Stolen Soul

I sat down on the dead, wilted grass beside Alyssa. Soccer practice had just ended, and Lyss and I were waiting for my mom to pick us up. I was staring at a tree dreamily, watching the orange-red leaves gravitate.

 “So, what do you think? Should I do it or not?” Lyss asked. 

Ugh. I hadn’t been listening, but I didn’t want to hurt Alyssa’s feelings.

 “That sounds like a great idea, Lyss! You should definitely do it”. 

Lyss burst out laughing, and I could feel my cheeks burning red. 

“I knew you weren’t listening! You never do!”. She said it jokingly, but from the look on her face, I could tell she was hurt. 

“I’m sorry Lyssie.” That was a nickname I called her sometimes. “You know I get distracted easily. Anyways, what were you talking about?”. 

She smiled. “I was talking about this new store at the mall, it’s called Dressorama. Everyone’s talking about it. Wanna go today? They have the cutest outfits, it’ll be fun!” I gulped. I hated shopping, and Lyss knew it. The idea of spending a Friday night looking and trying out clothes made me want to gag. 

“Rats! I wish I could go but I promised mom I would help her with some chores.” I was a bad liar, and Lyss knew me well enough to know when I was lying. She frowned, then mumbled “It’s fine”, and looked away. 

But I knew it wasn’t fine. Lyss and I were drifting apart. We used to be close, and have sleepovers at each other's house every other week. We knew each other’s deepest secrets and had the same interests. We even used to pretend we were real sisters. Ever since my parents got divorced, it felt like her dad was mine too. 

Things started to change when we started our freshman year though. Lyss was one of the popular kids and had a different friend group. I knew she tried to include me as much as possible, but it just wasn’t the same. I think deep down, we both realized that our friendship was breaking, but we didn’t dare to admit it.

 “How about we go tomorrow, Lyssie?” I blurted out suddenly.

 She shrugged, and just then, my mom arrived in our black Toyota. 

“Sorry I’m late, girls! The traffic was horrible today”.

 Lyss and I sat next to each other.

 “It’s alright mom”, I said. 

Lyss still wasn’t talking and began drawing something on the window. Mom gave me an is-something-wrong-look. I sighed. Lyss was trying to save our friendship, but I wasn’t making an effort to. I knew Lyss could’ve ditched and ignored me when she got new friends, but she didn’t. She was a loyal friend, which made me feel even more guilty. There was an awkward silence for a while, but we finally reached Alyssa’s house. I nudged her shoulder and whispered, “see you tomorrow at the mall?” She plastered a little smile and replied with “sure”, and left. As we were driving home, mom looked at me through her rearview mirror and gave me a worried look. 

“Is something going on between you and Alyssa, Cassidy? 

“No”, I lied. 

When we arrived home, I helped mom prepare dinner. Tonight we were having spaghetti and meatballs, my favorite. The warm and luscious aroma of the meatballs filled my house, almost making me drool. 

“Cass, I know you’ve been busy with schoolwork lately, but I think we should do something fun tonight. Do you want to see a movie after dinner? It’ll be just you and me.” 

I wanted to groan. I was planning to spend the night in my room, reading a book I had borrowed from the library. I was about to refuse my mom’s offer, but I knew she would be upset if I did.

 “Sure, mom”, I said. 

She smiled from ear to ear. Unlike me, mom always smiled. We ended up watching a comedy film that made me laugh so hard that I almost choked on my soda. In the end, I was glad I went. I hadn’t had that much fun in a long time. 

Despite the warm weather that afternoon, it was a chilly night. The sky was overcast with dark, gloomy clouds, and the wind blew angrily from all directions. Rain bucketed down as if the sky was sobbing, and the eerie screams of the wind echoed through the field behind my house, like frightened children. Unlike most people, I enjoyed this weather. After working a bit on my history essay, I decided to get ready for bed. I opened my window and inhaled the earthy aroma. Cold droplets of rain landed on my bare skin, but I didn’t mind. Then, I heard a ding from my phone. It was a message from Lyss. 

See you tmrw! Is 2:00 pm okay? 

I text her back immediately.

that works! :)

I was still dreading tomorrow, but I felt a lot less guilty and upset now that Lyss and I were on good terms. That night, I fell asleep to the rhythm of the raindrops and the hoots of the night owls. 

The peace didn’t last long though, because I woke up in the middle of the night with unbearable pain I couldn’t describe. 

“Mom!” I shrieked. 

She didn’t hear me. I tried pulling myself out of my bed, but it only caused my body to hurt more.

“MOM!”, I yelled loudly.

Within seconds, mom rushed to my room. She had dark circles under her blood-red eyes, and I immediately felt bad for calling her. “What is it honey?” she mumbled tiredly. “My..whole body. It hurts.” I gasped for air. My throat was closing up, and it felt like something was stuck in it. I felt a sudden intense, sharp pain in my muscles as if someone were stabbing me. I tried to speak, but it came out as a croak. The last thing I remember that night was mom frantically dialing 911. 

                                                       . . .

I woke up, panicked and confused. “W-where am I”, I say out loud. There is nobody else in the outlandish bedroom. I then realized that I didn’t feel any pain. I stand up and pinch myself. Am I dreaming?

 “Mom?”, I whisper-scream. I look out the window and don’t recognize any of my surroundings.  It then occurred to me that the bedroom I was in looked like something from the past. It was a Victorian-style bedroom with a fireplace. The bed was small but high, and the wallpaper was florally patterned. There was a wardrobe with a flamed mahogany front, and a chair upholstered in a beautiful fabric. Above the chest of drawers was a mirror. I tiptoed towards it, and upon seeing my reflection, I audibly gasped. I was wearing a pale blue dress with a tight bodice, a high neck, and a buttoned front. It looked like something straight out of the movie A Noble Intention. My hair was held at the back of my neck with a knot, and curls cascaded down my forehead. “Hello! Is anyone here?”, I yelled. But as soon as I heard my voice, I was in shock. It sounded angelic, almost like a mid-Atlantic accent. Any moment now, you’re going to wake up. This is just a nightmare. 

 I scream at the top of my lungs one last time.

 “HELP!”

This time, I hear footsteps heading towards my room door. A middle-aged woman enters. She was wearing a spring-green decorative dress with ruffles, pleats, and ribbons hanging down the sides. She looked adequately similar to me, except her hair was held up high with a chignon.

 “Oh, Minnie! You’re alive! Why, Dr. James said you would never wake up!” Minnie? Is she talking to me?

“Um, my name isn’t Minnie. It’s Cassidy. Do you know where my mom is?” I say. I begin to hyperventilate. This couldn’t be real. Maybe I’m in a coma. That's the only reasonable explanation, right? 

“Minnie! What has gotten into you? You must be still sick, that's what. I’ll go tell John to bring Dr. James. Now, you ought to get some rest. It’s splendid that you have finally woken up. I reckon your sisters will be delighted when they hear the news.” The woman turns to leave, but I stop her.

 “I’m sorry, but what is your name? And what year is it?” I ask, befuddled.

 “Oh, this is far more serious than I thought! Minnie, I am your mother, and the year is 1886.” 

1886?! That was over 100 years ago! This can’t be happening. Wake up, Cass. 

I pinch my arm one more time and come to a conclusion. This was not a dream.

                                                                      . . .

Dr. James arrived an hour later. He was an old man with a snow-white beard dressed in black garb. He looked shocked when he saw me. He checked my pulse and did a few other examinations. “Well, Mrs. Miller, it seems that Minnie Elizabeth is not ill. She is in excellent health,” he said firmly. Mrs. Miller looked angry and proceeded to argue with the doctor. “She asked me who I was, doctor! Certainly, there must be something very dreadful wrong with her!” Dr. James leaned back and sighed. “Mrs. Miller, I can assure you that she is in splendid health”, he said curtly, and with that, he left. 

I began to sob. I’ve read books and articles about people who remembered their past life, but was it really possible that I, Cassidy Jane Smith, had woken up in the life of Minnie Elizabeth Miller? My head began to spiral, and I crawled into the small bed, crying my eyes out. 

“Now, don’t cry dearie. You will be well in no time”, Mrs. Miller said assuringly. I fell asleep almost immediately, as the bed was surprisingly comfortable. When I woke up the next morning, I almost forgot about everything that happened. The fact that I was living in 1886 hit me hard. Is this where I’m going to live for the rest of my life? 

I missed mom and Lyss. I began to cry again. 

I suddenly came to an important realization. If I’m in Minnie’s life, does that mean Minnie is in mine? The thought horrified me. I needed to get out of here. 

I decided to do some investigating in Minnie’s room. She had an abundance of fancy dresses with puffed sleeves and draped fabrics. Additionally, she owned many boots, bonnets, and hats decorated with colorful flowers. In the chest of drawers, were her books. Some of them included Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë, Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, and Bleak House, by Charles Dickens. Well, I guess reading was a similarity we shared. I also found a book labeled “Diary”. 

I touched the rough leather cover and traced the letters with my fingers. I was about to put it away, but I couldn’t resist. After all, if I was supposed to be Minnie, I needed to know all about her. I carefully opened the diary. The pages were thin and delicate. It was a little difficult to decipher Minnie’s messy cursive handwriting, but I was able to make out most of it. For the first few pages, Minnie talks about her everyday life. She wrote about her friends Ethel and Margaret, her teachers, her older sisters who were married, and even her enemies.

 It wasn’t until around the middle of her diary that things started to take a turn. Minnie seemed upset about her life. She rambled about how it was repetitive and talked about how she wanted adventure and excitement. On one page, however, she wrote something that astonished me:

 “Dear diary, do you think it would be wicked of me to want to switch lives with someone of the future?”

I read it three times. Could Minnie really be capable of doing something like that? 

Just then, I heard footsteps heading towards my room door. I quickly stuffed the diary into the drawer. I decided that if I was going to do more investigating, I needed to act like Minnie. 

Mrs. Miller entered the room with a warm smile on her face. “Good morning, Minnie. How are you feeling today, dear?”

“Awes- I mean, splendid. Just splendid, mother.” I walked into the dining room, where there was a large walnut hand-carved table. On the table, there were strawberry preserves, fresh bread, and cheese. It smelled delicious, and I was starving. I made sure to practice proper table manners, just like how they did in those old movies. Mrs. Miller looked satisfied.

 “Well, I suppose you're back to normal, dearie. I was terribly afraid you wouldn’t wake up, you know. Mrs. Wilson and some of the other ladies down at Woodville said there was no hope! I daresay they’ll be shocked when they find out you’re well and sound.”

 After eating, I washed my dishes and went to my room to get changed. I wasn’t used to wearing large, fancy dresses, but it reminded me of when I was young and used to play dress-up with Lyss. I picked out an extravagant, pretty sky blue and white dress. It was high-necked and had puffed sleeves. The ruffles, pleats, and draped fabrics added weight to the gown, but I didn’t mind. I matched it with a pair of white half-boots and a white hat with baby blue periwinkles. I braided my hair loosely and tied it with a silky blue ribbon. I examined myself through the mirror, pleased. In Minnie’s diary, she wrote explicitly about her passion for dressing up and going to evening parties. Even though the dress was uncomfortable, I needed to replicate her so Mrs.Miller wouldn’t suspect anything. 

I headed over to the drawers and carefully took out the diary. I flipped towards the last few pages and began to read. Her entries became repetitive. She seemed desperate to change her life and wrote dreamily about how she longed for thrill and danger. Her diary was an outlet for her anger. On the second last page, I read about how she was willing to do anything to go on a dangerous quest. 

I took a deep breath and paused. A part of me felt deep sympathy for Minnie. Her life seemed like a record player on loop, and all she wanted was to have a purpose. An ambition. A meaning. 

I closed my eyes and flipped to the last page. 

Dear Diary,

The time I have longed for has finally come! I have learned a secret spell, but I am waiting until mother leaves for Woodville until I perform it. The spell will supposedly take me to the future, and I will switch lives with my future self. Oh diary, I ought to have a delicious time! Just imagine all the adventure and fun I will have. But do not worry, for the spell is reversible. All I have to do is fill my shoe with a drop of my blood, spin in a circle three times, and recite:

 Hither and now, I am an unhappy soul. Bring me to the future. Bring me now.

I know it is wicked of me to switch lives with someone, but I am desperate! 

Yours Sincerely,

Minnie 

I was speechless. So it was Minnie who was behind this after all. I felt a whirlwind of emotions. I was distraught, angry, and confused. It was selfish of Minnie to do such a thing. I was relieved that she left the spell in her diary, though. I took a deep breath. I needed to make an important decision. If I performed the spell, Minnie would be back to her normal life. She would be devastated. But, this wasn’t fair to me. I missed mom, my comfortable clothes, and Lyss. I was going to perform the spell.                                      

Mrs. Miller had left to purchase some cotton and silk. Now was my time. I snuck into her grand room, where there was a king-sized bed, a mahogany vanity, and an extravagant wardrobe. The room was decorated with pristine ornaments and flowers, and like Minnie’s room, the walls were covered in floral wallpaper. In the corner of the room was a wooden rocking chair, and beside it, was a wad of thread and two sharp sewing needles. I took one of the needles to Minnie’s room, braced myself, and stabbed my finger with it. Blood quickly tricked down my finger. I frantically grabbed one of Minnie’s red victorian shoes, and let a drop of blood fall to the sole. 

I spun in a circle three times, and recited: Hither and now, I am an unhappy soul. Bring me to the future. Bring me now.

                                                     . . .

“Honey?! Are you awake?”

“Huh? W-where am I?”, I responded. I slowly opened my eyes and found myself looking at my worried mother. Her eyes were red from crying, but as soon as she saw me, she smiled.

“Cass! You’re awake!”, she exclaimed.

“What happened to me, mom?”

“Well, you fell and knocked your head. I’m glad you're back to normal, though. When you woke up at the hospital on Friday, you were acting so strange! None of the doctors knew what was wrong with you. I knew you and Alyssa were supposed to go to the mall, but I explained everything, so don’t worry.”

I hugged my mom tightly. I knew instantly that I was acting ‘strange’, because it wasn’t me. It was Minnie.“I’m feeling a lot better now. Let’s go home.” 

As soon as I came home I rushed to my room and plopped on my bed. On my bedside table, I found a note.

Dearest Cassidy, 

 If you ever find yourself reading this note, please understand that I made a grave mistake. I despise it here. I miss my dresses, books, and most importantly, mother. Yet, I forgot how to perform the spell! I suppose living here will be my punishment unless the spell is somehow reversed.

Yours,

Minnie