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The world materialized around them like smoke condensing into reality. Ella blinked, trying to orient herself in the dim, concrete-scented darkness that pressed in from all sides. "What the hell is this?" she asked, her voice echoing strangely in the confined space.
She looked around, trying to make sense of their surroundings. "I don't know," Helena replied, her usual composure cracked with uncertainty. "We're in spirit mode. I have a bad feeling about this."
Ella moved toward what she hoped was better visibility. The cold seemed to seep through her very essence, though she knew she shouldn't be able to feel temperature in this state. "Let me work on this," she muttered, navigating toward a patch of lesser darkness. "We're under a bridge somewhere. It's freezing down here."
She reached a spot where pale light filtered down from above. Street lamps cast long shadows, and she could hear the distant hum of cars driving by on the roadway overhead. The familiar yet wrong sensation reminded her of their night school exercises, but something fundamental was different. "How did we get here, Helena? Where are our sisters? This feels like night school, but it's... wrong somehow."
Helena's face was grave in the dim light. "I'm afraid something bad has happened. This isn't normal. We're not asleep, but we're out of body."
"Really?" Ella's voice pitched higher. "Oh shit! Are we dead?"
"No, I don't think so," Helena said carefully. "But for some reason, our bodies are unconsciousânot asleep, but like they're in a coma or something."
Ella stared at Helena as if she'd seen a ghost, which, given their current state, wasn't far from the truth. "Oh my God! We could be dying then. Is this one of those near-death experiences? Aren't we supposed to see Jesus and our dead relatives? What the hell are we doing under a bridge?" She moved frantically, testing the boundaries of their prison. "We're stuck here. I tried to climb out, but something's blocking me. I can't leave this place."
"What's the last thing you remember?" Helena asked, her analytical mind seeking answers.
Ella closed her eyes, concentrating. "We went to school, came home, went to that dinner meeting with the Commander, and then went home." She opened her eyes. "What do you remember?"
"The same. So we weren't hit by a car or anything. Maybe we were poisoned?"
"See if you can get out of here," Ella said urgently. "If we're dying, I don't want to be stuck under a bridge for eternity."
Helena moved to the edge of their confined space, pressing against an invisible barrier. "I'm trying, but like you said, something's blocking me when I try to climb up. Let's look around. I think we're on a mission. Someone or something has put us here for a reason. It's the only explanation that makes sense."
"Great!" Ella's voice dripped with sarcasm. "We're dying, and some asshole wants us to do some work. This sucks."
"Over here!" Helena called suddenly. "Someone's coming. Someone's here."
"I'm coming." Ella hurried toward Helena's voice, then stopped abruptly. "Oh shit! Do you feel that?"
The sensation hit them like a physical blow. Helena doubled over, unable to stand. "Yes. Pain! Anxiety, panicâmy heart feels like it's about to explode. Everything hurts, even my bones. It's horrible. I'm freezing and sweating at the same time." Through gritted teeth, she managed to add, "Thereâthere she is. A girl. We must be empathically picking up what she's feeling."
Ella's breath caught. "Oh God! I know her. That's Jennaâyou know, Jenna and Janice, those goth girls you scared away. They haven't been in school this year. I thought they must have graduated or transferred."
"What's she doing?" Helena squinted through the darkness. "She's got some kind of black substance in a spoon."
"Don't you remember health class?" Ella's voice was tight with recognition and horror. "That's heroin. Black tar heroin. And that's a lotâshe's preparing to use all of it. Oh my God, that's a lethal dose. She's trying to kill herself!"
Helena struggled to focus through the waves of borrowed anguish. "I've tried to contact the sisters, but it isn't working. We're blocked there too. What are we supposed to do, just lie here and watch her die? What kind of twisted fate sent us here? If she dies, are we dead too?"
Ella watched in horrified fascination. "She's having trouble finding a vein. She must have been doing this for a while. Look at her arms..." Her voice trailed off as she witnessed the devastation of addiction written across the girl's body. "Oh, thereâshe found one. She's pushing in the whole syringe."
The change in sensation was immediate and disturbing. "The pain is going away," Helena whispered, wonder and alarm in her voice. "She's found a place of bliss, like floating in liquid love. Her anxiety and panic are gone too. This must be the effect of the drug. I can see why she likes it. This is dangerousâI like it too."
"Stop that!" Ella commanded sharply. "Lookâshe's still breathing, but it's getting slower and slower. When I find out who sent us here, I'm going to punch them in the face. Are we being punished? I can't just stand here and watch her die without doing anything."
"What are you bitches doing here?"
Both girls spun around to see Jenna standing behind them, but not the Jenna lying motionless nearby. This Jenna was translucent, her spirit separated from her failing body. "Are you the angels of death here to drag my pitiful spirit to hell?" Jenna's voice carried a bitter laugh.
"Jenna! What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to die?" Ella demanded.
"Look at that piece of shit lying there," Jenna said, gesturing toward her own body with disgust. "Look at the sores covering my face, my arms, my legs. That's from the meth. Look at the track marks everywhere. Look at that big, bloody abscess on the back of my hand, and the scars from all the old ones." Her voice grew harder, more brittle. "Would you want to live in that fucked-up body? My insides are rotting from untreated infections, so I was going to die anyway. I've lost everything, and now I've lost my life. Not that you bitches care. Nobody fucking cares. I had to sleep with three guys just to get that last ball. I'm ready for hellâit's got to be better than this place."
Tears began streaming down Ella's face. "Oh my God, Jenna. I'm so sorry. I didn't knowâI don't understand any of this. I don't even know why we're here. Maybe you won't die. Maybe your tolerance is too high. When we all wake up, I'll find you and help you. I know we didn't like each other in middle school, but that can change. Please, do everything you can to stay alive. It doesn't have to end like this."
Jenna's laugh was harsh and hollow. "So now you're crying for me? Too little, too late for all that shit. I can usually only score half a gram. I just did three and a half grams. There's no coming back from that. Follow me to hellâwe can be friends there, you stupid bitch. Are you just here to begin the torment? Are we stuck under this bridge forever, like our own private little hell?"
"Someone's coming," Helena said urgently. "A guy and a girl."
"It's Janiceâyour friend Janice," Ella said, hope creeping into her voice.
"She's not my friend anymore," Jenna spat. "That bitch can die too."
"Janice has a syringe," Helena observed. "Is she going to kill herself too?"
"She's got a vial. That's not heroin," Ella said, recognition dawning. "I think that's Narcan."
"No fucking way!" Jenna exploded. "She's going to hit me with Narcan? What a bitch! If I wake up, I'm going to kill her for this."
They watched as Janice worked frantically, administering dose after dose while her companion performed chest compressions. The scene played out with desperate urgency under the cold bridge. "She's using multiple vials, and that guy is doing CPR," Helena narrated. "I think they might actually save her."
Listeria
Ella's eyes opened to the antiseptic smell of hospital air and the soft beeping of monitors. The room was crowded with familiar facesâher entire family gathered around two beds, worry etched deep in their features. "Where the hell am I? What happened?" she asked, her voice hoarse and unfamiliar.
Alisha Patel moved quickly to her bedside. "You're in the hospital, honey. The doctors said it was listeriaâfood poisoning. It came on so fast, probably from something at the restaurant. You were so sick the next morning that we rushed you here, but you both slipped into comas. It's been three days. We thought we'd lost you." Her voice broke slightly. "You had to be resuscitated more than once."
"Resuscitated? I died, didn't I? Is that why I feel like I've been hit by a truck?" Ella struggled to sit up. "Helena! Oh my God, is Helena okay?"
"She woke up a few hours ago. She's sleeping now," Alisha assured her.
Roxana stepped forward, her eyes red and puffy. "I've been crying for three straight days. I wouldn't have survived if you guys had died. It's almost ThanksgivingâI'll be saying prayers of gratitude all day long."
"Same here," Eileen added, her voice thick with emotion. "I cried myself sick. Dad tooâhe hasn't slept in days. He was here holding your hands the whole time. He finally crashed about an hour ago." She managed a weak smile. "But I knew you couldn't die. Helena's prophecy said so."
Ella turned to the nurse who was checking her IV. "Can I ask you a question?"
"Of course, sweetie."
"Was there an overdose victim brought in recently? A girl named Jenna. Is she here?"
The nurse looked surprised. "Well, yes, she is. How did you know that? She was brought in last night."
"Don't worry about how I know. I need to see her."
"You should rest," the nurse protested. "It's too soon to be walking around. Your legs may be too weak to support you."
"Then put me in that wheelchair and take me to her room, or I'm walking there myself," Ella said with determination that brooked no argument.
Alisha sighed knowingly. "We'd better just do it. When she gets like this, there's no saying no. I'll go with her."
Janice
They found Janice in the waiting area outside the ICU, looking haggard and exhausted. Her gothic makeup was smeared, and her clothes were wrinkled from sleeping in hospital chairs. "What happened between you two? You were so close at school," Ella asked without preamble.
Janice looked up suspiciously. "Why do you want to know? You're not our friend."
"No, I wasn't your friend," Ella admitted. "I really didn't like you guys at all. But that's different now. I saw what happened under the bridge. I want to help. I don't want her to die."
"You saw?" Janice's eyes narrowed. "How?"
"I saw it in a... dream. Don't worry about how. Jenna needs helpâa lot of help. I want to provide it."
"So you really are a witch?" Janice asked, half-joking but with genuine curiosity.
"I'm way more than a witch," Ella replied seriously. "So be careful. Can I talk to her?"
"She's unconscious. Talk to me. Why this sudden concern? You don't even know her."
Ella took a deep breath. "You probably won't believe this, and I don't care. Back in middle school, I should have cared about people like you and Jenna, but instead I hated you. I think I'm being punished for that. I was in a coma for three days, but I wasn't in my body. When she overdosed, I was there. When she was dying, I talked to her spirit, and I saw what you did with the Narcan." She continued urgently, "I felt her pain. I saw her anger. I saw her destroyed body with all the sores and track marks. She was ready for hell. I understand why she wanted to die. Then you saved her. I saw that too. I witnessed what you and that guy did. She said she's going to hurt you for saving her. What happened to her? How did it get so bad?"
Janice stared at Ella for a long moment, as if seeing her for the first time. "God must have a strange sense of humor. I prayed for angels, and I got you." She shook her head ruefully. "I guess I believe youâyou couldn't know all this if you weren't there. That guy is my pastor. I'm a Christian now, but Jenna... she couldn't go there. She says she hates God for giving her such a messed-up life."
Janice's voice grew heavy with pain. "She was living with her father after her mother ran off years ago. She suffered years of abuse, starting when she was just a little girl. Her dad died of an overdose last year. She was happy he died, but then she was completely alone. She found a family of sorts in a trap house, where they do drugs day and night."
"She started using everythingâcocaine, meth, crack, Xanax, Percocet, heroin, even fentanyl when she could find it. She became a thief, robbing stores and cars and houses for drug money. She got a food assistance card and sold that for drugs too. She's pretty, so she got most of her drugs by selling her body to men. Sometimes women too. Every day she hated herself more. After a while, I didn't even recognize who she'd become. But I know the Jenna I love is still in there somewhere."
"So will the hospital help her? Get her into rehab?" Ella asked.
"She has no insurance. They have to stabilize her for seventy-two hours since it was a suicide attempt, but then they'll discharge her. They might keep her longer because of the infections, but not much."
"She's a minor," Alisha interjected. "They have legal obligations."
"She's older than you think," Janice explained. "She was held back several times and struggled in school. She was sixteen in middle school. She's eighteen now, so legally an adult. She's eligible for welfare, but that doesn't cover overdose treatment. The hospital won't get paid unless they can secure grant money."
"Doesn't welfare pay for rehabilitation?" Alisha asked.
"She's eligible for a seven-day detox program, but that's all. Real rehab costs a thousand dollars a day, and they don't pay for that unless a psychiatrist believes you're truly committed to recovery. She needs years of therapy before she'd be ready for that assessment. After seven days in detox, they'll release her back to the same streets where she got in trouble. Since she's an adult, they can't force her to stay, so she'll probably leave after a day or two anyway."
"What about private pay? If she had her own money, would rehab accept her then?" Ella asked.
"Sure, if you know someone with thirty thousand dollars a month to spend. Quality rehab can last six months or more."
"I've got it," Ella said without hesitation. "I have a trust fund. I'll pay for it."
"Ella, wait," Alisha cautioned. "That's a hundred and eighty thousand dollars for six months. You don't have that much available."
"Yes, I do, Mom. And I can access more if needed. I'm not letting her die."
Dangerous Game
Janice studied Ella with new intensity. "I can see you're new at this. Believe me, it's not as simple as just sending her to rehab. She probably wouldn't stay anyway. And if she knows you have money, she'll try to rob you to buy drugs. If you want to help her, you need a more realistic approach. I've known addicts who go to rehab over and over until they finally get clean. Some never do."
Her voice grew stern. "You're looking at years of pain and anguish trying to save an addict. Are you really willing to do that? I amâJenna is the love of my life, and I'll do anything for her. But you barely know her. I'm afraid you're just on a guilt trip right now, and after a week or so you'll abandon her, just like everyone else has."
"Then what's realistic?" Ella asked.
"Until she's ready for rehabâand that might not be until she's thirty-fiveâwe could probably get her into a clinic for methadone or Suboxone treatment. That way she won't be constantly sick from withdrawal. It helps with the physical dependency, but it doesn't treat the psychological addiction. That requires years of therapy."
Janice continued, "You could help pay for a therapist and a family doctor. Welfare covers some medical care, but not all. You could help with housing so she doesn't have to live in a trap house with other addicts. But be warnedâshe'll sell clothes and food for drugs. You'll have to pretend you don't know."
"Every single day of trying to help her, you'll be frustrated because progress is so slow and she keeps relapsing. You'll get calls at three in the morning to bail her out of jail. No matter what you do, she'll say you did it wrong and blame you for all her problems. There will be days you'll wish she would just die so it would all be over. Are you ready for that? I don't think you are. You're just a kid who doesn't know what she's getting into."
"Ella," Alisha said gently, "I know you want to help, but there's nothing you can realistically do here. It's not your responsibility to save her, assuming that's even possible. You'd be throwing away a large part of your life on something that probably won't work. Honey, you need to walk away from this."
Ella was quiet for a moment, then spoke with quiet conviction. "I know, Mom. It probably won't work, and I don't know what I'm doing, but I think that's exactly the point. Why would I have a near-death experience in the middle of a coma, talking to the spirit of a dying girlâa girl I used to hate? It's not an accident. I was sent there, not to save her, but to learn something. So even if I walk away, I'll be sent back, over and over, until I learn whatever I'm supposed to learn."
She looked directly at Janice. "It's not my choice to walk away. Helena was there too, so we're both meant to learn. I'm doing this. I have to, and so does Helena. I know we can't save her, but we can give her a chance to save herself. I think she will, if given that chance. I'm committed. I'll ask Melanie what resources we have. She's the best therapist I know, and she has connections nobody knows about."
Janice's expression was serious. "Okay, Ella. I'll help you help her, but be warnedâif you abandon her, if you hurt her in any way, I'll find you and make you pay. You'd better be committed and stay committed, no matter what. Helena too. This has to be secret, though. You'll have to work through me. Otherwise, she'll be at your house stealing everything you own. This is a dangerous game you're starting."
Life Lessons 101
Later, in Dr. Melanie Crenshaw's office, the discussion took on a more clinical tone. "That's exactly why I want this to be part of their training," Melanie explained to Commander Beaker. "So they don't have to drain their entire trust fund on this girl. This is more than coincidence. I agree with Ella that some higher power orchestrated this as a lesson, and I think all the girls should participate."
Commander Beaker raised an eyebrow. "Higher power? I'm not convinced about divine intervention. I think this is their own karma playing itself outâguilt manifesting as opportunity. But it will be a valuable life lesson, something that will enhance their skills as influencers. If they can begin to understand addiction, they'll understand some of the deepest, darkest aspects of human consciousness. I'll budget it, but you need to manage it. This is too complex for the girls to handle alone."
Later, when all the girls were present, Commander Beaker addressed them directly. "Are you all committed to this? This is serious business. You're holding someone's life in your hands. You can't mess this up. You can't get tired and walk away. Don't start this unless you're prepared to see it through."
"We're committed," the girls said in unison.
"Good. I'll coordinate with Janice to establish a comprehensive plan. It's crucial that Janice understands she's the only one who will know of our involvement. We'll make this work, one way or another," Melanie concluded.
Hello, Diary
It's me, Ella.
I'm sorry I haven't written for a few days, but I have a good excuseâI was dead. But I'm back now.
I have a new friend, a girl I used to hate. Her name is Jenna, and she's struggling with addiction. She tried to end her life, and I encountered her spirit on the other side while I was clinically dead. It's complicated, these near-death experiences. When I think about it, I'm not even sure it really happened, but I suppose it must have. Helena was there too.
Jenna's best friend Janice saved her and got her to the hospital. She's still critically ill. My sisters and I are going to help her recover. It might not work, but we're going to give it everything we have.
They brought me back from the ICU in a wheelchair. I'm too weak to walk on my own yet. I'm exhaustedâso incredibly tired. I need to sleep now.
Good night, my diary.