The Center of Gravity

Episode 9: Invisible Conversations

The ride back to our houses had been silent. Seth said nothing about the helicopter or if he remembered anything. I didn't mention it. He glanced at me throughout the ride, obviously concerned. I didn't want to talk about it.

I was so happy with my family, and then they had been stolen from me. I didn't know if I wanted to remember them, it only made my longing deeper.

But I never said a word.

» Day 59 «

On the morning of day fifty-nine, I felt truly alone. I felt terrified. Every time I saw the kitchen, I saw us as a whole family. Now, who knows where they were.

Cassius was probably waiting for me, holding them at gunpoint if I didn't go.

It wasn't like any of it had really happened anyway. If I made Seth up, I very well could've made up Cassius.

At 1 a.m. I realized I should've gone to at least know what he wanted. Maybe Seth wanted to go. I didn't really want to bring it up to him though. Now, my life was literally on the line.

Every noise in the house made me jump. My eyelids would droop with sleep, but then another terrifying thought would enter my mind.

By the time it was two, I was shaking in fear. I considered going over to Seth's. Almost immediately I concluded that I couldn't, he was already irritated with me from earlier.

At dawn, I fell into a restless sleep until evening. Even then, we didn't speak to each other for a whole day.

» Day 60 «

I had heard nothing from Seth. I never saw him either, not outside or in the windows of his house.

By the evening of day sixty, I was scared out of my mind. I had convinced myself not to be worried since Cassius most likely didn't exist, but fear still consumed me.

Dusk had just started to fall outside when I trudged my way over to his house in the snow. By the time I climbed up the steps to the door, I was panting in a cold sweat.

Then, just as before, I was plunged into a scenario, a memory.

I gasped as the setting unfolded around me and spun around. I was in my highschool.

The hallways were filled with people. I immediately spotted myself, so I followed.

"You're a dork sometimes," Adria, my sister, said as she rolled her eyes.

"At least I'm not swooning over Kasey Farland," I shot back, laughing.

It must've been before they started dating. I grinned a little at my sister's appearance: brown curls, long lashes. I always thought she was beautiful.

I wish I had told her.

I followed myself earnestly, some part of me enjoying it.

"Hey, I heard your Freshman class is getting a new student tomorrow," she declared.

"Nice, who?" I replied, taking out my phone to reply to a text.

We turned into the lunch room and quickly sat down at a table with a bunch of our friends.

"I think his name is Stefen," she said, shrugging.

"Sounds cute," I mumbled, texting away.

"How can someone sound cute?" she laughed.

I rolled my eyes and smiled at her.

Just like that, I was back in reality, gazing into Seth's empty living room.