Reborn For Love

Being Rick Ritz

The events of the night played in her head again. She had been waiting for the release of newer episodes of her all-time favorite television series on Netflix. And had even gotten popcorn and some bottles of white wine on her way home from work that Friday. This series was based on a real-life event and the season was featuring a guest actor who had been nominated for an academy award but did not get the award. She had not expected to escape into the actor’s life. That had never occurred before. Fifteen minutes into the episode, while the actor gazed into the camera as if reaching for her soul. Elena had imagined what his typical day would look like. And willed herself to experience it. In a brief second and as she tried to direct her focus back to the television, she found herself occupying the body of top American actor, Rick Ritz at his New York penthouse!

What!

Hollywood top actor, Rick Ritz, had gotten out of the shower on a regular Friday night, the 9th of October. He had a long night of parties with his friends and co-stars, a party he looked forward to. Not because it promised to be fun but because his co-star and Ex-wife, Samantha Ritz was going to be there too. And he had every intention of coming back to his penthouse with her.

Samantha and Rick had been married very briefly before going their separate ways. But she had always been his true love. Both of them had made mistakes that they talked about and were willing to work out. They had even had ‘a moment’ and Rick knew he was not mistaken, Samantha wanted him as much as he wanted her.

With that in mind, Rick had laid out his black Amari denim, white t-shirt, and his Givenchy chain logo jacket. A gift Samantha had given him on the night of his First Academy award nomination. He wanted her back and had every intention of getting her back.

Rick had his large white towel draped around his waist, as he applied his lotion and designer fragrances on his body. His attention had been drawn to a scene in the series he recently featured in; it was playing from his ninety-five-inch bedroom television. A series which he had starred in and which had almost won him the best guest actor in a series award. Rick had looked at the television knowing the next scene to come up. The scene played out and he admired himself. Also mimicking the same gaze he had made on-screen; eye to eye, soul to soul, passion to passion.

At that moment, Elena, who was miles away in Ontario Canada, took possession of Rick’s body.

It took Elena a while to realize what had happened and as reality dawned on her, she let out a scream

“oh my god”. She was beside herself with confusion, what had happened?

Don’t get it wrong, this wasn't the first time she had taken control of another’s body and mind. Whether male or female. In her almost twenty-one-year existence, she had taken over several bodies and minds. Starting as a sickly fourteen-year-old teenager who was constantly in and out of the hospital.

The first escape she ever had was into her mother.

Yet, this was the first time it happened virtually!

Elena typically had to look into a person’s eyes while sometimes holding on to their hands and willing herself to see what they were thinking. This process allowed her to fall asleep while she took over the other person. Over time, she noticed that her abilities had progressed or changed, every escape was different but she had never experienced it this way.

Even though she had imagined it briefly, and also looked directly at the screen, she was not expecting a virtual transformation into the life of a celebrity. It happened so fast even before she could get a grasp on what was happening.

Elena had stood for some minutes, her eyes scanning the room in which she stood and gaping in awe; it was the most luxurious room she had ever been in. Her eyes had wandered through the luxurious flooring system. The custom-made mattress and beddings, the widescreen television, and then stopped.

“Oh,” she thought. The ninety-five-inch screen displayed what could somehow explain the mystery of the night. Playing out on television that Friday, was the same series she had been watching on her couch back home with her forty-three-inch flat-screen television. The scene was getting done and moving to another.

“This must be the reason why,” she thought to herself.

She was still taking in the surroundings when the phone rang. She had panicked a little. Then caught herself. She noticed the very fancy receiver and then got her act together. She had done this several times, she owned the game.

She picked up the receiver and heard a voice from the other end say

“Sir, your car is ready”

“thank you. I would be down in a sec” she responded in Rick’s baritone voice placing the receiver back.

Her heart had raced which caused her to sweat while she thought again of what happened. She felt a little woozy and had sat briefly on the king-sized bed at which point it finally dawned on her.

She was Rick Ritz!

She lowered her back to drop on the bed and screamed “I am Rick Ritz” at which point she thought that nothing could be better than this.

Fully taking on her most recent escape, she quickly got dressed in the clothes laid out on the bed and wondered what shoes she would wear.

Every escape experience for her was different. Sometimes she had access to the brain of the person whose body she occupied, knowing every face and memory they held. And other times she did not.

On most occasions, she could access bits and pieces of things and people and their life, while she improvised for the gaps. In this particular one, she had bits and pieces and hoped the rest would come as time went by.

Elena walked a short distance across the room to what seemed to look like the closet space and sure enough, it was. The transparent automatic door slid open as she drew closer and she stepped into the closet with the lights coming on, revealing the wonders of the world embodied in the exquisite shoes that graced the feet of the top Hollywood actor.

Every kind of sneakers, oxfords, loafers, boots, trainers and the likes were gracefully displayed according to their uses and colors. A little walk had further revealed the designer shirts, pants, scarves, jackets, suits, wristwatches, ties, and every luxurious clothing item that belonged to the star.

At that point, she wished she could take a picture to send to her actual phone and she almost gave in to her wish but then she thought about it a second time, that was not a risk she was willing to take. She knew she was a different person and a visitor to this body; she had promised not to punish herself by reliving a life that was not her reality, she always awoke or returned to her body. It was almost like a dream, but it was real.

“This is heaven” she had thought to herself.