PRETEND WIFE FOR HIRE

They say it takes a second for your life to change. They say everyone has a doppelganger somewhere in this world. They say the first to see their doppelganger dies. But what they didn’t say was the problem that comes with meeting your doppelgänger. For Catherine Price, it took a second for her whole world to come crashing down. CATHERINE’S POV Muttering different profanities loudly, I swerved the car, my cuffed hand, reminding me of how serious my predicament was. From the side mirror, I could see the red car actively chasing mine. The man in the seat beside me was holding the door handle in panic, screaming at me to slow down, while I drove through the huddle of cars, going about their day. I yelled at him to shut up, wide panic causing a painful burn in my chest as I increased my speed. Panicked, I swerved the car to my right. My eyes, occasionally looking through the rear view mirror. Screaming, I tried to dodge the dog that had come out from nowhere, losing control of my steering. The car swerved left and right, the man beside me screaming as I tried to gain back control. I screamed again as the car rammed through the newly constructed bridge, before falling through it. We both let out loud screams as the car plunged down the bridge, before stopping on the edge of a cliff. I breathed out, my heart racing in wide panic. I turned towards the now silent man beside me, screaming at the sight of the now dead man, a piece of broken glass, stuck through his eyes. Panicked, I yanked on the cuffs, looking around for the keys. Stretching my hands, I gently lifted the dead man’s shirt, before searching his pockets for the keys, my weight tipping the car forward. Breathing out slowly, I dragged the keys in his pockets in victory, sighing out in relief. I tried different keys, none able to unlock the cuffs. Screaming in frustration, I slammed my hands on the steering repeatedly. The car swayed dangerously, debris from the cliff, falling down into the cold, dark ocean below me. I jerked as my phone rang, stretching my hands toward the back seat where I had previously thrown it. It took a while, and a lot of struggling, but finally I was able to get it. “Crazy bastard.” That was the name I had saved the caller with, and for good reasons. “Hello…….,” I screamed out. “Please help me, right now, I am currently on the edge of a cliff, I need your help.” “I know.” the voice on the other end spoke, cutting me off. “Seeing how I can hear you, it seems you are not dead yet.” “Have you thought about it?” “My proposal?” “Wha- do you think that’s possible right now?” I cried out, tears of frustration streaming down my face. “Why,” he replied calmly, “do you think it’s not?” I screamed out as my car tilted forward, half of it hanging out on the cliff. “Let’s talk once I get out of here please,” I told him, panicked. “I don’t have time for this.” “You have plenty of time to think about it,” the bastard calmly replied. “You crazy bastard,” I screamed out, “now is not the time for your antics.” “Think about it," he replied coldly, before hanging up the call. Hello!Hello!!!. That crazy bastard, how could he hang up at a time like this. Biting my lips, I dialed his number again. “Fine, I’ll do it, I’ll do whatever you say.” “I have a condition,” he told me, still maintaining his aloof calmness. “What is it?” I asked in panic. “You have to die Catherine. Only if you die, can everything go as planned.” “Are you telling me….. to die right now?” I stammered out in confusion. “Dying itself isn’t so bad,” the crazy bastard replied, “especially for you.” “Especially for….. what?” I sat there, utterly stunned. “Everyone dies,” he continues, “but being able to determine how you die, is something you should be thankful for.” “Have you decided?” he asked, a chilling tone in his voice. I hesitated, briefly thinking about what I was agreeing to. “Fine,” I agreed. “If it means everyone would be happy, then fine.” “It’s in your best interests Catherine.” “When you die,” I gritted out, “you are going to hell.” He chuckled darkly. “Why don’t you worry about that after you die?” He replied, before hanging up the phone. Crying in frustration, I screamed as the car bounced off the cliff, before stopping on another one. From here, I could hear the waves from the ocean, crashing dangerously against hard rocks. Flattening my wide hair, I opened my phone camera, making a video of myself. Mom, dad and kelvin. I know I don’t say it, but I love you all, so, so so much. Unable to hold back the tears threatening to spill, I cut off the recording, before crying uncontrollably. Every day of my short life, flashing before my eyes. How cruel life has been to me. With renewed anger, I start recording again. Why? I cried out. Why do I have to live like this? Mom- do you live to make money, or make money to live! Aren’t you exhausted? Dad- stop making things so hard for your family, please! And kelvin, come to your senses. The world isn't as fair and easy as you think. You all take care. If I am born again, I will not live this way. After making the video, I pressed send to my junior brother kelvin, before breathing out in relief. Suddenly, the car plunged from the clif, panicked screams coming from my mouth as I plunged into the cold dark ocean. I struggled as hard as I could, cursing that crazy bastard for putting me in this situation. I yanked on the cuffs, searching around the car as cold water seeped through. I dragged the bag on the dead man's lap, opening it up. Wards of dollar bills spilled out, flowing around the car. The water was almost covering the whole car, I searched the bag for anything I could use to unlock the cuffs, before seeing a key. Quickly, I tried the key, holding my breath as the water covered up the whole car. Finally, the cuffs were unlocked. I pushed against the door, my lungs burning from how long I was holding my breath. My hands were weak, my chest and lungs burning. I slumped against the car seat, watching as I died painfully. Ironically, the money I had spent my whole life trying to make, surrounding me as I died. Dying isn’t that bad.. my foot. What kind of crap is that? Dying isn’t good. But there are some good things about dying. When someone dies, some cash flows in. Those co-workers who were born to bother me, I never have to see them again. My loans and debt, all of them would be wiped out immediately. The fact that I would never eat my Mums soybean paste again, does make me a little sad. My dad’s smiling face and Kelvin’s antics, I guess I won’t be seeing them again. It’s all because of that bastard. If only that guy didn’t take away all my happiness one week ago. My lungs burned terribly, wards of dollar bills floating around me. Well…….at least I died with money. That was my last thought, before succumbing to the darkness of death.