Memories and Tears

"That wasn't weird at all." Kate comments sarcastically. "Who was that guy?"

"No one. Nobody. Forget him." Alantia replies quickly. "Any more questions?"

"Yeah. Who was that gu-"

"Anything but that question."

"I've got one." Jeremy piped up. "If you can see the future, can't you just tell us what's going to happen so we can prepare for it?"

"Alas, I cannot. That is your own battle to fight." Alantia shakes her head sadly. "But I can tell you this: most of you will survive."

"Most? Dexter squeaks.

"You have already lost Ella, yes? Saving the world must be done, but it comes with a heavy price."

"What if we refuse to do anything?" I challenge Alantia, attempting to undermine her confidence, but only succeeding in making her laugh.

"An empty threat and you know it as well as I, Adri. People like you cannot simply sit back and do nothing. They are the heroes. They feel a pull, an urge within them, which prevents them from being simple bystanders. You are one of these people Adri, and you will lead many to wage war with Charlotte." I went silent, mulling over her answer, while more inquieries raged around me.

"Alantia, where are we?"

"Who was that guy?"

"How are we going to get back?"

"Who are the prodigies?

"WHO WAS THAT GUY?!"

"First question: this place is a world, created by me, for the sole purpose of me having a place to relax and live in. Next question. I repeat: he is NO ONE. Third question: like this." Alantia snaps her fingers, and the same purple flash that brought us here sparked up again. When we opened our eyes, we were back in the kitchen. Alantia was gone.

"Okay, this is insane. I'm going home." Damien had been quiet this entire time, but the weirdness finally cracked him.

"You don't have a home." Alex stops him. "I told you, the whole place was a holographic scam, designed to keep you from escaping. My moth-" he stopped, correcting himself. "Charlotte messed with your brain, burying any memories of your real life with phony memories. After a while, if you spend time with us, you'll remember." Damien looks angry and upset, but seems to decide risking a trek back to his home would be too dangerous. He storms past Alex and into his room without even realizing he remembered which room was his. Peter started after him, but I stopped him.

"He needs to be alone." I told him sadly, and Peter looked at me so mournfully I felt like I would cry. Not that I didn't feel like that before, but still.....

Everyone was quiet and sad, like at a funeral, while I prepared dinner for ten instead of our usual nine. Nine minus one and plus two (Oliver and Alex) equaled more, but felt like less. I had taken for granted the girl who had laughed at then fixed my failed dinners, chatted incessantly about the house she had lived in with her parents and two non-gifted siblings in California, and had sympathized with us all, no matter how small or insignificant the problem. Whenever she found a dead animal, she cried and held funerals, reminding us that not all of our group members were desensitized to everything. She had never forgotten that even though we had lost so much, we had gained each other.

Corny, I know, but that's how she was, and I missed her for it.

After eating and cleaning up dinner, everyone retreated to different places. Sadie and Kate shut themselves up in their room, and refused to answer the door. Peter and Dexter played game after game of Solitaire, probably for the distraction, while Jeremy and Damien disappeared. Oliver spent a lot of time on the phone, until he finally hung up.

"I'm leaving." he tells me shortly, rubbing his face tiredly.

"Why? Where will you go?" I pointed out.

"I can't stay here; too many memories." he replies sadly. "I have friends in high places, and one offered to take me in. Believe me, it's better this way. You'll be fine." He smiles faintly. "I had access to many of Charlotte's personal items, and I set up the electric, water, and phone bills for this house a long time ago. I just couldn't bear the thought of it just wasting away, and I thought Harold would....." he stops, then continues. "It'll be years and years before she discovers all the money she's been pouring into charities and such...." He trails off, staring into the distance, then opens the front door. "Tell Alex-" Pause. "Tell Alex this isn't because of him. Tell him I'm sorry, and if he ever needs me, he'll know who to call." He smiles again at me, nods a thank you, and escapes into the night.

Restless and anxious, I tried lounging around, and even played a couple games of Egyptian Ratscrew with the younger boys, but I just couldn't take it anymore. I had to go clear my head.

Excusing myself, I slipped outside, climbing up the trellis that I usually went up accompanied by Damien. The rough shingles scratched my bare calves as I seated myself on the roof, brushing the dirt off best I could before setting my jean shorts on them.

Stars had already begun to show off their brilliance, and it was one of those nights when the moon encompassed over half the sky, radiating light almost as brightly as the sun. Crickets chirped and owls hooted, while the night air was warm for once.

In short, it was a beautiful night, and yet, I was spending it alone.

Author's Note

:'(

Reviews

[CrimsonBlaze]

Yeah T^T gwah I wish Damien would just spring back to the old derp he is. And that dude that waltzed in hitting on Atlantia WAS kinda random..that guy should play a part later on right? Hmmm well I'll have to see :)