Page 30 of Diamonds in the Dark
“Asher, I love you, but how would you know that we are soulmates? And there is a huge problem with us being able to be together. You either are dead or think you are! How were we together last night like…like we were, if you are dead? I don't even know what to think or do at this point. Zach, if you are the person in that bed, how are you standing here talking to the both of us? This can't be real, Asher, if you don't want to be with me that's fine! This is an awful lot to plan out to get me to go away!” I am almost screaming. This is all completely deranged.
“Gwen, I do want to be with you more than anything! Please just stop! I swear I am telling you the truth.” Asher says as tears run down his face.
“You can see Zach because he is my twin, I assume. I wasn't sure you would be able to see him, but you can, so that's the only conclusion I can think of. As for last night it's because we are soulmates that we could do what we did. I was actually surprised we could. I assume that has to go with the fact we are supposed to be together. Gwen, I don't have all the answers to this. I was given a ridiculously small amount of information and it's what gave me the courage to come to you last night and to let myself fall for you.”
He seems exhausted and overwhelmed. I almost believe his story because I love him and because if it's not true, he is clinically insane. The sane part of my mind keeps rejecting it. This just isn't possible. I have to keep reminding myself.
“Who gave you the information about us and why can Zach see you?” I ask. Who could have given him information like that, especially if no one can see him but me and apparently his twin?
“Zach can see me in the state he is in right now because what is standing beside me right now is his spirit. He jumped out of his body. He's close to dying. That's why I had to leave your house the way I did. His spirit was calling for me which caused me severe head pain. If Zach was still in his body, which is where he should be, he couldn't see me. As for who told me about us? When you left the cemetery yesterday, after you poured your heart out to your mom, I collapsed in tears after hearing what you said to her. Your mom appeared to me and told me how I messed up and that you and I were supposed to be together. I messed that all up when I got myself killed. From what she told me, spirits can appear to each other but only if they want to. Your Mom is the first one I have seen until Zach decided to jump out of his body.”
He stares at the floor, and I know he is waiting on a response from me, but for the moment I am speechless. If he is telling the truth, then he has talked to my mom and his twin is dying. Is any of this feasible? The fact he is claiming to have talked to my mom is pushing my buttons a little. If this is part of some big insane ploy, I wish he had left my mom out of it.
“Gwen.” I look up and it's Zach speaking to me.
“Everything he is telling you is the truth. I know it's hard to believe or even to comprehend but he is telling you the truth. You have no reason to believe me either, but I have nothing to lose and no reason to lie to you. When you came into the room, I was offering my brother something. I think it will work but I don't know for sure. I want him to take my body so that he can be with you. I think all he has to do is lay down and allow his spirit to enter my body and then it becomes his. This way he can be with you and my parents don't lose another son. It probably won't be easy, and he will have to fight to keep himself alive as my body is pretty jacked up, but with his will to live for you and with some physical therapy, I think he can pull my body through just fine and have a wonderful life. I don't have any major head trauma, just a concussion, I think. The broken bones will mend in time.”
“Zach, I told you to get your ass back in there and fight for your life!” Asher spits out at him.
“No, I don’t have the fight in me to stay alive. Please don’t waste this chance Asher, please do it and be with Gwen. Be happy and live a full life. Please don't make Mom and Dad lose their last son. Please! I am begging you. I don’t have the desire in me to fight to stay alive. If I did, I wouldn't be standing here looking at my body in that bed begging you to take it over!” He yells at Asher.
I am assuming no one can hear these two fighting except me since they are both, what? Ghosts? If people could hear them, I am sure they would have security here by now.
Zach starts to cry. “Asher please! I am begging you! Don't throw this chance away!”
I am sitting here staring at the wall wondering if I have been drugged or something. I don't know what to think. I half believe them, and half know I have to be losing my mind or they have already lost theirs. None of this is possible. I have already pinched myself to make sure I was awake and apparently, I am. Listening to these two fight with each other is confusing so I am trying to block them out and figure out what I should do. Should I run out of this room and never look back, or should I stay and try to take in what is going on? They are so deep into their arguing I believe they have forgotten that I am still sitting here.
Out of the corner of my eyes I see movement on the wall behind where Asher and Zach are standing. It looks like a rainbow of colors swirling around in a circle. Now I know I have been drugged; I am hallucinating. The colors start to take a form. I squint my eyes to make sure I am really seeing what is appearing. I jump out of my seat and run across the small room and into the arms of my mom.
The room goes silent, except for my sobs. I am in the arms of my mom. How is this happening? How is this even possible? I look up at her face, there is no mistaking her radiance. This really is my mom.
“Hey, baby girl. I thought right now would be a suitable time to intervene in your life a little,” she says with a slight laugh.
I look over at Asher and Zach. They have gone silent and are watching us. Here is my mom with her arms wrapped around me and I am at a loss for words. I have no clue what to say to her. I just want to stay right here in her arms and hide myself from the world.
“Hello, Cindy. So, we meet once again,” says Asher.
I look back and forth between my mom and Asher. So, they really have met. If that part is true, then does that make all of this true? I am dumbfounded.
“Hello, Asher. I have come to help you out. Seems you may need some back up here convincing my daughter of the truth,” she laughs.
“Gwendolyn, I know this must all seem irrational to you right now. I want to assure you, everything Asher has told you is the truth. I know it's a little hard to believe, but he is being honest with you sweetheart. I know it's a lot to take in all at once. Your human mind will need some time to absorb everything you are witnessing here in this room.”
“As for you, Asher. Everything Zach is telling you is also true. He will not make it if he gets back in his body. He doesn't have the will to live, and the drugs have also weakened his will to go on with life. Remember me telling you that I didn't know how, but that there would be a way for you and Gwen to be together? This is it. This is your only chance, and I am sorry. Either take Zach’s body and fight for your life or let him die and you lose Gwen, and your parents lose another son. The choice is yours to make. It is a choice that only you can make. I know it's not an easy decision. Think about what Zach is telling you, about your parents and also about Gwen,” Mom says.
Asher stands there looking back and forth between Zach and Zach’s body. This is killing him. I can see it in his face. The hard fact is that no matter what he chooses, his brother will die. There is no saving Zach.
“Zach, are you positive there is no way you can pull yourself through this? I feel like if I do this, I am the one killing you,” Asher whispers.
“I am positive. I am done with this life, Asher. I want to be free of addiction and hurt. I am ready. You won't be killing me. I already did that myself over the last few years. What you will be doing is allowing me to live through you. Please do this and have a happy life with Gwen. Please don't make our parents have to bury another son. Asher, they wouldn't make it through losing another one. That would be their undoing. If I get back in that body, I will flatline and my body will die,” explains Zack.
The room goes silent. I think we are all lost in our own thoughts. I am still in my mom's embrace where I feel cocooned from the drama taking place around me. This is what I have needed so much. I needed my mom. I look over at Zach and Asher. They are just standing there staring at each other. I think they are having a conversation through their eyes. I have heard twins can do that kind of thing, but I don't know for sure if that's even a real thing. Asher looks so uncomfortable. I want to reach out to him, but I don't because I don't want to influence his decision. He has to make this one on his own. Whatever he chooses right now, he has to live with that decision. I know this has to be hard for him. I cannot imagine what he is going through.
The silence lasts a few more minutes and Zach nods his head, while Asher looks back at me.
“Gwen, if I choose to do this, when I wake up will you be the first thing I see?” Asher asks.
I know he has decided to do it. He's going to be alive again, while his brother will die. Of course, either way his brother dies. My heart is breaking for them both. This is not a choice anyone should ever have to make, but selfishly I am glad that Asher has chosen to do it. He has chosen to stay here with me.
