Three different girls, all made of the same person.
Quinn Stacy barely remembered her family. Her earliest memory was of her mother giving her away to science when she was very little. Now brought to space by a tree and a raccoon, she might have a c...
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The Rest of the Crew
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2004
The small girl hummed under her breath as she ate breakfast. Her mother had given her a bowl of cereal, telling her to eat all of it. The girl didn't know where they were headed for the day, but she knew it was somewhere important.
Her head nodded along with the rhythm that only she knew. With the last bite gone, the small girl carried her bowl to the sink. The metal spoon clanked against the side of the sink as it bounced out of the plastic bowl. The girl winced, hoping nothing broke. She didn't need her mom to be mad at her before their important day.
She skipped off to her room, needing to pick an outfit. Clothes flung out of her closet as she decided what to wear. Finally picking out a pink shirt and black shorts, she quickly changed. The girl nodded her head, proud of herself as she looked at her choices in the mirror.
"Quinn, we're leaving in ten minutes." The girl's mother called from down the hallway.
The small girl tapped her mouth with her finger, wondering what she could do for the next ten minutes. Her favorite stuffed animal caught her eye, sitting on the top shelf of the nearby bookshelf. She smiled to herself, thinking of an idea.
Quinn hurried to the bathroom, grabbing the stepstool she used to reach the sink. She placed it in front of the bookshelf, excitedly stepping up to grab the stuffed bear. Stretching her arm as far as possible, she caught onto the bear's foot, pulling as hard as she could.
What happened next flashed before the girl's eyes as she was too slow to fix it in time. The small fish tank crashed to the ground, water and green rocks scattering everywhere.
"Oopsies." Quinn bit her lip, looking down at the mess. Tears filled her eyes, worried her mother would be furious at her.
Footsteps echoed down the hallway, stopping at the open door. "What was that?"
Still standing on her stepstool, Quinn spun around and smiled nervously at her mother. "I didn't mean to break it."
The girl's mother huffed out, annoyed at the mess her daughter created. "I don't have time for this." She stomped into the room, sidestepping the broken glass. The woman searched for a pair of shoes and socks for the little girl, before angrily grabbing the girl's wrist and taking her out of the room. "Put her shoes on so we can leave."
Quinn's lip wobbled as her mother dropped her off on the couch, throwing her shoes down on the floor. She did as her mother said, holding in her tears as best she could. She hated making her mom upset.
By the time the two left the house, Quinn had gotten her emotions in check. She clutched onto her bear, trailing behind her mother like she had much choice. The woman held onto her daughter's wrist, dragging her down the neighborhood.
"Can we slow down, Mommy?" The small girl tripped over her feet, only staying upright from her mom's grip.
"We're already running late." The woman checked her phone again, making sure they would make the bus on time.
Surely enough, the bus pulled up to the curb at the same time the pair got there. The woman quickly ushered the little girl on board, paying the driver. Quinn ran ahead of her mother, looking for the best seat. She found one halfway down the aisle, choosing to sit by the window. The small girl bounced in her seat, counting the cars as they drove past.
"Mommy, why don't we have a car like those people?"
The woman looked up from her phone, a permanent frown on her face. "We don't have enough money, Quinn. I've told you that before."
The girl nodded her head, mad at herself for forgetting that. She kept her gaze out the window, finally sitting down once the vehicle started moving. She looked around at the other people on board, wondering where they were headed.
Brown eyes clashed with hers as a slight blush appeared on her face. A young boy sat a few rows behind them, staring at the girl. She shyly smiled, giving the boy a wave, who in return waved back.
Quinn's mother dragged her from her seat when the bus stopped again. The small girl sent one last look at the boy, imagining that he was on his way to get ice cream. She tucked her stuffed animal further under her arm, not wanting to lose it.
The pair headed down the sidewalk, and the small girl's attention caught on everything they passed. She remembered to follow her mother, not wanting to get lost. Running to catch up, Quinn almost bumped into the woman.
Quinn's mother crouched down in front of her. "I need you to be on your best behavior in here, okay?" The small girl nodded her head, ready to follow orders from her mom.
The woman grabbed Quinn's hand as she lead them inside the building. Quickly checking them in at the front desk, they were allowed to move into the waiting room. The last two seats available were in the middle of the room, surrounded by strange people.
Quinn took a seat next to her mother, scrunching up her nose as her arm brushed the man next to her. She muttered an apology, scooting closer to her mother. The strange man coughed into his hand, making the situation even worse.
The small girl tapped on her mother's arm. "Can I sit on your lap, Mommy?"
"No, you're old enough to sit in your own chair." The woman continued to type on her phone as she bounced her leg.
Quinn frowned, not liking sitting so close to the man next to her. The door across from them opened as a woman stepped out wearing scrubs. She smiled over at Quinn, wanting to make her feel more comfortable.
"Quinn? Quinn Stacy?"
The small girl stared at the woman with wide eyes, wondering how she knew her name. She felt a hand pushing her off the chair before realizing it was just her mother. "Go on, Quinn. She called your name."
"Quinn, come on, honey. It's time to go." The woman in the doorway crouched, gesturing for the small girl to come towards her. When that didn't work, the woman decided to walk toward the girl.
Quinn grabbed onto her mother's arm, scared of what was happening. She was very confused and didn't know what she was supposed to do. When the strange woman approached her, she was suddenly pulled from her mother's grasp.
"Mommy?" Quinn whimpered as she turned to look at her mother.
"We'll take her from here. You're free to go." The nurse smiled at Quinn's mother before she started to pull the small girl through the doorway.
Quinn pulled away with all her strength, calling for her. "Mommy!" She screamed as the tears started falling. She didn't understand what was happening. Where was her mother going?
The woman holding her covered her mouth, not wanting to disturb any of the other patients. A sob escaped Quinn, her whole body shaking in terror. Once through the doorway, the nurse closed the door, blocking off the only exit.
