The Door

{3}

The Smiths' were their names, Robert and Stacy. And it was eventually reported that their baby was named Duncan. Duncan was still nowhere to be seen. The footage from the camera of the homeowner was analyzed by the police. They were able to enhance the sound feed, and in a whisper like the wind, you could hear Stacy Smith saying all three of their names.

Aiyden was told all of this by his neighbor when they stopped by lateThe Smiths' were their names, Robert and Stacy. And it was eventually reported that their baby was named Duncan. Duncan was still nowhere to be seen. The footage from the camera of the homeowner was analyzed by the police. They were able to enhance the sound feed, and in a whisper like the wind, you could hear Stacy Smith saying all three of their names.

Aiyden was told all of this by his neighbor when they stopped by later that day. He doesn't remember coming home, showering, or locking himself in the office. He came to when he heard the sounds of the doorbell. Once more, his neighbor was standing there with a look of concern on her face. She updated him and looked as though she wanted to say more, but then Dela called his name from their bedroom. Their neighbor looked him in the eye with a strong steady gaze, squared her shoulders, and told him, "If you need anything, I'm just across the street." Once she turned to walk away, she added, "I'm sorry," without looking back.

Aiyden closed the front door, and made his way down the too-tight feeling hallway, to their bedroom. There he found Dela, spread out on scarlet sheets, with long white hair all around her, and both hands pressed to her belly. "I think we'll have a boy," she whispered, smiling that smile with too many teeth.

Aiyden paused, unsure of how to proceed. "That would be nice, but the doctor said we should–"

"Those silly doctors have no idea what they're talking about," she said firmly, motioning Aiyden to come to lay with her. "They don't know what to do with something like me."

"Something like you?" he questioned quickly.

She looked at him, eyes scanning his features. "The chronically ill. Since birth doctors have said I wouldn't survive, that I was too weak for this world." She rolled to her side, facing him, her hand coming up to graze his sharp jaw. "I bet they told you the same," she said softly.

Aiyden stared at the ceiling, wondering if he would have been told the same or why Dela thought he would have been. She knows Aiyden's past. That he was found in the forest, a lone, wandering toddler. Although they thought he was mute for a while, Aiyden turned out to be fine. No one could find his family, and his prints did not match any in the database. He was taken, after being discovered, to the hospital and the only mark on his body was the spot Dela jokingly said fairies touched.

Aiyden quickly stopped his thoughts, not liking to go down that path. He turned to face Dela, her face shining brightly from the sunlight. He pulled her close and kissed her forehead.

"Dela, I need to tell you what happened today..."

"Oh, I heard the neighbor at the door. What was her name again?" Dela inquired.

Strangely, Aiyden could not remember the neighbor's name. Or that of the homeowner with the security cameras. He attempted to think of introductions or a time when their names would have been used, and still, he could not recall them. Before he could contemplate, his phone rang out shrilly.

He reached out to grab it, only to find it wasn't on the charger where he left it. He looked at his side table, feeling around to eventually find it had fallen between the table and the bed. When he picked it up, his hand felt sticky. He found the same substance from his shoes on his phone.

The phone stopped ringing, and Aiyden saw that it was his grandmother who had called. He decided to go into the attached bathroom and clean it before returning the call. Dela he noticed, had begun to drift off, he assumed due to the medicine.