I wrap my arms around her, pressing her body firmly against mine. I muffle every cry and absorb every sob. When her cries subside, I pull away, hoping to gaze into her eyes. Elena’s face is a beautiful disaster; cheeks flushed, eyes swollen, and hair scattered across her moistened features. She peeks over at her parents’ tombstones before returning her gaze on me.
We share a laugh as I set her hair aside and she wipes her tears away. I hold the side of her face with my right hand and we trade smiles. When I draw my face closer to hers, she doesn’t back away.
She covers the rest of the distance, softly overwhelming my lips with hers. I savor the moment. It’s the kiss I never want to end.
And then it stops.
As she lowers her head, I pull back, hoping to see Elena’s face once more.
But I’m horrified when the woman lifts her head. Her face is now bloodied, scarred, deformed beyond recognition. This isn’t Elena. I can tell by her eyes.
“I still love you,” Ronni says. She then grabs the back of my head and pulls my face closer to mine.
I let out a scream as I awaken to darkness and study my surroundings. It’s nighttime at the hospital and mine is the only bed in the room.
A shadow emerges from the dimly lit hallway. It’s a doctor, maybe a nurse. This guy’s certainly not dressed like a doctor. He wears a light blue tunic.
“Mr. Stewart,” he says, entering the room with a smile. “Welcome back.”
“Where am I?”
“West Side General. Manhattan. You’ve been in a coma for four days.” He jots down a few notes on a clipboard. “We’ll need to run a few more tests in the morning before we decide what your next step is. But I can tell you this: you’re lucky to be alive.”
“Where’s Elena?”
He responds with a look of pity. “Try to get some rest, Mr. Stewart. The doctor will stop by in the morning.” He places the clipboard back in the compartment at foot of my bed and turns to leave the room.
“What’d you say my name was?”
“Stewart. Kevin Stewart.”
I nod as the nurse leaves the room. I feel my face. No scar. I check my skin. It’s darker. I still look like Kevin Stewart.
To my left is a tray upon which sits a clear plastic bag containing my cell phone and wallet. When I sit up, I take my wallet out of the bag and find all of Kevin’s identification still in there. I attempt to check my cell phone but the battery’s dead.
I lie back down and sigh as I stare up at the ceiling.
Elena has to be out of the hospital in Miami by now, but she’s not here, either.
I need to find her.
End of Book One
If you enjoyed this novel, please leave a review with your online retailer. Independent authors rely heavily on customer reviews, so please help to spread the word!
About the Author:
Guy Harrison is a Phoenix area-based author raised in Philadelphia. Once an aspiring sportscaster, Harrison has been a public relations professional in higher education for the past six years. He currently lives in Maricopa, Arizona with his wife Lindsay and their son Vance.