As Dorothy prepared to leave, I felt a sense of unease wash over me. I knew I had to tell her about Valdez's visit, no matter how difficult it might be.
"Dorothy, there's something I need to tell you," I said, my voice low and serious.
She turned to me, her eyes curious. "What is it?"
I hesitated, unsure of how she would react. "Valdez was here last night."
Her expression changed in an instant, her eyes widening in shock. "What did he want?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.
But I didn't answer her question. Instead, I asked her the one that had been burning in my mind since Valdez's visit. "Dorothy, how did I die in my past life?"
She looked taken aback, her eyes darting away from mine. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice evasive.
But I pressed on, my determination growing. "Valdez told me to ask you that question. He said you would know the answer."
Dorothy sighed, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "Gabriel, I don't know what you're talking about."
But I didn't believe her. I could see the truth in her eyes, the guilt and the pain. And I knew she was hiding something from me.
"Dorothy, please," I begged. "Tell me the truth. How did I die in my past life?"
She looked at me, her eyes filled with a deep sadness. And then, in a voice barely above a whisper, she spoke the words that would change everything.
"I killed you, Gabriel. I'm the one who took your life."
I felt like I had been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Dorothy, the woman I loved, the woman I trusted, had taken my life in a past existence.
As the truth sank in, I felt a mix of emotions: shock, anger, sadness, and confusion. I didn't know what to say or do. All I knew was that my world had been turned upside down, and I would never be the same again.
I recoiled from her, my body curling into a tight ball as if trying to protect myself from the painful truth. My mind reeled, struggling to comprehend the revelation that shook me to my core. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut, my breath knocked out of me, and my heart racing with a mix of emotions.
Dorothy took a step closer, her voice laced with a mix of sadness, desperation, and a hint of pleading. "Gabriel, please, just listen. Let me explain."
I hesitated, my eyes fixed on her face, searching for any sign of deception, any hint of insincerity. But her gaze was steady, her expression sincere, and her eyes filled with tears that seemed to bore into my soul. I slowly uncurled, my curiosity getting the better of me, and my need for answers outweighing my fear of the truth.
"What could you possibly say to justify killing me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, my words laced with a mix of anger, hurt, and disbelief.
Dorothy's eyes filled with even more tears, her voice cracking as she began to speak. "You brought the hunters to my home, Gabriel. You led them right to my doorstep, intending to have me killed. You gave me no choice, no chance to defend myself. I was cornered, trapped, and desperate. I had to protect myself, no matter the cost."
I felt a surge of denial, a wave of defensiveness wash over me, but her words struck a chord deep within me. I remembered the events of my past life, the decisions I made that led to our tragic confrontation. I recalled the fear, the doubt, and the desperation that drove me to make choices that ultimately led to our downfall.
"I didn't know," I whispered, my eyes dropping in shame, my voice laced with regret. "I was blinded by my own fears and doubts. I didn't understand the consequences of my actions."
Dorothy's face contorted in pain, her eyes flashing with a mix of sadness and anger. "You gave me no choice, Gabriel. I had to save myself, no matter the cost. I fled, but not before...not before I made sure you wouldn't survive."
Her words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the past, a painful truth that I couldn't ignore. I felt a deep sorrow, regret, and anger, all swirling together in a toxic mix that threatened to consume me. I felt like I was drowning in a sea of emotions, unable to escape the weight of our past.
"You sucked out all my blood," I stated, my voice flat, the truth still hard to accept. "You took my life, Dorothy. You ended my existence."
Dorothy nodded, her tears spilling over, her face crumpling in grief. "I'm so sorry, Gabriel. I never wanted to hurt you, but I had to save myself. I had to survive, no matter the cost."
I sat in stunned silence, the weight of our past bearing down on me, the secrets, the lies, the betrayals – it all came crashing down, leaving me with a sense of loss and grief that seemed insurmountable.
I sat in stunned silence, my mind reeling with the memories of a past life that weren't my own. The recollection was vivid, like a movie playing in my head, yet I knew I hadn't experienced it firsthand. The events unfolded like a tragic tale, a story of love, betrayal, and loss that seemed all too real.
I remembered the feeling of being in Gabriel's shoes, the fear and doubt that drove him to make choices that ultimately led to our downfall. The memory of Dorothy's face, her eyes filled with tears and pain, was etched in my mind like a haunting portrait. The sensation of being in a different body, of having a different life, was surreal and unsettling.
As I delved deeper into the memory, I felt a strange connection to Gabriel, a sense of empathy and understanding that went beyond words. I realized that our lives were intertwined, that our pasts were linked in ways I couldn't fully comprehend.
The recollection was so vivid that I could smell the scent of blood, feel the weight of sorrow, and taste the bitterness of regret. It was as if my mind had unlocked a hidden door, revealing a secret chamber where memories of past lives were stored.
I couldn't believe how I had accessed this event from a past life, one that wasn't even mine. The experience left me shaken, wondering what other secrets my mind held, what other lives I had lived that I couldn't remember.
As I sat there, trying to process the revelation, I felt a sense of awe and wonder at the mysteries of the human mind. The experience was both exhilarating and terrifying, leaving me with more questions than answers.
But one thing was certain – I had uncovered a piece of my past, a fragment of a life that wasn't mine, and it had changed me forever.