One by One

Chapter 5- Explained (Part 1)

Mummy what are you doing?

Everything's going to be alright honey.

I don't like what you're doing mummy, where's daddy?

Your daddy. *sobs

Mummy? Are you okay?

Honey, I'm doing this for all of us. *cries

MUMMY NO!

"Em, it was a dream". I wince at my name, the name I've not heard in forever. A bright light shines into my eyes, making me shield my groggy eyes. Where on earth am I?

I open my eyes slowly registering the voice when I realize I'm no longer in a parking lot. I'm in a moving car. Holy shit, I'm in a car with my loony mother who seems to be driving like a normal person. What the fuck has been happening to me since this morning? It's as if I was having some kind of upside down day where things aren't as it seems then suddenly your mother appears back into your life and the Texas Chainsaw Massacre can't even beat the fright I'm having right here in a 'stranger's' car, for god's sake.

I sit up allowing myself to calm down.

"What are you doing?" I ask, stupidly, clearly aware she was driving.

"I know I have a lot to explain", she said, ignoring my question.

"You don't say", I answer sarcastically. I was looking out the window and realized this was a part of Portland I've never seen before. Where is she taking me? I take the opportunity to look at her aged face. She looked the same, less crazy of course but, she seems calmer and frankly speaking, she did not look as if she was out to kill me. Good sign I guess since I am clearly sitting in the passenger side of her car, if this even is her car.

"I'm taking you to my house, there I will explain why I've been gone so long and why I did what I did to survive", she said, sternly. I missed her voice, not her sternness but before things got crazy she would tell me old folk tales about monsters and goblins. That was a time I missed. The only time.

She was half German and her accent was stronger than it used to be. She originated from Germany, her father was German and her mom was English. She lived there all her life before meeting my father in College and boom, splat, love.

As I'm lost in my thoughts, I realize what I was doing this morning. Devon. Shit.

"Mom", I grimace, at the sound of my voice saying what I've not said in forever. Apparently she felt as out of place as I did as she winced at what I just said. "My boyfriend's in trouble, and only you can save him", I plead, growing impatient with her blank expression.

"I know, that's why I'm here. I'll explain soon, come, we're here", She said, getting out of the car. Before I could hurdle another word at her, she slammed the door in my face. A mother they say, huh.

I step out of the car, wobbly. That must have been a long ride. I look at a small house that looked small enough for two people but certainly not big enough for three. There was a beautiful garden full of flowers and a white picket fence. More flowers sat on it and the grass, green looked dewy from the sprinklers I reckon. The brick-walled house looked cozy, but I wasn't in the mood for cozy now. I need to find my boyfriend. I need to find Devon and get to the bottom of whatever the fuck my family has brought down on my generation.

"This way", my mother says, motioning to the red door as she breaks my train of thoughts clearly making me seem dazed as always. Old habits never do get old. "Lovely house", I said, trying to make conversation with a woman I've not seen since I 'died'.