Chapter 1
Larissa was smiling as she walked out of work and went to the parking lot. After opening the driver’s door of her car, she got into it. The payments for my apartment are close to being paid off, and tonight I'll tell Steve about my upcoming promotion, she thought as she started the car. Everything was going smoothly. Aside from being the star of the office, she clearly had the best and most handsome boyfriend a woman could dream of. Yet still, it felt like something wasn’t adding up, but she couldn’t guess what it was.
Larissa, stop fooling around! There was no time to doubt. She was doing things right, and that’s why things were going well in her life. She drove out of the parking. The empty streets were easy to navigate. Steadily driving out of the industrial area of the city, she headed for the residential building.
The apartment of her dreams was in a building in the suburb. It was located on top of a hill and Larissa loved its view across the whole city. While driving up there, her cell phone rang. She put it on the loudspeaker and sweetly answered, “Hello, love, how are you?”
On the other side of the line, a murmur was heard, and then Steve answered: “Larissa darling, are you on your way?”
She looked out the window, and then at her watch before replying, “Yes, I’ll be there in a few minutes!”
A prolonged silence was heard, and she, taking her eyes off the road for a second, looked at the light on the phone to check if the call was still on. Then she glanced in front of her, but the only thing she could see was glaring light approaching her at full speed.
She knew she was in the right lane. Fear made her react, and she blew the horn just before giving the steering wheel a violent shake. Yet at the last second, as if the driver of the other car realized that he was on the opposite path, he also turned his wheel.
They both turned to the same side. Larissa held her breath. There was nothing she could do. She was lost, and the headlights of that car were coming at her at full speed. When the car collided with the side of her car, her head jerked back and, hitting her windshield, cracked it.
This blow made her see things like in slow motion for a second. She heard the other car moving on. Larissa, in a dark and terrible cloak, moved her eyes. It didn’t take long for her to know that she hadn't closed her eyes, her vision was lost, and the strong smell of gasoline permeated her. Trying to regain her senses, she tried to speak, but her words didn’t come out of her mouth, and hanging upside down for a reason, her sight began to return.
Why won't my legs move? Shit! They are stuck somewhere. And where is my phone? Fuck! This useless technology is always out of reach when you really need it.
Larissa tried to move her head, but she couldn’t, and with all those failed attempts, she just closed her eyes and passed out.
She had a pleasant dream. She was on a beach far from everything. Work did not exist, and her ideal apartment did not exist. Even her boyfriend had disappeared, only a vast ocean that wet her feet and waves that repeated her name over and over again.
"Larissa! Larissa, can you hear me?", A voice asked.
"No, no! I don't want to wake up", she murmured and tried to cling to the idyll of her dream.
Hold on! This isn't Steve's voice! Why is there a stranger in my bedroom?!
It took her a moment to realize that she wasn't lying in her bed. Neither was she at home.
Larissa opened her eyes, and the light from the headlights became a powerful bulb that illuminated the entire room. The young woman felt as if part of her body was numb, and opening her eyes caused a tremendous burning. In front of her there was a man wearing a white coat. He was looking at her worriedly. Slowly patchy memories came back.
There was this car. It hit me. What happened next?
The man repeated: “Larissa, can you hear me?”
She forced a reply, “I… guess I can hear you, Doctor. Your voice is so loud, though….”
“I’m glad you’re finally awake.”
She nodded. Her throat felt dry and itchy. Larissa said tightly, “It was a terrible accident, right? I can remember some things… but not everything….”
The Doctor looked at her, concerned, and then proceed to check her vitals.
Larissa moved her head from side to side and then asked, “Do I have a lot of wounds? I
Imprint
Publisher: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG
Text: Sharela Koch
Cover: Germancreative
Publication Date: 05-13-2022
ISBN: 978-3-7554-1368-4
All Rights Reserved