[ WP ] `` What ? Of course I 'm not dead ! ''

Joseph stood in silence at the sight before him, blinking quickly to clear his eyes of the rain. *She* was standing there... but that was impossible. It had been twenty years. Twenty. June, 1995. She was *dead*. But... how was she standing there? 
 
 `` You're not dead,'' Joseph lifted up a shaking finger. She only stood there impassively, her brown eyes dull and unremarkable. Her blonde hair shone in front of the gray sky behind her, and thunder rumbled in the distance as Joseph tried to squint through the pounding rain. 
 
 `` What? Of course I'm not dead!'' She did her classic tongue-in-teeth smile, and Joseph felt his heart clench. He had seen her corpse. He had seen them lower the coffin deep into the earth, surrounded by her crying family. 
 
 `` But you should be dead...'' Joseph trailed off, his eyes wide as he regarded her confused expression. 
 
 `` I *should* be dead? What's wrong, Joseph?'' *She* crossed her arms. Her eyes narrowed as Joseph shook in his boots. 
 
 `` June, 1995?'' He phrased it as a question more so than a statement, and his former wife blinked in surprise. 
 
 `` June... 1995? What about it?'' She- no, Shelly -asked, her face the image of innocence. 
 
 `` *That was the month you died! *'' Joseph yelled, Shelly stepping back a few steps. Her blonde hair fell in front of her frightened eyes, and Joseph held his chest. `` Is this a joke? Some cruel prank? Played by her identical twin?'' 
 
 The imposter shook her head. `` Joseph, I have no idea what you're talking about. I never died in June of 1995. You must be stressed.'' 
 
 Joseph clutched his head. `` No, but you died. I saw your corpse, I...'' He whispered to himself more so than her, and she raised her brow. `` It was the night we went to Browning's Bar... I tried convincing you to get a ride home with me, but you wanted to get driven home by your friends instead.'' 
 
 She covered her mouth. `` Joseph... I went home with you that night. You *did* convince me. You must be confusing me with my friends from then. They all *died* that night. *Them*, not me!'' 
 
 Joseph simply shook his head, stepping backwards. This could n't be real. It had to be an illusion. A hallucination. Yes, that was it. A hallucination. Perhaps he did n't get enough sleep? That would explain it. It was either that or he was drugged. 
 
 `` I'm sorry, but I've got ta' go!'' He said in a panicked tone, skirting around his wife's imposter as he sprinted back to his house, determined to figure out what was going on. The first thing he would do was call the police, this was harassment and he would *not* stand for being reminded of his dead wife. After that, he could settle down to a glass of wine in front of his nice fireplace and- 
 
 Huh. The keys were n't working to his house. This was just his luck, given the circumstances that day. 
 
 `` Joseph? Why are you trying to get into somebody else's house... using our own house keys?'' The prankster stood nearby, her face set in a narrow frown. *Oh*, she was good. But not good enough for him. 
 
 He held his keys out in front of him like a weapon. `` What do you want?! Money? Is it money? Or, is this just for kicks? Entertainment? Watching an old man get flustered over a prank? Well, I'll call the police! That's what I'll do, I'll call the police!'' 
 
 She seemed shocked at this statement, as she stood with her arms akimbo. `` Joseph, what's gotten into you? You've never been like this before. I'm your *wife*, Joseph-'' 
 
 `` No!'' Joseph spat at her, rage marring his features. `` You are n't my wife! My wife died twenty years ago in that *damned* car accident!'' He backed away in front of the door, suddenly filled with fear. What if... what if this actually was real? What is he actually was insane, and his wife had been alive all that time? He glanced at the phone held in front of her ear, and he paled as he heard the sound of sirens in the distance. 
 
 `` I'm sorry, Joseph. I'm so sorry. You're going to get help now.'' Shelly smiled weakly up at him as an ambulance pulled up. 
 
 `` What... what would I need an ambulance for?! This is insane!'' He shouted, wrapping his arms around himself in discomfort. 
 
 `` *The victim is obviously very unstable right now, we must be gentle with handling him*.'' A man said into a radio nearby, and Joseph's eyes widened as he saw the syringe he held in his hand. 
 
 The man frowned at him, lifting the syringe up in the air. `` Oh, Joseph. This was an accident, we assure you of that.'' 
 
 Joseph saw black spots swim through his vision as the man injected the substance held in the syringe. `` What... what are you talking about?'' 
 
 The man gave him a pitying look. `` *Oh dear, it seems you've forgotten our little experiment already. No matter, I guess we'll just have to cross over again. Maybe next time, you'll succeed*.'' 
 
 Joseph heard screaming as his vision faded to black.
