Shadow Taking Over

6- Not what she expected

"Welcome to our humble abode," Pearl flapped her arms about the room.

Eve followed in step with Pearl, taking in the sights even though there wasn't much to see. The room was simple, dirty but simple. Average run of the mill living room set with a kitchenette at the far right connecting to a small dining area. Litter was scattered about the couch and coffee table. News broadcasts buzzed nonsense on the screen. Water stains dripped down the vomit colored wall paper. Eve could not distinguish whether or not it was authentic or just poorly chosen paint. She diverted her eyes to Pearl's back. The fabric of her shirt had gaping tears in several places along her shoulder blades and to the sides of her spine. She could see the sharp of the bone, and a black mass jutting out.

"The people, they're wrong they're wrong! He took 'em yes, yes he did," a male croaked.

Startled, Eve's eyes darted around the room for the source of the voice. Cackled wheezing erupted. She looked to Pearl for an answer. Pearl dropped her shoulders and rolled her eyes in the direction of the cackling. Theatrically, she stomped to the backside of the couch. Knees sticking out like needles, she crouched down but was still quite visible due to her height. The wheezed laughter ceased, replaced by unintelligible murmuring. Eve stood on the tips of her toes to see who Pearl was speaking to. From this angle all she could catch was a glimpse of messy brown locks. A lump caught in her throat.

"Is that.."

Pearl raised her head to look at Eve. She glanced between the two for several moments before bursting into laughter. Unsure how to react, Eve pressed her lips together.

"This is my pops, Charlie. He hit the deep end a couple months back. Hasn't been sane since mom left," Pearl explained to Eve's relief.

To be sure, Eve moved to stand a short distance behind Pearl. No sign of Tanner but rather a middle aged man. Charlie looked unwell. The skin of his face drooped, coated with unevenly patched stubble. Scabs formed at the creases of his forehead. His nail went to scratch at one, instantly opening the cut. As blood pooled to slowly seal it again, Charlie stuck his finger in his ear to forcefully claw at his brain. His hazel green eyes blinked rapidly. His hair was disheveled and grease slick from days without washing. A shirt that use to be white wrinkled around his torso. His pants had an obvious stain along the shins and thighs. Muttering to himself, he forced his knees up to his chest and rocked side to side. In all her days, she witnessed a lot of grief but nothing compared to this. This was something else.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did she leave?" Eve found herself asking. She had known their mother. She was a kind hearted type but found it difficult to connect to her children.

Pearl hesitated to answer, but obliged to the inquiry after a short time thinking. "Charlie's been crazy his whole life, but he use to be crazy smart. He worked in the a private company as this big-head scientist. She didn't like the stuff he did there, so she left us. Plus he was a colossal dick to her. Now that she's gone, he just mutters and shouts gibberish."

Eve remembered a time when Tanner had told her some of the things Charlie worked on. It mostly entailed experiments on a variety of living creatures to see how they ticked. He would not reveal anything further no matter how much Eve nagged him. She realized that whatever Charlie was doing deeply disturbed Tanner, so after a while she dropped the subject entirely. To this day, Eve did not know the extent of these experiments.

"He's taking them, taking them far far far far away. He won't kill them, no. No," Charlie stuttered while keeping his head low.

"A-huh," Pearl scoffed. "C'mon, old man."

Charlie flopped over the couch and landed flat on the cushions. He buried his face into a beat up pillow and breathed in the fabric. Pearl clamored over the side to reach for the remote. Channels flicked on the screen until it stopped at a reality show network. The sound of women fighting with harsh vocabulary blasted through the speakers. Pearl turned the volume to near mute, tossing the remote away. The moving pictures seemed to ease Charlie. He clutched the pillow under his chin and curled into a ball.

"So, what is it you're here for again?" Pearl asked, crossing her arms firmly over her chest.

"Tanner. I need to speak with him."

"Hff, and how do you know my brother? I don't even know who you are," Pearl retorted.

Eve and Pearl had to been friends. They got along well, played as children and hung out as teens. For some reason, Lance had not minded that Eve chose Pearl as a friend. It made sense why Pearl wouldn't recognize Eve now. Every detail of her past self had been eradicated by Lance. A knot tightened her stomach. She suddenly wondered if reintroducing herself to them was such a good idea. Subconsciously, she dug her heel in the carpet. Too late to regret decisions now. The truth was inevitable.

She started softly, "You do know me, Pearl. You do."

Pearl looked as though Eve had threatened her. A defensive wall built in her narrowed eyes. "Seems my memory is all fogged up. Enlighten me, who are you?"

Puffs of steam sighed through her nostrils. It was an odd, tingling sensation. Pearl noticed the smoke and blinked at the abnormality. She took a minor step back. The glare sharpened.

Eve straightened, trying to maintain eye contact to break the wall. "It's me, Pearl. It's Eve."

"Liar."

What?

Before Eve could argue, Pearl spoke again with ferocity. "Eve died. You're not her. Who are you really, and what do you want with my brother?"