THE GATHERING
By SANDEFUR
Disclaimer: This is only fan fiction. I have no claims.
CHAPTER ONE: TRU
Tru Davies pulls her old Saab into the parking lot of the Midtown Motel, her eyes automatically searching for room 137. It was one of those special days- a rewind that had begun last night when the corpse of a young woman in the morgue had said, "Help me."
Tru didn't have a lot to go on. The victim of a single gunshot to the heart, the girl was in her late teens and had been found in an alley with no clues as to who had committed the murder. It hadn't been a robbery, the girl's purse had come in with the victim. Unfortunately, Tru had only seen the girl's motel key before getting the call for help.
Tru exits her car after spotting the girl, who is having an intense conversation with some weirdo. The guy is also in his late teens, and is dressed in Goth style. He seems to be trying to calm the girl down, but with no success. The girl keeps pointing at something in the newspaper she is holding.
The Goth Kid endures this for a few moments more before speaking to the girl in a low, serious tone. Tru isn't close enough to make out the words, but they seem to have a calming effect on the girl. She sighs heavily and nods her head a couple of times. Seemingly satisfied, the Goth Kid turns and walks away, giving a back-handed wave as he leaves. The girl waits until he is at the corner of the building before calling out to him.
"Remember, I didn't sign up for martyrdom!"
Once the Goth Kid is out of view, the girl turns and walks straight towards Tru. Once again Tru is faced with the dilemma of convincing a stranger that she is going to die that day unless she changes her plans. However, to Tru's surprise, the girl warmly greets her first.
"Hi, I remember you. You were the girl I asked to help me in the morgue last night."
Speechless, Tru can only stare at last night's victim for several beats before shaking her outstretched hand.
"I'm Joan Girardi, a college student from Arcadia Maryland, and I understand I have you to thank for my second chance."
"Yeah, I guess. I'm Tru Davies, and you're really aware that this is a rewind day?"
"Is that what you call it? Well, I guess it fits. I'm still freaking out over the fact I'm reliving yesterday. This is so weird, and trust me, I know weird."
"How is this possible? I've done this dozens of times and the person who asks for help never remembers what happened. The hardest part of my job is convincing people to change their actions to avoid dying again."
"I can see how that would be tough, but no worries this time. I clearly remember going through that alley between Tenth and Eleventh, and I remember getting shot. Trust me Tru, nothing could get me back in that dark alley. Looks like you have the day off."
"Just that simple? This is a nice change of pace, but can you tell me how this is possible?"
"You might say I have a special connection to the universe."
Smiling, Joan enters a nearby car with rental plates. After a friendly wave, she drives away.
Tru murmurs, "That was easy. Too bad they're not all this way."
The rest of the day is indeed a pleasant change of pace for Tru, at least for a rewind day. After helping her brother avoid yet another of his unending series of minor disasters, Tru checks on Jack Harper. Amazingly, for the first time, her nemesis seems unaware that the day is being relived. Whoever this Joan Girardi is, apparently she truly has some very special connections.
Tru completely relaxes and enjoys the rest of her day. She even manages to correct the one wrong answer she had gotten on a medical school quiz the day before. By the time Tru arrives for her shift at the morgue, her mood is practically joyous.
"Sorry I'm late Davis." Tru calls out as she enters the main examining room. Davis is already at work on a slender young woman with long brown hair… NO, she promised!
"Hello Tru. Our first customer tonight is a young woman shot once through the heart. She was found less than an hour ago in an alley…"
"Between Tenth and Eleventh?"
"Yes, how did you… Oh of course, this must be a rewind day. I'm sorry Tru, it looks like you weren't able to save Miss Tyler."
"Tyler?"
Tru walks around the table until she can get a good look at the victim's face. She is older than the Girardi girl, in her mid-20's.
"It's not the same girl as yesterday, but she died in the same place and at the same time. What a fool I was to think I had this covered so easily. I was so focused on the first victim, it never occurred to me that there might be a second. My carelessness got this woman killed."
"Tru, you can't blame yourself. No one could have forseen this new death. Perhaps it was just the karma of the day? Someone was destined to be shot in that alley."
"No, I can't believe that. Fate can't be this cruel. Speak to me lady! Ask me to help you!"
Both Tru and Davis pause to see if the young woman will respond, but as the moments tick by, they realize it isn't going to happen.
Tru sighs and asks, "Are those her belongings?"
"Yes, everything is intact. It wasn't a robbery."
"The same as last time."
Tru goes first to the victim's purse, and reaches in. The item she pulls out is a complete surprise- an animal figurine made of red wax. It is a lion with a slightly smushed face. Suddenly the lion's head turns, looks directly at Tru and speaks…
"Save her."
TBC/PLEASE REVIEW