Faces and masks: City of Fear

Chapter 7 - ("Dream")

Emily's POV

"Honey, why are you out in the rain? Your father has not returned yet, everyone is worried, and went to look for you! — when we approached to our entrance, towards us my mother ran out.

Her housedress and apron were soaked, not to mention her Slippers. Her scarlet hair fell in wet strands over her face, disheveled as she ran. She grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me to her, stroking my hair.

I clung to her, wrapping my arms around her waist and closing my eyes. And I thought I wasn't coming back... that I was going to die at the hands of this monster. That I would never see her, my father, my sisters, or my brother again. Just disappear...

"Sorry, mom. I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut and letting the tears come out, which immediately merged with the raindrops running down my face.

"It's Larry's fault and mine. We wanted to go out for a walk and accidentally got caught in the rain. Forgive us. Sally bowed to her, and she immediately pulled him to me by the shoulders, also hugging him tightly.

Our families are very good friends. So for my mom, Sally and Larry are like other kids. No wonder she was worried about them, too. Larry left quickly. Practically ran away as we went down the hill together. It was slippery and we had to hold on tight to keep from slipping and falling. Sally had always been a gentleman and just a very kind boy, and here he had proved himself a real knight. In the end, he picked me up and just jumped off, keeping his balance. Of course, doing something like this is not the first time, but still it's incredibly cool and cute every time! He's my hero!

— I hope you'll be more careful." — Oh, " she whispered, stroking our heads as we stood with our chins on her shoulders. Finally she pulled away, looking at us with a warm smile. But I couldn't help but smile in return. The swollen eyelids, the red cheeks, and the still lingering moisture at the corners of her green eyes spoke for themselves. She was crying. Because of me. I made her worry again. And nearly lost her life. But she certainly shouldn't know that.

"Take a shower and go to bed, it's late." came her voice after us when we walked down the corridor, each in the direction of his apartment. Since we live literally two steps from each other, we walked together, each to his own door.

***

I got out of the shower, wrapped in a towel, and began to wipe my long red hair. Removing the towel from my head, I looked at myself in the mirror. Fortunately, it didn't show me anything wrong, though I didn't look too bad on my own. She was disheveled, with bags under her eyes, paler than usual, with slight traces of tears. For a moment the reflection in the mirror changed. It was me, only a few years younger. Now I'm 15, and there was 6. A little red-haired girl in the bloody white t-shirt that had been her clothes, with empty gray eyes. I put my hand on the glass surface and a network of deep cracks ran through it. Now, after such an unusual and terrible truth, my past seemed to overtake me again, reminding me of itself from time to time. That I am a child with unusual abilities who will never be an ordinary person in the eyes of others. For someone I horror and death, and for someone only experimental rat. Eh...

Sighing, I tossed the wet black dress into the wash and changed into my pajamas, which were a long black t-shirt with red patterns, and left the bathroom and headed for my room. Her bare feet slapped the floor, leaving wet footprints.

From your brother's room, the music in the rooms of the sisters, as always quiet. I looked into them one by one, wishing them all good night, to which I was answered in kind. Dad's still at work. I still don't know what he's become, but I hope he's okay. Mom washes the dishes. Soon she, too, will go sleep. Tomorrow we'll go to Sally's together. I hope I don't have nightmares tonight.