ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴏʀɢᴏᴛᴛᴇɴ ʟɪʙʀᴀʀʏ

ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʟɪᴄᴇ ɢʀᴏᴠᴇ (ᴘᴀʀᴛ ɪɪ)

She was three minutes and fifty-five seconds late. "Sorry sorry sorry", Isana yelped. "Vic was late for work so I had to drop him off and Sahil's teacher was desperate to talk to me".

Isana had the perfect life. Literally. Her high school sweetheart Victor Prakasham proposed during Isa's big valedictorian speech and they got married at twenty years old. Then Vic and Isa introduced Sahil J. Prakasham to the world. They're both twenty-eight and Sahil is the cutest six-year-old in the world.

It didn't bother me that Sahil's teacher was desperate to call Isa. "Let me guess. Sahil interrupted the teacher by reciting the three times table when the teacher asked for the two times table", I grinned after hugging her. "Actually, she didn't ask for any times table", Isa said as she sat down. "Oh, of course, my mistake", I said in mock frustration. "So, what are you up to these days? How's that book coming along?" asked Isana. "I was just filling in the freezer these days. I got a pet turtle and cut his hair. I call him Furball", I said in a completely serious tone. Isa wasn't fazed at my reply and looked at me expectantly. I sighed and told her my current dilemma.

"Maybe you'll find her inspiration here. You never know, this town inspires people. Take Bobby Fitzheld for example", she said. I stared. "Bobby Fitzheld read a book called 'The Life Story of Albert Einstein' from the school library and he wanted to prove that he was just like Einstein, so he did a stupid experiment that set the lab on fire", I recalled. I remember this clearly because I was almost paired up with him during the lesson, but I got paired up with the smartest kid in our class. I remember the fire alarms ringing and my dad lecturing during dinner to the entire family about lab safety, which he kind of specialized in. "And didn't Bobby get that book from the kids' section? That book was filled with colourful stuff.", I reminded her.

She blanched. "Okay, one bad high school example. What about you?", she asked with a charming smile towards the waiter who had arrived to collect our order. "This town is full of inspiration, right Rex? Who inspired you? Maybe that chef down Wimbton Road has a tragic past you can curl up into a story?", she asked. "That chef down Wimbton Road is my dad.", huffed Rex and left before I could order. "Please stop", I begged. "Ok, so there aren't many people we know that have been inspired by this town, but I know there are people like that. Somewhere", Isa added and signaled a young boy so we could order.

                                                                                                彡

I was staring at the screen.

The flashes of her past kept playing in her head. Nola with a big smile, hugging her and telling her it was going to be ok, holding her father's hand at her mother's funeral, not being able to breathe as the smoke filled her lungs, her father staring outside with a blank look on her face, meeting Nola again in the tavern, and begging her to help her father, the potion's aftertaste, the blood that was shed...

Eve's hand was still tightened around the roots of the Mystic Tree. The tree that she had planted, the tree that had caused so much chaos between her and Nola, and the tree that would save her and end her life...

Then there were footsteps...

Eve looked up and saw |

Whom did Eve see? Nola? The hero that was her friend and denied her request to save her father? The one that ended up being the hero and Eve was set up as a villain?

I groaned. I needed a break.

I was too lazy to make anything for dinner and just picked a bag of chips from the counter and an apple from the refrigerator. After opening the bag of chips and checking the expiration date (Yes, in that order), I scrolled through Netflix.

Chrissy, wake up!

God, I don't know why I torture myself with this scene. It's so heartbreaking and scary at the same time. Chrissy, Eddie and-

Crash!

My head shot up from the couch and I looked around. The fruit bowl was on the floor in pieces. I quickly stood up and tried not to panic.

Breathe, Kamari. Breathe in, breathe out.

I held the TV remote and the empty chips bag in both hands. Armed, I went to investigate.

"Who's there?", I asked shakily.

No response.

Geez, if it was a ghost haunting me, the least they could do is inform me that I am now a subject that is being haunted.

"I warn you, I'm armed".

And then the phone rang.

I let out a shriek and answered the phone.

"WHAT?"

"Why are you yelling?"

"BECAUSE THE FRUIT BOWL FELL OVER WHILE I WAS SOBBING OVER CHRISSY'S DEATH AND NOW I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE GHOSTS HAUNTING ME"

"CHRISSY IS RIGHT NEXT TO ME! HOW THE HECK CAN SHE BE DEAD? AND GHOSTS? WHAT ON EARTH IS GOING ON?"

"I wanted you to call her, not have a shouting match. Mari, where are you? Mom has an announcement and I'm afraid it can't wait. So please come home soon"

The call ended. Just like that.

I did a full check in the house and I am the only inhabitant, living or dead.

And my brothers just invited me to see the family again.

Yay.