when you were my father

closer

I open my eyes, blinking to find that I'm back in DJ's room. Standing next to his bed, facing a wall. My injury is back, it seems to disappear when things happen, so I sit down on his bed. Turning to look at the others, their faces all look distraught and confused.

Isla's face is buried in Micah's arm, as she cries, he tries to comfort her. Valentina stares emptily at the ceiling, Brian stares at the carpeted floor and DJ, well DJ seems to have no emotions.

He's sitting at the end of his bed, while I sat at the front. I slide over, to see how he is. Touching his shoulder, I turn to face his face. "DJ..."

"What. The. Hell. Was. That?" He demands, without looking at me. His eyes are square, and no life shines through.

"I don't know, but I know it was probably terrible to see."

"It was, I'm sorry, but I just really want to know what's going on."

"I want to know that just as much as you do, and I'm really, really, sorry that you got dragged into this mess. It's not fair for you and if you want we can all leave your house, you wouldn't have to do anymore of this."

"No... No, I'll stay. I'm in way too far to go back now, plus you know you want me with you."

"Yeah, right." I look him in the eyes, smiling. It feels nice to smile for a change. "But thanks, really."

"You're welcome, hey if the world..." As he's about to tell me something, Valentina strides over.

"Hey, hate to break up...whatever this is... but that was really, really gross and kind of a disturbing for life sort of situation, so can we all just talk about what's going on. Communication is good in the time of a crisis."

"Yeah, right." I reply, sincerely. Turning to look at the others, they are still visually upset. "So, what do you want to talk about?"

"Well, I have a few questions." Micah speaks up, looking at me. "One, who was the first person in that. The one that's skin came off?"

"Oh..." I knew this question was coming, but it was fine, I guess. "That was someone."

"Who?"

"A singer... and actor."

"Well, what's his name?"

"Doesn't matter, okay?" I don't see how discussing him will do any good. "What I don't get is why it was like a memory of mine this time, normally Brian's in it too, but this time I was alone."

"You weren't." Brian tells me, like it's simple as that.

"What do you mean, unless you're counting the weird person/DJ monster, I'm pretty sure I was alone."

"No, he's right. When someone's in the memory, they disappear to those that aren't part of it before they reappear. You disappeared, but so did Isla and Brian." Micah tells me, smiling since he's proving me wrong.

"Well, then what were you doing?" I ask Isla and Brian.

"I was standing on the other side of a door, in a hallway. Then I opened the door, and watched whatever that was." Brian shrugs.

"Oh, well that's why I didn't notice then." He looks just like my father now, just like how he was on the last day I ever saw him. "What were you doing, Isla?" Turning to look at my younger sister, who's rocking back on the balls of her feet, quiet and still.

"Mmmmmmmmmmmm" Is all the sound she makes, pressing her lips together and humming lightly.

"Isla?" I ask again, trying to look at her. She stares straight at the wall, not making eye contact with any of us.

"Don't want no treble, just bring the base," She sings quietly, under her breath.

"What?" Micah asks, while she simply smiles.

"Just stop. Stop trying, life just gets worse from here. Oh wait, you have it. Optimism, right? Yeah, lucky one there." She continues to talk, the words seemingly coming with ease.

"What are you talking about?" I ask her, receiving no response except light hums. "Isla." I shake her arm gently, her head snaps around to look at me. Her eyes are really dilated and dark brown, instead of her normal green/blue. "Are you okay?"

"HE'S GOING TO DIE!" She screams all of the sudden, her breathing rapidly faster. "Help me, someone! He's going to die!" She claws her hands around, reaching for something to hold onto and scratching me in the process.

"Who's going to die?" Micah quickly asks her, but she just continued bawling and screaming words that make no sense.

Pulling herself together, Isla sits up as straight as she can. Pointing to someone, the person who is no doubt, dying.

She's pointing to Brian and my guess is confirmed.

Brian is my dad.