Shattered (Completed)

Chapter 15 - Alex Appreciation Day

I need a day. 

Like, a whole entire day off, dedicated to figuring myself out.

As of now, I don't know my personality, my own thoughts, my capabilities or potential, my family, my problems, who I'm with, why I'm really here, who Mister Florence is, why Moonhit Co is a thing, who invented the delicacy of honey and milk, and why I'm locked in my room until further notice.

Was it the fire? I think it was the fire.

And, I mean, I get it. I had six whole years off. And considering there are 365 days in a year. . . Okay, so what? I've had two-thousand one-hundred and ninety days to myself. So what? Not like my brain was functioning at all, and, if anything, I was losing my memory and thoughts.

So Alex Appreciation Day - AAD - will be held on. . . January nineteenth. . . Yup. Alex Appreciation Day.

I take out the notebook from the table that didn't burn, opening to the page. I add what recently occurred.

The Unfortunate Things of My Life:

•Brother died/Kill himself (ask about him)
•Grandfather (Mister Florence?) wanted to help
•I ran away
•Became a Moonhit (science. . . ?)
•Found by scientists (how did they find me?)
•Failed something (in process discovered telepathy), killed scientist
•Put in cooler/freezer, which Grandfather helped me from, death in process (if he did, and if he is my grandfather, how is he here? Moonhit?)
•Tried to escape
•Found out about wind power?
•Failed
•Put under Downing for six years
•All memories. Gone.
•Helped escape by Florence, Evan, aaaaand. . . that's it
•Taken to. . . a place (ask for name or something)
•Assisted in legal kidnapping
•Used wind ability through rage
•Passed out because I failed at keeping a kid alive
•Burst into flames after Evan nearly kissed me (totally his fault)
•Burst into flames. . . again
•Introduced to music and learned more about Teresa
•At this point decided to write out all my questions for Florence (or just people)
•Fell in LOVE with music after receiving an. . . mp7?
•

Again, I leave the last bullet empty. I wonder what the next thing will be. Dying? Thinking about it, with everything that's happened to me, it doesn't seem so impossible. Maybe everything that's happened to me is normal. I mean, six years have passed since I've been awake. So who knows what's happened?

Once I finished contemplating this, I flipped to the next blank page and began scribbling out my questions for Florence - or anyone who knew the answer.

QUESTIONS:
- How are you alive?
- Why am I alive?
- Did you actually die?
- Where am I?
- Who/What was I (like) before this?
- Why is there a black ace over my left eye?
- Why does my hair change color?
- What happened to my parents?
- What happened to my brother?
- Where was I before this?
- What are the words I don't know?
- Are we actually related?
- Who is Moonhit Co. exactly?

So those are my questions. I need to ask these now. So I knock on the door and ask, "Can I come out now? I won't burn up, I swear,"

There isn't a reply at first, and I fear they've gone or that there's no guard there to answer me, but then there's a timid, "You swear? Are you mad at all?" This is the voice of my guard, the one that's been outside my door day and night. I wonder how such a small organization could have guards. Or maybe this place isn't a small place, and it's actually big, like Moonhit Co. is made out to sound.

"No." I murmur, sighing quietly. "But if you procrastinate, I may as well say yes,"

A click sounds from the other side. And then the door opens, and the guard is there. He looks uncomfortable standing in an official-looking shirt and jeans, but otherwise he looks like he's supposed to be there. "I'm supposed to lead you everywhere." he says as if by script, "Where do you wanna go?" His eyes sweep over me as if to ensure I'm not in flames.

"Florence's room." 

"Uh. . . that's currently - " the guard begins, but a man appears behind him and says something to cut him off. I'm too short to see past the guard, only the arms of an orange-sleeved shirt behind him. 

"Let her come, Bruce. You know she's an exception,"

The guard - Bruce - nervously steps to the side. Florence is standing behind him with a polite smile. "Is something wrong, Alex?" he asks softly, tilting his head. He looks so much younger with his smile and tilted head. It makes all the tension dissipate.

"I wanted to talk with you," I insist, trying to sound official and like I know I can do this, when, in fact, I'm the complete opposite. "I wanted some things answered." What am I missing? There's something else. . . Oh. "Please."

Florence nods. "Of course, Alex." His eyes drift to Bruce, who's standing there timidly. I briefly consider bursting into flames just to scare him, but then remember that I can't do it at will. Then again, that's what I said about the wind thing. "I'll take it from here, Bruce. Thank you."

He seems grateful to let me out of his care as Bruce steps back. " 'Course, boss," He nods a low nod, almost like a bow, and returns to his position by my door. You wonder if he ever gets tired or bored standing there, guarding me from nothing. Which brings another list of questions to me. What is there to protect me from? Is he only there to escort me? Is he just for show? If he's scared of me, why was he sent to guard me?

Whatever. More questions for Florence, I guess.

"You've got many questions, don't you?" Florence says with a grin, looking down at me. We've begun walking while I'd gone into deep thought. His hand is on my back as if to guide me forward. "You can go ahead and ask, Aria,"

The first question in my mind is the Aria thing. "Why am I Aria? Everyone else calls me Alex," I glance up at him. His smile is now detached. I can tell he's going into thought like I had. 

"You're very special to me, Aria," he replies quietly. He inhales deeply. "I can tell these questions aren't going to just be about words that you don't understand, so we'll finish this in my office."

And so the questions and answers began.