Everything Upside Down

T W O: The Dreams of a Love Long Lost

They had returned again.

It was almost like they never left, following me down the now dull sparkling walls of Everglen. Dreams were one thing, nightmares were worse. I turned the corner and tried to wish away the memories. Nothing had hurt more in my life than this. My heart though untouched physically, emotionally was gone. It had left long a long time ago with the same brown eyes that plagued me every night.

I leaned against the wall, sliding down the ground and clutching my head with my hands. The rays of the sun barely peeked at me through the glass windows. It was early, too early for me to be up. As long as they didn't find me, I wouldn't have to visit one of those telepathic 'therapists' again.

A door from farther down the hallway opened and lights flooded the hallway. My breath stopped and I tried to be completely silent as I crawled to my hands and knees. I was almost around the corner when an impatient foot tapped next to my face. I turned back sheepishly to find my sister Biana, ruffled and exhausted glaring at me. She grabbed my hands and yanked me to my feet, her striking eyes never leaving mine.

"Fitz," she muttered softly, "Come with me. I think we need to talk"

I shook my head and her sympathetic gaze turned annoyed, "Come or I'll tell mom and dad. Can't wait to meet your new therapist"

I glared at her, but followed Biana through her door, closing it gently behind me. The amount of pink thrown into my face made me want to hurl. I never liked the color, it had always clashed with my eyes. But Biana worshiped every shade of it.

She pulled me over to her plush couches and offered a neon pink mug to my hands. I took it and sniffed the liquid, searching for sedatives. She rolled her eyes, "Fitz, I swear just drink it"

Her tone was dangerously close to a lecture and I raised the mug to my lips quickly. The liquid was warm, but turned ice cold once it touched my tongue. It was a mix of molten carmel and an earthly herb laced with sugar. I finished it in seconds, gladly accepting the refreshing surges that filled my mind.

Biana rubbed her hands and eyed me knowingly, "I have them too, you know"

I looked up and she crossed her arms, "I'm just more careful than you obviously"

I put the mug down, "I just..... I miss her Bi"

Biana nodded, her body shivering but not from the cold. "Everything seems so pointless. Going to Foxfire, pretending like nothing happened. No one will tell us, and I'm not even sure they know"

My voice filled with emotion when I looked her in the eyes, "But why? What happened? Why did they take her from us?"

Instead of brushing it away like my parents, Biana grabbed a notebook from within the cushions. "My diary" she explained.

I watched her flip to the date a week before Sophie left. "I write everything in here. I've studied every memory for some idea to what happened. I couldn't find anything, but maybe you can"

She offered the notebook and I gladly accepted it. The words shimmered on pages and I brushed over them, the memories laced in the ink rising in my mind. I flipped to the day of her disappearance and brushed over the first paragraph. It was about the time Sophie skipped school.

Havenfield teemed with animals due to the newest search and rescue team the council had created. I straightened my pink barrettes once more, checking to see they were all neatly in a row before knocking on the door. I heard shuffling a few seconds later and it opened to reveal the dark living room behind. Edaline covered most of the entrance, but once she saw me she opened the door wide and hugged me. I was confused at this sudden hug, what happened?

Edaline grasped my arms with watery eyes and I closed the door behind me. "Ummmm, Mrs. Ruewen? I was wondering where Sophie was? I didn't see her today at school"

A loud bang interrupted Edaline's response and Grady stepped out form the kitchen. "Biana?"

I nodded, "Yeah, what's going on?"

Edaline wiped her eyes and clenched the folds of her dress, "We don't know. Sophie hasn't come out of her room. She called for the Mr. Forkle and they have been in her room for hours"

Grady nodded in the shadows, "We're concerned Biana. Look, you're her best friend. Could you please go check on her? She won't answer to us"

The happiness of the term best friend was washed away in worry and I nodded. "Of course"

I padded up the stairs softly, the Ruewens' gaze following me to Sophie's door. I knocked on it and said softly, "Sophie?"

A scuffle of footsteps edged towards the door, "Biana?"

I breathed a sigh of relief, "Yeah Sophie, thank goodness. We're all waiting for you. I can't believe you're missed school. So much has happened"

I could hear her sob and my casual thoughts of gossip disappeared. "Sophie, what's wrong?"

Sophie placed her hand on the door, "Everything, Bi. Look, I'm sorry. I can't talk right now. Can you- can you come by later?"

Her voice sounded so small and desperate that I jumped to respond, "Of course. I'll be right back for dinner, okay?"

She sniffled, "Yeah Bi, right back"

She seemed to hang over the words as if they felt wrong and fake. I walked back down the steps and tried to put on a good face for the Ruewens. "I think she just needs space. You know, teenage girl stuff"

Grady bristled, "Of course, thank you Biana"

I smiled and opened the door, "I'll be back later to talk. Tell her she better have mallowmelts"

Edaline smiled, "Yes, of course. I'll see you soon Biana!"

I stepped through the doorway and the memory disappeared with the bang of the door.

My head still reeled from the memory, thinking back to every detail. "So, something was wrong?"

Biana nodded and I gave her back the notebook. Both our minds tried to make sense of it all. What had gone wrong? As I searched my memories, I felt the sudden cold click of someone connecting to my mind. I sucked in a breath and Biana looked up at me concerned. But I didn't say anything as the next words filled my mind.

Hello, Fitz Vacker.