurgled as it tried to remember how to process food. Or it somehow knew how awful the gruel was. She burped. [Might as well hit the loo while were at it.] Cats crotch tingled. She could feel a bladder begging to be emptied. Curious, she moved some muscles down there, trying to make sense of her new anatomy. [Ive never done it as a girl. You can call it scientific curiosity.] Her lame excuse didnt work on Catherine. Cat slammed her right hand against the bed railing, shaking the tray arm. Goddamit, Catherine! The floating tray swayed and dropped the gruel plate on Cats lap. Their hand hurt. A nurse entered. Whats wrong, Catherine? Cat shook her head and felt tears streaming down her cheeks. She thought she should get a better hold of her emotions. These sudden swings were no good. The loss of Dahlia hit her like the sucker-punch she hoped Catherines rapist would get by the dozen in jail. I dropped my food, she lied. The nurse approached and examined the damage, Oh, dear. Ill get you a clean blanket, dont worry. Before that, can you help me go to the bathroom? Sure. Let me help you. She disconnected some wires from the electrodes on her skin and helped her get off the bed without spilling more gruel on her gown. Cat shivered as an air-conditioned draft hit her bare skin. She wasnt wearing anything but the piece of blue fabric the hospital provided. It rustled against her nipples and she was sure they would be bruised by the rough fabric. Instead of panties, she still wore diapers. Cold, Cat remarked with a shiver. Can I get some clothes? At least underwear? The nurse smiled, of course, my dear. Once we confirm you can use the toilet properly, we can remove your diapers. Indeed, Cat nodded.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. It was technically the first time William attempted to walk on Catherines former body. She finally saw a titanium pin jutting out of her left shoulder she hadnt noticed yet because she hadnt yet moved the left arm with the IV. Im becoming a robot, she half-joked, half-lamented. When the nurse tried to hide a chuckle, she added, Too bad I didnt get adamantium claws, right? The nurse made an O with her mouth. You heard of it? She asked, clearly ashamed. Cat smiled and shook her head, The doctor told me. I dont mind. Now, please lead me to my throne. As you wish, Your Highness, she replied and pretended to do a curtsy. Can you hold onto the bed frame while I get a wheelchair? Or can you walk? I can barely stand up, Cat confessed. Sit down on the chair. Theres a wheelchair that can fit over the toilet seat, its very comfortable. Ill be back in a few minutes. The nurse left the room and Cat saw the cop that wanted to handcuff her outside briefly. Her left arm flopped by her side while the IV drip kept chilling her veins. Winded by what little movement she made, she barely had the strength to bring her right hand to her face. [What a mess, Catherine.] [I accept your apology. Now, can we talk about my curiosity?] [Thats not how I want things to work out, Catherine. You can feel the same things as I do. Cant you feel my sorrow?] Cat could only hear Catherines voice in her head but the girl was getting better at displaying her emotions through non-verbal utterances, like a sniffle or a grunt along with a whole range of groans, snickers, sighs, and other sounds. She could tell the ghost was being honest in her apology. The nurse came back with the wheelchair after they talked a bit more. Cat tried to learn as much about Catherine''s life as possible. What she liked and disliked, her friends and acquaintances, her life, and so on. The wheelchair had a white plastic U-shaped toilet seat in the middle. Cat found it very conspicuous. Getting on the wheelchair was a challenge in itself. The nurse offered to call another person to move her but Cat wanted to try it herself. She moved with shaking limbs and plopped on the open seat of the toilet wheelchair. Ill remove the diapers only when you are over the toilet. Thats to avoid any accidents during transportation, the woman explained. It seems I really need that physical therapy. Yes, your muscles were severely damaged. Everything was, the nurse replied with awe. They entered the bathroom and Cat couldnt help but try to look at herself in the mirror. She remembered Catherines face from their out-of-body experience, but seeing it in the flesh (literally) was another thing. Fortunately, the mirror was slanted down, probably for accessibility reasons. Oh, hello, gorgeous, she quipped at her reflection. Catherine exulted with a squeal and said, Definitely, she ignored the nurses puzzled look and replied. [I cant wait to see everything,] she teasingly sub-vocalized to add. Ye Royal Toilet, Your Highness? The nurse offered, shaking Cat out of her loony streak. Sure. I might need some help undressing. Would you do the honors? Once the wheelchair was over the toilet, she removed the diapers and tossed them into an oversized trash bin. Catherine felt her crotch free for the first time. It was odd. She could feel some dangly bits but it was further back than a scrotum. I swear Im not trying to stand up or even moving from here. Could you please... Say no more, the nurse chuckled to ease Cats obvious tension. Ill be on the other side of the door in case you need help. The woman left Cat alone in the toilet. Cat wiggled her muscles as if doing Kegels. It feels odd. she acridly snarked. [My body, miss tag-along. I did ask if you would hand it over.] [Say that to the reaper, not the judge. Although I dont think we want to meet them anytime soon.] The air conditioning was chilling Cats exposed unmentionables. She was starting to get aroused. The ghost didnt reply. [Catherine, we are in this together. We gain nothing from antagonizing each other. Remember, we need to somehow redeem your soul so you dont go to hell. Now, we both know I can eject you and I promise I wont. Ever. But can you try to not make me consider doing it?] Catherine didnt answer. It took Cat some time to finally relax her abdominal muscles and let nature do its job. [Too late. It is weird.] [Tsundere. Look it is a first for me. You probably didnt get aroused because you were used to it, youve done it since birth.] [Hey, I am not never mind. Here it comes.] She got goosebumps as it came from the wrong place (in Williams male mind, at least) and sprayed out everywhere. Cat just groaned and let nature run its course. Now she was even more aware of the differences between her new and old bodies. She could feel dangly bits flapping freely down there. Cat had ignored the proprioceptive feelings from that region but now that it warmed up and got loose it was impossible to. Catherine shared all feelings of the body, including pleasure. And she couldnt fight the sensations either as she was, in the celestials words, just a passenger. That didnt stop her from saying whatever she wanted with her spectral mouth, though. Of course, the soul-tenants complaints would be thoroughly ignored because Cat intended to fully explore her new condition. If only the painkillers and other medication didnt interfere with her arousal or will to do anything lewd with herself. The feeling of deja vu intensified. Was William the first man to find himself in a female body by divine fiat? That couldnt be true although it must be a rare occurrence. Did this very scene repeat itself every time someone found themselves in such a condition? Probably. If heaven and hell were real, then other things depicted in what a layperson considered as fiction might be too. Myriad worlds with magic and people transmigrating or even reincarnating everywhere. A mage who found himself in a princess''s body by accident. The possibilities were infinite.
"I''m done here," she called the nurse out loud. The door opened not a second after. The woman was smiling and hiding a hand behind her back. Catherine protested and was promptly ignored. "How did it go?" She asked happily. "Normal, I guess?" Cat tilted her head. "How did you expect it to happen?" "I don''t know. Don''t flush it, I''ll pull you away." The nurse examined the toilet then flushed it herself. "No blood, good," she cooed. "You don''t move, miss. I''m going to wipe you and give you a gift from the nurses." Cat smiled and leaned back on the wheelchair. The nurse wiped her and of course, the ghost couldn''t keep her silence. "Understood, my lady," Cat answered out loud. The nurse stopped and looked at her, sharing a smile. The reincarnated girl didn''t correct her own mistake. Cat pursed her lips. "Any discomfort?" The nurse asked, worried. "No. Not at all." She stood up and revealed a gift-wrapped package. "Something from the girls. A brand-new and clean set of underwear for you, Catherine." Cat let out a peal of laughter, which she regretted immediately as her body complained about the sudden movement. "Oh, that''s delightful. I was worried I''d have to wear diapers forever. Or walk around butt-naked. Not that I can walk, mind you." "No-no. You deserve some decency. Now, these aren''t fancy or anything but they are surely comfortable." "I don''t mind at all. Thank you, honestly. Thank you so much. Would you do the honors?" "It will be my pleasure." The nurse took the opportunity to change Cat''s hospital gown too. She felt weird how these small things one took for granted can have a deep impact on a person once it is denied to them. Having underwear hugging her body felt so good she let out a few tears. The bra was like a hug and the panties kept the rainforest in check despite some specter wishes for deforestation. She was wheeled back to bed and once again fell asleep. Not much to do while hospitalized. Visitors and Deals The more distressed a person is, the more small comfort items will make a difference. Not wearing diapers or a catheter improved Cats mood by a great degree. The day after the interview with detective Martinez was the first day of physical therapy. Cat rode a wheelchair as a nurse took her to the gym as they called it. Two cops followed her. So long her privacy was respected and she was kept without handcuffs, Cat was fine with that. There she found the true condition of her body. Four months and the damage from the fall sapped all strength from her and even small movements were almost impossible. The therapist had to resort to electrical stimulation. The shocks werent painful but the buzzing and muscle twitching surely were bothersome. Please dont mind me mumbling to myself, she told the therapist and started to chat with Catherine to distract themselves from the ordeal. Two hours later, she was covered in sweat as she was brought back to the room. The nurse gave her another towel bath and a fresh change of underwear but happily conjectured that in a few days she could take a bath by herself. The next day she had physical therapy in the morning and more exams in the afternoon. The doctors were astonished by Cats recovery but she was getting some itches where the titanium pins were inserted into her bones. Your body is rejecting the implants and trying to grow bone over them. Youll need surgery to remove them, they told her. They scheduled a procedure to remove the titanium because her bones were too healthy. The bone tissue was attempting to grow over the pins, causing a condition called metal hypersensitivity. She had Oliver come over after he finished interviewing people for the position of PR and social media manager. After Cat signed the forms for the implant removal surgery, he showed her some resumes and asked her opinion on the people. They decided to hire a young lawyer girl fresh from college who had experience as a social media influencer. Before he left, he informed her the PI was already digging what they could regarding Catherines assailant. He was hopeful they would find someone else to hammer another nail into that monsters coffin. A week after the start of physical therapy, the police visited Cat (with Oliver present, always) a few more times to ask other details about her assault. They did mention the DA would want to talk to her about her suicide attempt and Williams death after her discharge but both the detective and Oliver assured her it was just to get her testimony on the subject. In private, Oliver told Cat to leave the doors to a plea of insanity open. But he had a few cards to play to stave off the criminal charges away, including a press conference. Cat would have to tune up the drama a bit but she felt confident in pulling it off.
Catherine, this is what the prosecution is offering, Oliver started to explain his plea bargain negotiations. Youll plea guilty of criminally negligent homicide, a class E felony. Youll face two hundred hours of community service, no less than twenty hours a week or six hours a day for up to ten weeks. In ten years your records will be sealed, meaning only a few select law enforcement agencies will be able to see them. The internet, however, never forgets. Cat sighed. Thats a crappy offer. She had no intention to do any time, in or out of jail. Being under constant watch by the cops was enough for her. Yes, but it is their opening offer. They took incarceration out of the table right away. They know it is a weak case. I contacted Williams fiance and-- She whimpered and grunted a sob, Dahlia. Oliver raised an eyebrow, probably curious as to how Cat knew the name of her former life''s fiance. He didn''t ask though. Yes, her name is Dahlia. Oh, Catherine. Do you want some time alone? Oliver offered when the girl started to bawl. Cat took a few minutes to regain a modicum of composure and waved the lawyer''s worries off. No. No. Please continue. Sure. I contacted Dahlia and she is willing to meet with you. If you can get her on our side, the prosecution will lose interest in the case. We still have a few lawsuits from the building and other opportunists among the onlookers but the firm can swat them like bugs. Dont worry. Cat nodded and wiped the tears. Combined with her recuperative blessing, shed regained use of her right arm after a week of therapy. Yes. I want to meet her very much, Oliver. Please bring her here. It will be for the best, he said to himself. Ill move forward with our selected hire for the PR position and have her present during your meeting. Schedule the meeting to a week from now, Cat suggested. I need a new phone and a laptop computer. Get me a PC one without any O.S. preinstalled. I will, though it will be hard to convince the police to let you have internet access. They will relinquish custody of your personal items in a few days. Ill try to expedite the process. Even though she was heartbroken at the thought of meeting Dahlia, Cat tried to beam a smile for Oliver. Thank you, Oliver. Youre a godsend. Youre paying my team two hundred bucks an hour, Catherine. Only that? Oliver smiled, You might not know, but I was a friend of your father. We lost contact soon after you were born but I visited your house a few times when you were a baby. Catherine lamented and whimpered. Oh, Cat teared up again. They couldnt transmit thoughts between one another but Cats body retained some of Catherines instinctive reactions and muscle memory. He was a good man and an even better friend. One of the best among us. I regret losing contact with him but life happens. You know that, dont you? All too well, Oliver, she sniffled. You are too young. You should be laughing and doing silly stuff. Shopping with your friends. Fawning over Korean boy band members.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Lets not get too specific, Cat cut him abruptly, then grinned. They both laughed. Fair enough, Oliver conceded. You might have earned a ''friends and family discount'', he winked and the subject of rates never came up again. Thank you, I really appreciate it. Dad was everything to me, Cat cooed and Catherine agreed. Moving forward with our schedule. I talked with the building administration, theyll drop the lawsuit against you, He reported with a comedic streak. I threatened to sue them for negligence, after all a teenager with a set of pliers had all the time in the world to cut a significant hole in their fence. After that, they agreed to drop the case. Cat found a sliver of mirth and laughed at Olivers antics. What do you think of bringing the prosecutor here? With the surgery to remove the titanium implants, you are going to stay here more than a month. Yes, if they are open to coming. Detective Martinez suggested it. I think she wants to focus efforts on the sexual assault case. Is that why you didnt even bother paying the bail? Correct. No need to give them money. Not like you can leave the hospital anyway, and youll undergo extensive surgery. Theres another thing. You are officially under custody. The time you spend here counts against your sentence, including the months you spent in an induced coma. You already paid them five months out of the maximum of four. I talked to your attending doctor, she said youll stay here another two months after they remove the implants. That sucks but not too much. All I have is time, Cat said, considering what the angel told her to be true. Combining all the lifespans she would live well into her second century barring some accident. Catherine asked. Cat relayed the question. I took the liberty of visiting your school at your mothers request. You are in your senior year and missed winter, Oliver explained. The school year ends in less than three months. Your attendance record will suffer if you try to go back now and probably will be held back a year. Catherine said. Why? Cat asked the girl but didnt want to mumble. People were taking notice of her strange behavior already. Sorry? Just a moment, Oliver, she raised a finger. Then to get Catherine''s attention and coax an answer out of the ghost, she started to do Kegels. Cat had to turn her head away. [Explain yourself,] she sub-vocalized hoping Olivers white noise would cover her. Cat rolled her eyes and turned back to Oliver. Sorry. Im a little dizzy from the painkillers. So, I need to graduate without losing a year. Can I take the TASC? Let me check, the lawyer said and took his phone. Browsing online, he came up with an answer. You need to submit an accommodation request to the educational board and the standard delay is sixty days to process this not good. I think I need to pull a few favors to expedite the situation. Dont worry, it shouldnt be too hard. I have powers of attorney, do you want me to move forward? Sure. I can take the exams tomorrow if I need to, Cat answered. William had a college degree in economics and Catherine seemed like an honor student. With their combined knowledge, the exams should be easy. Then it is settled. I need to see when youll have surgery and then schedule the exam at the best moment. If you are that confident in taking it, youll get your diploma before your classmates. Youre a sweetheart, Oliver. Thank you. They talked a bit more and adjusted a few minor points of their battle plan before Oliver left Cat alone.
Her next visit happened a few days after hearing the prosecution bargain. Dr. Esther Hill came to talk to her. The obstetrician entered the room and sat next to Cat without a word beside the basic greetings. The girl was halfway into her guilt trip when the doctor grasped her good hand, brought it to her cheek, and started to cry into it. Im sorry, Esther. This stupid patient caused you trouble, didnt I? Cat conveyed Catherines words with minor changes. Damn right you did. But Im so happy you are still alive. Cat found it easy to connect with others emotions in a female body. She was more sensitive and flighty than Williams former self. Again it was a matter of biochemistry. The drivers of her biological hardware were that more attuned to such stimuli. I heard you did a lot to help me while I was out. I truly appreciate it. Dont mention it. It was partly my fault for not noticing your mental state and letting you out. No. It was all me. Dont blame yourself. Catherine can be such a bitch when she wants it. The person in the spotlight didnt like the comment at all, The two women remained silent for a while, enjoying each others company while Cat studied the obstetrician. She conveyed whatever Catherine wanted to say until she found an opportunity to broach a subject she was interested in. They didnt let me access the web or watch the news. How was the fundraiser? Esther perked up, Great! We partnered with a charity that helps victims of sexual abuse. The crowdfunding campaign was split eighty-twenty for the institution and twenty to help pay damages from your... accident, she paused to measure her words at the end. We can call it a suicide attempt, Cat offered ruefully. Anyway, Esther continued, ignoring Cats self-derisive remark, We had merch sales, even a small rally in front of my office building. Some of Williams friends and coworkers came to help and I met miss Dahlia there. Cat let out a sigh of surprise. Hows she? She was about to marry him, Esther said slowly trying to measure Cats reaction. The girl nodded and mouthed I know, before the doctor continued, But she doesnt blame you. Dahlia is a sweetheart and she wants to meet you. Look, Catherine, you need to open up. Let people understand you and dont take everything on your shoulders. I know you feel responsible to carry the weight of the Wallenstein dynasty on your shoulders but you are not alone. You are not alone. Another bout of tears. Catherine said and Cat voiced it. The doctor startled, What do you mean? Im sorry, thats just me being silly. Silly Catherine speaking stupid things. Didnt you see my medical report? Cat added her own question. I lost my womb, she explained at the physicians negative. Let me see if I can phrase it properly, does the loss of a womb make you any less of a woman? Catherine protested but the bodys controller refused to repeat it. Maybe? It doesnt!" Esther affirmed adamantly. "You still need to check for breast cancer and we still need to make sure your other sexual organs are healthy. A hysterectomy isnt the end of the world. We already have five confirmed cases of a successful womb transplant worldwide. I demand you come to see me at least once-- Once a month? Cat asked just to tease her and ease the tension. Every semester, Esther snorted as she corrected Cat and playfully poked the girl''s nose. I need to make sure you are not getting in trouble. The older woman hugged the hospitalized girl and whispered, I also need to see you. Im sorry Im not being professional here. This is a personal visit, Esther. You are off the clock and hopefully not billing me for your time, Cat grinned. Esther frowned for a while then burst into a peal of laughter. Maybe I should. Please dont. Oliver is already dragging my budget through the mud, Cat sighed. Worth every penny. I bet he is. True. Can I bother you to help with a meeting between Dahlia and me? I really want to talk to her. Oliver is supposed to contact him. I have his card, Ill give him a call. Sure, Ill make time in my very busy schedule for you, she bopped Cats nose again. In their mind, Catherine swooned. Youre a sweetheart, Esther, Cat voiced both soul-roommates'' opinions. The obstetrician grinned and nodded in thanks for the compliment. Youre tired, dont try to hide it from me. Go to sleep, Catherine. Ill see you soon. Please do. I appreciate all you did. Tell your partners at the charity Im eager to meet them too. I will. They can offer what help they can to people like you, Esther said and stared seriously at the girl. You are not alone. Remember it. Cat nodded and closed her eyes. If there was one thing she learned during her hospital stay was how to fall asleep on demand. She just had to stop fighting the medicine. Dahlia As the days went by and they had a lot of free time to talk to one another, the two souls crammed into the same body started to better understand one another. Or more precisely, to understand Catherine. The girl had a sheltered existence. A mute songbird in a gilded cage, rejected by her mother for reasons undisclosed and burdened with keeping the family name alive regardless of her young age. Despite the family names Jewish origins, their religious rites followed a particular version of Christs teachings instead of the Hebrew scriptures. Which version was not important. Just the fact it was a very strict sect and Catherines mother was a fervent devout in public but a poor practitioner in her private life. The girl was raised on such strict guidelines, pressured and curtailed. Like a clay doll, she was molded to be a naive and educated lady, whatever that meant in Mrs. Wallensteins perturbed mind, in Cats opinion. The girl was a living walking no, a bleeping contradiction. While she was currently undergoing social media withdrawal, she also had a mentality that seemed it wouldnt be out of place in a nineteenth-century fifties TV show. That was a shallow evaluation done with what little Cats painkillers-addled mind could come up with during these two weeks at the hospital. Every time Cat had to take a shower or undress for some reason Catherine started to berate her for being lewd just because her natural curiosity caused physical reactions the other could sense. Cat tried to be patient but once again was betrayed by the body she found herself bound to. Catherines brain was still an eighteen-year-old teenager, raging with hormones. So far she was able to avoid an argument with her soul-tenant. But she was at her limit. And it was time to wash her body because in a few hours Dahlia would visit them. Cat hadnt yet faced such dread after her reincarnation. The meeting with her Williams former fiance had her nerves on edge. She entered the bathroom, thankful the physical therapy combined with her divinely gifted vitality allowed her to walk and take a shower on her own. The nurse dressed the IV line and gave her the usual warning. Cat was to keep her left hand out of the water and do her business with only the right hand. She acknowledged with an unmotivated grunt and a nod as she walked naked into the bathroom. Being hospitalized, she gave up on trying to keep a modicum of modesty. Most of the time she felt like a slab of meat at the mercy of the hospital staff. Not that the people working there werent friendly but the constant need to run exams, tests, therapy, and other activities that come with such a lifestyle made her question the ownership of her own physical form more than the ghosts indoctrination. She didnt even glance at the mirror and went straight into the shower. Putting her hand out of the way, she opened the cold and hot water faucets, letting the water mix before going underneath the showerhead. She braced against the wall and let her head hang, the water dripping through her long hair. It desperately needed a stylist, in Catherines opinion. Cat bit her lower lip and sighed. Glancing sideways, she took the sponge and lathered it, proceeding to scrub her skin without answering the ghost. She groaned and rubbed underneath her breast with a bit more strength than necessary. Shut up, Catherine. Not today, Cat grumbled out loud, knowing very well the nurse was right outside the door, as usual. She didnt answer. Cat just knelt and scrubbed her shins and feet, then dropped the sponge to grab the shampoo. After washing her hair and putting on the conditioner, she let her back lean against the wall and slid down to sit on the anti-skid mat that covered the floor. Her heart pounded as if it wanted to flee the ribcage. You did. But thats not it. Catherine didnt press for an answer, a small mercy Cat was grateful for. After a few minutes, she addressed another issue.