CHAPTER FOUR — A JOURNEY BACK HOME.

Chapter 04.

A JOURNEY BACK HOME.

Daphne's POV.

I gasped, breathing heavily. I glanced at my hands, and then to the clothes I was putting on. There were a few bruises on my hands, and blood stains on the brown knee-length jacket that I was putting on.

I blinked my eyes rapidly in confusing as I stared at my palms, something wasn't right. As I turned to the side mirror, my heart sank. I was seeing a different face on the side mirror: purple hair, brown eyes, and a nose ring.

“Shit!” I lifted a hand, and touched the blood on my face, then I looked at it. “Where in the world am I?”

I looked out of the window, and swept my eyes all over the place, still breathing heavily. They were trees all over the place, but the ground was covered with snow.

I looked at my hand, and then returned my gaze to the side mirror. It was then I noticed a tattoo at the side of my neck. I took off the muffler around my neck to get a closer look at it. I turned my neck after taking off the muffler, the tattoo turned out to be a raven.

“Who the hell have I become?” I muttered the words under my breath as I touched the tattoo with a hand. “What in the world happened here?”

Still trying to wrap my head around what happened, I turned to my left. My skin crawled.

“Oh, no.” I said, barely breathing the words.

The middle-aged man who happened to be the driver was dead. His forehead was pressed against the steering wheel, and his face was covered with blood.

I looked forward, and realized that the windscreen was cracked, and right in front of the car was a tree. Perhaps, the driver must have lost control, and collided with the tree which must have been the cause of the accident.

I gulped down my breath, and tried to open the door, but it was locked. I pushed it, but it didn't open.

“Is anyone out there? Anyone!” I yelled, banging the door with a hand. “Someone, please help me!”

Breathing heavily, I scanned the car. If anything, I just had to find my way out of it. All I could remember was stepping on that glass, which eventually cracked and broke. It didn't make any sense that I woke up in someone else's body in the middle of nowhere.

Judging by that tattoo, whoever owned the body could have been some criminal on the run. The last thing I wanted was to suffer for someone else's crime just because I accidentally woke up in her body.

With that thought in mind, I looked back and found a fire extinguisher at the backseat. I picked it up, and smashed the window glass, then I crawled out of the car through it.

Standing outside, I painted softly, my breath visible as I swept my eyes all over the place. The bonnet of the car was on the ground.

While standing there, I heard the sound of siren blaring from a distance. Before long, a car came into view. I shuffled a step back, but something felt off. I looked down at my feet, and realized that I was standing on a heel shoe.

“Who in the world wears something as long as this?” I looked at the shoe, and pushed my fingers through my hair.

If I decided to run on that shoe, I knew I wouldn't get anywhere far. So, I raked my eyes all over the place, searching for a place to hide. Unfortunately, there was no place I could hide. But then, I knew I couldn't stay there, so I walked into the woods, and hid behind one of the trees.

“It looks really bad.” the voice came from a distance. “Search the car to know if anyone is alive.”

“Alright sir.” a softer voice responded.

From where I hid behind the tree, I moved my head a little to the side to know what was going on. I found a cop standing and looking all around with his hands hanging by his sides.

“Detective Simon.” a bald hair man walked up to him.

“Detective Pratt, is there any survivor?” Simon asked.

“Something doesn't feel right.” Pratt said.

“What is it?” Simon asked.

“Two victims were reported to have been in the accident,” Pratt explained, while looking at the car. “However, there's only one person in the car. He's dead by the way.”

“So what are you saying?” Simon arched a brow.

“Well, considering the gravity of the accident,” Pratt folded his arms across his chest. “The other person whom I believe must have gotten away somehow, wouldn't have gone far.”

“So, you're saying she could be around somewhere?” he asked.

As his words fell upon my ears, I moved a leg. Unfortunately, I stepped on a twig, and it snapped.

“Shhh.” Simon hushed, taking out his gun. “You hear that?”

I pressed my back against the tree, and covered my mouth with a hand, trying not to make a sound. I heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind.

“Detective Simon.” the softer voice called.

“What is it?” he paused in his tracks.

“There has been reports of another accident. We have to leave now.” the soft voice said.

“Alright then, let's go.” he said, his footsteps retreating.

I clutched my chest with a hand, and heaved a sigh of relief. Before long, they drove away from the place. Panting softly, I shoved a hand into the pockets of the jacket that I was wearing, and took out a wallet. I opened it and found an identity card.

“Clary Bedford” I muttered under my breath while staring at the identity card in my grip. “It doesn't get any better, does it?”

I put the card inside the wallet, and then returned the wallet inside my pocket. For one, I knew that I'd to return home, but I couldn't return in the clothes that I was putting on.

They had blood stains on them. As I got on my feet, I noticed a shack at a distance. Without delay, I began to walk towards it. Before long, I was standing behind the door.

“Hello? Is anyone home?” I asked, knocking on the door.

But there was no response. Exhaling sharply, I looked around, especially behind me before opening the door, and walking in. I swept my hands in the air, trying to get rid of the cobwebs hanging around.

All I wanted was to change my clothes. I walked into the room which I believed to be the bedroom. But it wasn't. Looking around, I found some drawings hanging on the wooden walls.

Just then, I noticed a wardrobe by the side of the window. I opened it, and found some clothes in it.

“Thank goodness.” I took off the clothes I was wearing, put on a black top, and black pants as well as a pair of black boots.

“Who are you?” a gun clicked behind me.

“Please, don't shoot.” I lifted my hands above my head, and turned around. “I just needed to change my clothes.”

Standing in front of me was an old woman.

“What's your name?” she asked, pointing the gun at me.

“My name is Clary.” I said with a shaky breath. “I–I mean no harm. All I wanted was to change my clothes.”

“What happened to you?” she asked, lowering the gun. “Where are you going to?”

“I–I got into an accident.” I stuttered, shrugging a shoulder. “I have to get back home.”

“Why don't you stay for dinner?” she asked. “Besides, they really look good on you. They used to belong to my daughter, Alissa.”

As she made mention of her daughter, I turned to the side and glanced at the picture frame on the bedside table.

“What happened to her?” I asked, lowering my hands. “Where is she?”

“She died some months back.” she said, staring at the picture frame with tears in her eyes. “She died in my arms. I couldn't do much to save her, and I feel bad.”

“I am so sorry for your loss.” I said, in a consoling voice. “She is so beautiful.”

“Of course, she is.” she said with a smile. “She was all I had after her father died. It's all in the past now.”

She lifted her gaze to me.

“Won't you stay for dinner?” she asked again.

“I am sorry, but I can't.” I said, shaking my head. “I would have loved to, but I have to return home. However, where's this place?”

“You are in Virginia right now.” she said. “You seem to be in a hurry. It must be so important.”

“Yes, it is.” I said, taking a step towards her. “I know I shouldn't ask, but can you help me with some money? I don't have any on me right now.”

“Sure, just wait here.” she went to the other room.

While she was away, I looked back and glanced at the picture frame again.

“I am sorry, but I'll have to borrow these for some time.” I muttered the words under my breath.

“Here.” she said, holding out a hand towards me. “That should be enough to take you back home. You will find a bus that'll take you home down the street. It's just a minute's walk from here.”

“Thank you.” I said, in a soft voice. “I will return some time soon for dinner.”

“You are always welcome.” she said with a smile.

I walked towards the door, and then paused. I looked back, and waved at her. Having done that, I stepped out, and began to walk down the street.

Before long, I arrived at the bus terminal. There was a bus waiting to get filled up. I walked to it. But as I got to the entrance, I stopped, and looked back.

“I am coming for you Gabriel.”