Murder Recall

Expropriated

Gwen, Hilda and Conrad Conner were drinking fruit tea and eating delicious homemade whole wheat bread. The flour had been ground by Hilda and the wheat grew on a nearby field. The three of them were sitting on the steps outside the front door watching the sunrise. Their dog, Guger, was joyfully running and fetching the stick Gwen was tossing repeatedly. Conrad had a headache caused by the intense dreams he experienced the night before, although he couldn't remember anything about them. When he woke earlier that morning he had the feeling as though he were returning from another world, and that he lived in that world as well as this world, experiencing both with an equal conviction of reality. He didn't remember anything of this reality when he was in that reality and vice versa. The emotions and memories created in both worlds unconsciously affected whichever reality he was in. Passing from one world to the other in either direction scattered and shattered all memories from the world being left into fragments in the world being entered.

The Conners lived in this house since Gwen was three. Their previous home had been expropriated by a multinational consortium of corporations. They received no warning, although this was emphatically denied by the expropriators. They had minutes to pack two knapsacks as well as one small one with essentials and leave as the expropriators urged them to hurry, pointing ominous rifles at them. Barking dogs were shot and the other animals and property were seized. The Connors were not the only ones; all the properties surrounding the town of Maple were taken, including the entire village itself. No one had received any more warning than the Connors had. Lives were destroyed. Everyone had to move. Gwen did not understand what was happening. In her mind they were going on a picnic. She was silent and obedient and walked between Hilda and Conrad, holding their hands, with the smallest pack on her own back. She had Dolly and Canary with her. They headed down the road, thick wild forest on both sides, going in the opposite direction from the village, without a plan, hoping for the best. When Gwen was tired, Hilda or Conrad would carry her. After several miles a large dog of mixed breed came out of the forest wagging her tail excitedly. It was one of their own dogs that had escaped before suffering the fate of other dogs. Her name was Guger after the way Gwen was able to pronounce 'good girl'. The Conners welcomed her warmly and they continued on together.

Hilda had a twin sister named Harriet. Hilda, Gwen, Harriet, Conrad and his nephew, Jim, had all lived together at the residence that had been expropriated. Hilda and Harriet had a falling out some time before the expropriation and Harriet left the residence with Jim. This residence had originally been built by a famous architect. His wife and he lived there. Hilda, Harriet, Conrad and Jim were their employees as well as a cook. Both the architect and his wife died and the employees bought the residence and continued to live there. The falling out between Hilda and Harriet was because of Jim. He was a handsome young man with a crush on both Hilda and Harriet. Eventually, it was Harriet that he fell in love with, much to the dismay of Hilda who was horribly jealous. As a result, experiencing the wrath of Hilda's sentiment, Jim and Harriet moved away. The twins' once close relationship was severed. Shortly after they left, the cook also left and found a job working as top chef for a fancy restaurant in the city of Brockton. She became business partner with the owner and never looked back since. The restaurant was a thriving success occupying an interesting cottage overlooking the enormous lake. They were both getting on in years and they enjoyed the work and each other's company immensely so that inevitably they lived together. Conrad turned his attention to Hilda and little Gwen who was always with her. Conrad admired Hilda for not allowing her negative experience with Harriet to interfere in any way with her looking after Gwen. Hilda loved Gwen deeply and unconditionally, putting Gwen before everything else in her life. Hilda came to realize that it was the competition with Harriet that caused her to desire Jim and now with them gone, she came to desire Conrad, which suited them both. Their happiness enhanced the quality of Gwen's life.