To My Dearest Roseanne

Chapter 13

The pain radiating from the twisty folds of her brain was unbearable, but at least she was in her own bed.

Roseanne felt that all the memories of the previous day were nothing but a nightmare. Yes, a dreadful, foamy, slimy nightmare. The type of which she used to experience back in primary school. She dreamt of being on a ship in outer space, the vessel was abandoned and the lights were dim, but she was not the only passenger. Oh, no, there was no alien from the Alien movie. In her nightmares, Roseanne would always stumble upon a big, black boar who was sleeping, wheezing, and grunting.

Roseanne knew for certain that the moment this boar woke up, it was going to eat her alive, and she couldn't even escape it.

     ...escape...

             ....wheezing...

                      ...fear...

The sensation of sheer panic made her wake up.

***

Evidently, Roseanne was no Harry Potter to cry about the living conditions in a tiny bed. She was so grateful for having her bed, which her dad patiently put together from ready-to-assemble appliances. It was already dark outside, but her small desk light was turned on. Roseanne felt like a 5-year-old again.

Suddenly, a figure entered her room, covered by darkness. She instinctively sensed that it was her mother. Mom oozed the aura of warmth and care she was craving for. And mom could walk! She was able to walk!

She put a cup of hot tea on the bedside table and caressed Roseanne's hair. Then, she touched the forehead, looking for signs of a fever.

"I'm fine, Ma. Please sit down." Roseanne said.

She sat on the edge of her bed.

"How I wish you could read me a bedtime story or sing a song, just like back when I was little."

The figure fidgeted in the darkness nervously, but eventually decided to say:

"Well, all I know are Winnie the Pooh's stories and a bunch of K-POP songs."

It wasn't Liz's voice, it was Roseanne's!

Then, the figure leaned over into the faint stream of light and Roseanne saw her face, the face that belonged to her.

"YOU AGAIN!" she shouted.

"Please, please, please, don't get excited again. I'm real and I'm not going to hurt you," Roseanne's mysterious twin explained while caressing her hair. "You have suffered a lot today. Allow yourself to have some rest and let me explain."

Roseanne still tried to comprehend what was going on, but the situation was clearly beyond the realm of logic.

"Well, fire away. Explain yourself. Which planet do you come from, lasergirl?" Roseanne asked sarcastically.

"I beg your pardon, but I'm not a being from outer space! My name is Rose Anne Cho. I was born on the 7th of July, 2008 in Seoul. The surname Cho – also spelled as Jo – is written with a Hangul symbol resembling a stool placed on a reversed table, and it has many different meanings, such as the beginning of something, a royal court, a candle, or something second."

Rose Anne Cho looked quizzingly at Roseanne who was still in a state of disbelief.

"You are Roseanne Juzynski, born on the 7th of July, 2008 in the Land of Po. We look the same, we sound the same, and our age is the same because we are the same person, but... how shall I put it? Different circumstances set the chain of events that led to our existence. By complete chance, I was able to see... and feel instances of our life. At one moment, I was walking on the street, and the next thing I knew a rain of sparks engulfed me. It showed me your life as if it were a demo tape, and it led me to you... At least, I think that's what happened... You can call me by my surname if it's easier for you."