The Unknown

Part 4

4

Evander Rowe

Think. If there was anything I could control here, that would be it. I could retain my own thoughts. Right?

Elektra. Still lying on my back, I put my hands behind my head and closed my eyes. I pictured her the way I wanted to remember her, even if that was selfish. She wasn't selfish. We grew up with normal sibling fights and a lot of childhood adventures, like blanket forts and concocting potions in the yard. We pleaded with our parents to let us play outside longer after the sun had set. They always said no, but that didn't stop us from trying to sneak out. We were caught every time.

I opened my eyes and sat up, wiping the tears. In a deep breath, the nostalgia faded. I was back to this nightmare: a shadow cast over the land as far as the eye could see. By myself.

"Hi there." It was her. She sat next to me.

I rubbed my eyes again. It couldn't be. This wasn't real. I gasped, struggling to breathe.

"Oh dear, you're alright." She patted my back. I could feel it.

"Are you really here?" I asked stupidly. Of course she wasn't. I shuddered. Unless they captured her too. I couldn't accept that though.

Nana. She wouldn't survive in a place like this, no matter how resilient she was. "You're too smart for games now, aren't you?" It sounded like her, but hollow. A pathetic imitation.

Goosebumps sprang up along my arms and legs. "I just want to see you again." That was all I could think to say. She couldn't help me whether she was real or not, and it was not her. I wanted to believe her smile even though she was fake.

"We're not there, sweetheart. Take another look."

Instead of an overcast clearing, we were lounging in chairs on the porch of my childhood home. My fingers traced the familiar grooves of the armrests. These were the chairs she bought from a thrift store when Elektra and I broke her other set trying to make an obstacle course. I ended up breaking my arm trying to complete it.

The sun was shining. My hands weren't shaking anymore. The emotional turnaround was amazing. I was always safe with her.

She got out of her chair. "I'm going to grab us something to snack on. I'll call your sister too, see what's holding her up."

"Probably traffic or the guy she fancies," I said before I could stop myself. There was a weight on my shoulders I couldn't shake. What was it? I was missing something important. "Could you grab the flyer on the table?" I requested as she passed by me. What flyer?

The screen door clicked shut behind me. Then a black car pulled up to the curb in front of the house. I focused on it, nearly able to recognize the whole picture. I was sure I was missing something. I couldn't remember what.

"Evander!" Elektra yelled from the open passenger door. One of her friends got out from the driver's side. I tried not to linger on the friend's radiant smile. "We missed you!"

They both walked up the driveway and porch steps.

I didn't know why my mouth felt painfully dry, but I didn't dwell on it. "So how was it?" I heard myself asking them.

"It was amazing!"

"Best show I've seen so far," Elektra agreed with her friend. "You would have loved it. You should have gone with us."

"Ah, well I had to hold down the fort, you know," I didn't have to come up with an excuse or even formulate my own thoughts. But I didn't think I could stray from this script I couldn't access.