DYING TO LIVE



A PpG 'alternate reality' fan fiction

By I am a good fighter


DISCLAIMER: Powerpuff Girls created by Craig McCracken and all characters associated with the show are owned by Cartoon Network


Story idea adapted from the novel 'Replay' (c) 1986 by Ken Grimwood


This story is rated PG-13




FOURTEEN

The doctor shook his head and said quietly "I'm sorry, Professor. There's been no progress."

They didn't think I could hear them but they forgot about my super-hearing. They were calling it a 'psychotic break with reality'. I'd been stuck in the children's psychiatric ward at Townsville General for a week, my wrists and ankles chained to the bed with titanium restraints. I could barely sit up in bed but that was about all. They sedated me for two days, so I don't remember a thing about them. When I came out of it, I knew what had happened. I was relieved to see my family again, unharmed. I now knew for sure that they had died only that one time and weren't 'reliving' too. But everyone thought I was nuts, so I had nothing to lose (or so I thought at the time). I spilled my guts, telling them everything. And the funny thing about it, Dear Diary, was that I remembered everything about my four lives and deaths. Before that, all of it was mixed together until I wasn't sure anymore what event happened in which life but now it all became crystal clear to me. It felt so good finally letting it all out.

Of course, they didn't believe me. Hearing myself tell it, it even sounded crazy to me. But I was getting frustrated at being a prisoner and just wanted to get out of there. I needed to get on with what little life I had coming this time; I only had nine months until the 19th of August rolled around again.

I decided the only way I could convince them that I was telling the truth was to prove it. I knew the future, or at least some of it. With all of them there in the room with me, including my doctors, I predicted Fuzzy Lumkins' rampage through downtown Townsville over some perceived threat to his property. It would happen on my 5th day in the hospital, the day before Thanksgiving, just like it always had.

"It's going to happen, guys, because it's happened four times already. Only the last time, Major Man stopped him because you were dead and I was on Death Row. You've gotta let me come with you!"

Buttercup usually spoke without thinking first. I guessed she had been warned not to use words like 'crazy' and 'whacko' around me, because she just threw her arms up and sputtered. Of course, I didn't get to go when the call came. The hotline had been installed in one of the two rooms next to mine; the Girls and Professor had been allowed to 'move in' until the doctors determined it was safe to let me out.

When my sisters got back, they floated into my room, staring at me, their eyes huge. I smiled at them.

"Hey, Buttercup! Didja whack Fuzzy over the head with 'Joe' again?"

She turned white. "H-how did you know that?!"

"I told you, I watched you do it three times already! Hey, Bubbles, how's Twitchy?"

Twitchy was the squirrel that told Bubbles what Fuzzy was up to. We never knew squirrels had names until that day. Bubbles flew screaming from my room.

My prediction had the opposite effect of what I wanted. The doctors mumbled something about 'a temporary increase in paranormal psychic abilities'. It made sense to Professor, but my sisters were afraid to even come near me, now. Some Thanksgiving. Instead of being home, stuffing themselves and having fun, they were here, eating crappy hospital food and staring at me, not knowing what to do. And it was all my fault. I felt guilt and shame all over again for what I was putting them through and I wished I'd just kept my big mouth shut. But, it was too late for that and now I was going to be spending the rest of this life chained to a bed in the looney bin.






"No progress at all." the doctor repeated, shaking his head as I angrily stared at him. Professor looked as miserable as I felt.

Suddenly, this doctor and Professor were interrupted by the intrusion of a nurse and two men, both of whom were wearing dark suits and sunglasses. They looked like FBI guys.

The nurse stammered "I-I'm sorry, Doctor, I tried to tell them..."

The doctor said, "It's all right, Kathy. You can go."

After she left, Professor cut loose on them.

"The last thing she needs is you feds pushing her! Now, get out!"

The doctor was just as angry. "Gentlemen, she is to have NO visitors, I don't care WHO you are!"

Without bothering to even look at them, or me, the two men made a quick search of the room and returned to the door. I stuck my tongue out at them.

"I'm not talkin' to you guys."

The taller of the two men said, "We aren't here for a visit. Your visitor is outside."

"I said NO VISITORS!" the doctor insisted.

The shorter man chuckled and said, "You don't understand. You do not say no to the President of the United States."

I sat up sharply and said, "I don't wanna talk to that jerk!"