For a moment everything is black and I don't know if the USB is really working. Then I see the blue pulsing rippling in my vision. Then the black distorts and changes into what looks like a house. I look around. It's as if I've been placed into a memory. I can see a mature woman with auburn hair and brown eyes walk through what I believe is a living room. After her is a small girl, a toddler, maybe four. The girl has red hair, the same dark red that I have. When I see her emerald green eyes, I know that the little girl is me.
"Mommy!" Shouts little Alex to the exhausted woman that is plopping herself tiredly onto the couch.
"Yes, Alex?" The woman asks. I look at the woman, my sub conscience allowing me to step closer and watch their interaction. This is my mother. I didn't know what she looked like. She's gorgeous.
"Why did Salvation get to go with daddy and not me?" Little Alex protests, climbing onto the couch on her knees, crossing her arms like a little actress. There's a huge frown on her face as if she's been extremely offended.
My mother smiles softly at her, "Because you're not quite old enough yet. In a few years you can go with me to work and see what we do."
"But why not now?" Little Alex complains and dramatically falls onto her back, placing a arm over her head as if she's a damsel in distress. I can't help but laugh at my comical behavior.
I watch and follow as Little Alex sighs and leaves without waiting for another response. I can hear her grumbling under her breath as she stomps angrily up the stairs to a door marked with her name. Alexandra Connerz. I follow her into the room and watch her sit down at a miniature table at the foot of the full sized bed. She pulls out some empty craft papers and begins drawing.
I take a moment to walk around the room. A stereotypical room for a young girl. The bedding is of pink and purple butterflies. The walls are pink and purple also with butterfly stickers. There's a whole wall dedicated to the toys, Barbies, MLPs, LPS, all figurines and houses. I must have been a spoiled child. I smile and look back at her. Drawing to her hearts content.
Then everything starts moving as if being fast-forwarded. When it slows down, I hear a knock on the front door from downstairs. Little Alex gets out of her seat, excitedly. "Daddy!" She says happily as she runs out of the room. I follow quickly. Why would Dad Knock on his own door? I already know what happened. Vincent told me what had happened. Dad is dead, and Mini-Me doesn't know it yet.
Two Officers are standing outside the main door. Talking to mom who looks confused as to what is going on. "Can we talk to you for a moment, Ma'am? it's important."
Mom nods and leads them through the living room to what looks like a closed off extra dining room. She closes the door, leaving both of me outside. I pass the younger me and go through the wall to see the Officers sitting at the long table with my mother.
"Mrs.Connerz," the cop with dark hair takes a deep breath, he hesitates. He doesn't want to tell her. I can't imagine having to tell someone something like that. "We hate to inform you, but there's been an accident at the Plant."
I can see my mom's eyes widen, "A-An accident?" She asks shakily, "W-What kind of accident?"
"There was an explosion," the officer says.
I can tell she's already about to break into tears. An explosion at a chemical plant? There's not much of a chance anyone survived. Which makes me wonder how Vincent and Salvation did.
"M-My husband..?" She asks hesitantly, even though her face says she already knows the answer.
The Officers nod sorrowfully for her. "We're sorry Mrs. Connerz."
"N-No...." she mutters under her breath before breaking into a full sob. Her hands coming up and meeting her falling face.
I feel choked up at the sight. She really did love him. I leave the room and see little me waiting on the couch, looking eagerly but worriedly at the door. She has no idea what's going on. After another minute or two, Mom comes out of the room, the two officers patting the crying woman's back, leaving afterwards.
"Are you alright, Mommy? Where's daddy?" I see little Alex ask anxiously. She wants to know why mom is crying. I can see tears form and her eyes become puffy. She doesn't know why she's crying, she just knows something's wrong and that mom is upset.
A surge of emotions overwhelm my chest and I start crying. I clutch the collar of my shirt in my fist. I remember. I remember this. How scared I felt. All I knew is that dad didn't come home, and mom was crying, it was like those cartoons where kids lost their parents and had to grow up without them. It was happening to me. I was so scared. I can feel those emotions. I remember those emotions I felt all those years ago.
I watch as my mom gets onto her knees and grabs ahold of the crying child which only shatters me more. I miss those arms, the one's that held me tightly when I was scared or sad. I don't have those anymore. I can't believe I lost those memories. I can't believe I didn't miss that feeling of being secure and protected. "It's okay, Alex," says my mom as she sobs.
I have to close my eyes to tear myself out of the scene and calm myself down. When I open my eyes this time, the room has changed. The room has been repainted and refurnished in a different order. I must have moved again. I see little me come in, a little older this time. Looking more eight now. Two girls trail behind her who I don't recognize.
The two girls look like identical twins. Aside from their different colored clothes, the only difference in them I see is the slight variation in their hair colors. Both have brunette hair but one's is a lighter shade than the other.
"Is it in here?" The girl with the darker hair, wearing a red shirt asks.
"I don't see it," says the other girl, wearing a green shirt. Her voice is softer. She must have more of a shy personality.
"Maddie, Theresa, look harder," commands the girl with red hair. She's wearing the same clothes as if feeling she'd be left out if she didn't. Her shirt is blue.
I see mom pop her head into the room, "What are you girls looking for?" She asks curiously as she comes around the corner while she dries a plate with a hand towel.
"My fox," says young Alex, boldly.
My mom chuckles lightly, smiling, "Why are Maddie and Theresa looking for him? I thought they weren't allowed to touch Alchemy." She smiles at young Alex who frowns in return, saying loudly as if she's a queen:
"Stop looking for Alchemy, I'll find him on my own," she says, puffing out her chest and leaving the living room to look elsewhere.
I stay and look at the other two girls who begin giggling. Maddie and Theresa. As if a light-bulb were to turn on above my head, I suddenly remember. Maddie and Theresa! My best friends, the twins that lived down the road. They went missing on their tenth birthday. I suck in a sharp breath. Their birthday was held at Vincent's restaurant. Did he kill them too? I shake my head. No of course not. Why would he want to kill two ten year olds? They weren't a problem, were they?
I hear the doorbell ring. My mother walks over to the door, drying her hands on her apron. She opens the door and smiles, "Yes?"
I move quickly to stand next to her. And standing outside the house is Vincent. His skin is patchy and slightly discolored. He looks older than he should. He looks around 15. "Hello, Alex's mom," he says happily, pulling out the fox plushy from behind him.
Mom gasps excitedly, "Oh she'll be thrilled, Vincent. Did we leave it behind?"
Vincent nods his head eagerly, "I noticed it once you left, so I came over to give it back. She seems to be attached to it. I didn't want to put it in the lost and found just to have it stolen."
Young Alex comes running up to mom's side. "Alchemy!" She says enthusiastically, pulling the grey fox plushy out of Vincent's hands. He smiles widely when she arrives.
"His name is Alchemy?" Vincent asks curiously.
Alex nods, "It means chaos or disorder." She says proudly.
Vincent hums, "Do you like chaos and disorder, Alex?"
She nods vigorously, as if proud of the plushies name. "The more chaos the more interesting life becomes."
I look at Vincent, something sparking in the kid's eyes. What is he doing here? Trying to win my affections at such a young age?
Mom invites him in for some snacks. I lean back against the wall and watch him talk to the girls and then converse with mom as an adult would. He did say the explosion made him smarter. He wasn't lying. You could tell he'd matured a ton.
After snacks, Vincent gets up and helps my mom clean and put away dishes, even after me and the girls take off. What's his plan? To get my mom to trust him so that she won't be suspicious when I disappear in two years? She looks charmed by him. I mean yes he's being kind and all but what does he think he's doing? I wish I could step in and say something, but these are just hologramed memories. I can't change anything I see or intervene in any way, even though I want to.