The Typical Insanity

l a P E T I T E p u t a i n

As I walked home, I understood what Rien was talking about when he said someone was stalking us. Like someone was tailing you at every turn you made, honestly it felt like they weren't doing a very good job if it was this noticeable.

I don't what Rien's done to my car, I miss it a lot actually. And there's probably a lot that's changed but for now my main concern is getting through New York traffic on the new bike Rien got for me. He says it was cheaper and healthier for me to use a bicycle than a car. He forgot to realize that we haven't ridden a bike since we were 19. Eventually we do make it through and we're cycling en route to home.

"Hey, hey, Moe, I got an idea."

"I should set some ground rules about you thinking."

"Shush, don't move your mouth too much, they might think you're crazy for talking to yourself. Anyways, my idea is that before we go home, we should slip into a dark secluded street and see if the person follows us in there. If they do, I don't know but at least we'll know if someone's following us or not."

I nod and take a few turns into an emptier streets and sure enough there was a small figure trailing us, just staying a few meters away at all times.

"Hm okay, now that that's proved, I guess we go home?"

I roll my eyes at him, Rien and his crackpot ideas.

When we reach home, it's like a wave of nostalgia washes over me. This time, nothing's changed and everything is as it was the last time I was conscious.

"How long was I gone?"

He shrugs. "Dunno. A while before Christmas, and it's New Year's eve today."

What, really? I check my phone and see that it's 10:04 on the 31st of December. Wow. I don't remember the last time anything special happened on New Year's Eve.

I unlock the door and take in the damp, dusty yet familiar scent of my apartment, man did I miss it. Nadia came bounding over, which was a first considering how much she really has no interest in humans. I'm too overwhelmed to think twice about picking her up like a little baby but when the both of us get over the awkwardness, she's actually kinda cute, like a baby is. Sometimes adorable, other times annoying. I think she's even grown! Aw my little baby growing u-

"Nemo? Is that you?"

I look up to see Clem wrapping a ratty bathrobe over a new little nightgown. Wait, no, it's probably just new to me.

"Yeah, who else would it be? Especially this late?"

"I don't know, it's just that there were so many new people coming in and out, not to mention, you haven't really been yourself lately."

"Yeah." I notice a faint dark bruising near her cheek. "What happened there?"

"Nothing, nothing, just another one of my outbursts again."

Nadia whimpers and I put her down. "But you've never been so violent, at least not recently, tell me what happened Clem."

"No, no, I just fell off the bed, really Nemo, that's all."

She tried to turn away but I grabbed her hand before she could. "Clementine, you do not just fall off the bed and grow random bruises, not to mention how obvious it is that you're lying. Now tell me the truth."

Her eyes melt into puddles of tears. But it feels different from her usual bouts of depression, I suppose because this time there's a real serious reason.

"I-I was just being annoying, and th-then you were j-just trying to shut me up, that's all."

I let go of her hand. I'm shell-shocked. I stare at her bruised face and the tears that dropped from her cheeks.