Forgotten

Untitled Part

July, we dont have kids! How can we be missing something we never had? David asked, his usually carefree face wrinkled with concern. His previously relaxed body tense and clearly uncomfortable leaning on the kitchen counter. He stares at July with an odd look shes never seen before. What is his problem? She thinks fighting the urge to punch him.

David! This isnt funny! Please, just tell me where they are! She said silently pleading with him to stop this prank and tell her where they are.

July whimpers as he replies, Baby, its not a joke . . . we dont have kids.

July couldnt believe this was happening. Pushing David away as he tried to pull her into a hug, she runs past him, up the stairs to her kids rooms. She shoves nine year old Jasons bedroom door open. Instead of being greeted by dinosaur wallpaper and Doctor Who toys, July sees what seems to be a home office of some kind. Walking around the room she looks, confused, at the huge oak desk where Jasons bed should be. The small unit where they store his sensory toys has been replaced with an ugly metal filing cabinet. She stops in the middle of the room staring at the pin stripe wallpaper, tears streaming down her pretty face wondering how David could do this to her. How could he do this to their autistic son? The boy that cannot externalise emotional issues and shuts down when faced with a problem he cant solve. The boy that doesnt speak and wears noise cancelling head phones most of the time to help with his sensory issues. How is Jason going to deal with it, where ever he is?

Fear quickly takes over her body as she stands and runs from the room, hating the sight of it. Turning left July runs to the next room hoping to find a pink bedroom filled with Hello Kitty toys and stuffed tigers. Opening the door she is instead confronted with gym equipment. A huge treadmill with dozens of buttons is where her daughters pink bed should be. Where is Maddie? Where is her sweet, adorable five year old daughter?

Feeling sick she turns to face the door opposite Maddies room. She cant bear to look. Her own voice sounds in her head telling July You have to look! What if Toby is in there? What if they are all in there? She stumbles to the door not really feeling her limbs any more. Pushing it open she lets out a monstrous cry. The kind of cry only a grieving mother can make at the loss of a child. What she sees appears to be a second office. This one filled with horrid metal furniture covered in computer equipment. Boxes and boxes of wires and computer parts stacked where Tobys mountain of teddies always sits. Where is her two year old? Anger and confusion overwhelm her as she crumbles to the floor. With her hands covering her sobbing, grief stricken face she doesnt hear David come to the door.

Sweetheart, Im not sure whats going on with you this morning but if you dont get ready now you will be late for work. He says in a low tone she has never heard before. She can hear his fear. Only, unlike her fear for her missing children, hes fearing her right now.

She looks up at him, tears still running down her face and croaks out. What are you talking about? Im a stay at home mom! I dont have a work to go to! Anger and rage overflowing in her voice she stands and looks at him properly for the first time this morning. In her dazed confusion she hadnt noticed the differences. Davids face wasnt right. His eyes always so kind and gentle had a hard edge to them right now and she could have sworn Davids eyes were brown. This David has dark green eyes. His hair is different too. Thinking about it as she studies him she realises his voice isnt quite right. Taking a step back she looks him in the eye as she whispers You are not my David!