Complications

Reuniting

Clessa sat up in the bed, gasping. Sweat was trickling down her forehead, but she wiped it away.
Clessa swung her legs out of the small bed, and slowly stood up. She brushed the blanket back to the bed. Clessa felt alive, and powerful.
She let out a deep breath. Clessa slowly walked to the door. She slowly let her hand reach for the door, and twisted the knob.
Clessa walked down the hallway, and stepped into the control room.
The Professor was sitting in a chair. When he saw Clessa, his jaw dropped.
"Clessa? How are you alive," whispered the Professor.
"My mom... I don't know how....but she came back... and blew this dust on me....then I felt something buzz in my ear....and then I felt my heart beating."
"What color was the dust?"
"Gold."
"Oh no."
"What?"
"She used Plutonik Ashes. It's scraped off of the ground of Pluto, and then mixed with a certain type of flower that only grows on Gyrpok. It has the power to bring people back from the dead."
"How did she get it?"
"I don't know. Maybe... Camilla. She must have given it to your mom through some connection with the dead, because fresh blood is more powerful. The only problem is, the Geranium code."
"What problem?"
"Well... I'm not actually sure if it's still active."
The Professor looked over to his computer.
"It says that the Geranium Code will get slowed down if it is interrupted. So, you again have eight days to live."
Clessa frowned.
"Don't worry about it today. Just look forward."
Clessa nodded.
"Let's go get Xander."
"Alright...where is he?"
"Florence. With his sister..."
"Giselle?"
"Yes...how did you know?"
"I'm not sure... I just knew. His favorite color is orange."
"How do you know all of this?"
Clessa shrugged.
"When did he tell you all of this?"
"I-I don't remember."
The Professor grabbed his face in frustration.
"I'm pretty sure...you were....dead while he told you."
"Then how could I still listen?"
"Oh Clessay Fairway, you truly are unique."
Clessa kept staring at the Professor, waiting for a true response, but her gaze was interrupted by the Machine stoping.
"Here we are! Florence Italy."
The Professor snapped open the doors, revealing a nice house. It was large, but the red bricks gave a welcoming smile. Lots of plants hung from pots, making the house look even more welcoming.
The Professor walked over to the large green door, and rapped on the door.
A young woman stepped out. She had beautiful, curly blonde hair, and green eyes.
"Professor? What are you doing here?"
"Is Xander still around?"
The girl nodded.
This must be Giselle.
No derp.
She looks like Xander...
It would make sense.
?
Well, they are siblings.
"Clessa?"
Clessa snapped back into reality.
"Come on in."
Giselle gestured for Clessa to enter in the huge house. Clessa gazed quickly around the room. It was mainly glass, but it had sort of a welcoming touch.
"So...you are Xander's sister," asked Clessa with her hands in her pockets.
"Yes. But it's been a few years since we have seen each other. He's always out and about."
Clessa walked slowly around the room, examining little details, to try and learn about Giselle's lifestyle.
"Where is Xander?"
Giselle picked up a laundry hamper.
"He went to the market."
Clessa nodded. She looked at the dusty glass table.
"How long has it been since you've cleaned the place?"
"I just got back from Australia. I was gone for a year, and now I am just starting to tidy up."
Giselle ran her fingers through her curly blonde hair. Her cheeks were flushed with exhaustion.
"I'll be back. Just gotta go and do some laundry."
Giselle quickly walked out of the room. Clessa sat down on a plush red couch, and sighed.
"Long day."
The Professor grimly nodded.
"How many days do I have left?"
"Seven."
Fantabulous!
What?
It seems as though you have wrecked his day.
Is that my fault?
Yes.
Why?
Because....
"Clessa?"
Clessa looked up at the Professor.
"Why aren't you paying attention?"
"It's just...my mind wanders off sometimes."
"Why does that happen?"
Clessa shrugged.
"I think that it is the Geranium code getting to you. Its invading your thought process. So, you started to argue with your self."
Clessa nodded.
"How do I stop it?"
"You can't stop it. Until the day you die, pounding in your head, it will never go away. You'll be stuck...with yourself."
Clessa looked at the Professor. He had a gaze that was trapped with hurt.
"How do you know all of this?"
"My wife. She died because of the Geranium code."
"I'm sorry."
Clessa put her hand on the Professor's shoulder. He shrugged it off.
"That's the one thing I hate about humans. Your always sorry for things you never caused."
The Professor stood up an walked over to the dusty window.
Clessa heard keys jingling at the door, and soon it opened.
"Giselle! I'm back!"
Xander was balancing three grocery bags, blocking his view.
"The market was a little busy. Lots of people-," after Xander set the bags down on the table, he looked over and saw Clessa.
"Are you a ghost?"
Clessa felt tears fall from her eyes as she shook her head.
"Clessa."
Xander stood frozen, but Clesaa ran up to him, and broke the barrier.
"I've missed you so much," said Xander into Clessa's jacket.
"I know."
They stood, hugging like that, until the Professor came over and joined the hug.
"The gangs back."
Clessa and Xander laughed. Slowly, the Professor released, and backed out of the room.
"How are you alive?"
"My mom...she came back from the dead, or something, and gave me life again."
"Geranium Code?"
"Still here."
"I'd rather have eight days with you than have you dead."
"I'll be dead eventually."
Xander laughed, a nervous laugh.
Great. He doesn't get it.
And you thought he was cute.
He still is.
But he obviously hates you.
No.
Then why did he leave you alone in the Machine? A true gentleman would have stayed by your side through thick and thin.
Maybe the Professor made him leave.
Keep telling yourself that.
We'll never know.
We already know.
You were dead too!
That's not how it works.
What?
If you die, I still live. Just trapped in your body.
Like a ghost?
Yes.
Were you pretending to be my mom?
No. That actually was your mom. I just gave her the gold, sparkly stuff.
How? How did you get Plutonik Ashes?
Well...it was growing inside of you....and I sort of mined it.
What?
You had Plutonik Ashes growing inside of you.
How?
What was your favorite food growing up?
Broccoli.
Broccoli is like a breeding ground for Plutonik Ashes.
Is there still some inside of me?
Yes. There always will be.
"Hello?"
"Hmm?"
"I've been trying to get your attention for like two minutes."
"Sorry, it's this Geranium Code thing. There's basically a war raging in my head."
Xander slowly nodded. Clessa stood frozen in her spot, trying to process everything that her mind had just told her.
"You know what Plutonik Ashes are...right?"
Xander nodded.
"Umm, its kind of growing inside of me."
"No way," breathed Xander.
Clessa bit her lip and nodded.
"We studied it in school. How is it growing in you?"
"Umm...broccoli?"
"What type of broccoli?"
"Er..."
"Think long and hard."
Clessa flashed back to her childhood. Standing in the grocery store with her mom, at the vegetable aisle.
"Gateway broccoli."
"That broccoli never existed."
"So you are saying that...."
"Someone has specifically engineered broccoli that would place the Plutonik Ashes inside of you in the first place...meaning they knew you were going to die."
"But..only one person who knows me better than my parents, has the resources to do that, and can travel in time is..."
"The Professor."