Every photo that makes up this world contains a certain memory of a certain person, or a certain event. A building bloomed in color once I remembered Sonia; the same most likely happened with Cassia and this park.
So, every photo that makes this park up are all memories I once had of Cassia.
If I take a picture of Cassia's clone, would it suffice and work just like the real thing and provide clearer memories?
My eyes darted around.
Interesting. Standing in this area of the park, I've spotted some playground toys right nearby. The plants around us felt so lively — the dull buildings in the foreground blended with the dark as the park hogged all focus. Though, with green domineering over, it's no different from the gray that looms outside.
The playground toys are painted with colors aside from green, making it rather eye-catching.
"Ah, Cassia?" I called her attention, pointing at the playground, "Could you stand there for a moment?" She nodded and trotted to where I was pointing at.
It was decided. The playground toys would be the subject of my shot — along with Cassia, of course.
Aiming my camera towards the toys as Cassia stood front and center, I took a composed breath and focused. A small merry-go-round, a metal slide, three wooden swings, a row of monkey bars and a small geodesic dome. I found myself curious, wondering how many people, clones, once resided in this world before they all got erased. Aside from this park, there are probably other recreational places and buildings anyone can visit. Add in the little things we appreciate every single day, despite being entirely made out of photographs, this world would be no different from ours.
With no further hesitation, I hit the shutter button and a photo was taken.
I got the picture now, I saw it clearer than before — the one I used to be, I could've been so much more.
Someone who was happy with the memories he got.
Now this is where he's at, after saving Cassia from an accident where she was close to getting shot in a past incident: taken in by the Ambrose family.
Cassia's usual dignified stance has hidden her fear of losing everything, being alone, to everyone. The sheltered daughter hid herself from the world as she created her own within the walls of the Ambrose manor. She grew close to me, the only outsider, treated as a brother; she always came to me when everything else became a bother.
When our parents went overseas for an expedition for more anomalies, however, it took months before we realized that they're not coming back. We still hoped for their return and well-being as we managed on our own — with some assistants and housemaids that helped manage our home.
I was busy with my own research and studies on anomalous objects, hopping from library to library as I wallowed myself away from reality. Perhaps I needed something to distract myself from the vexing possibility that my foster parents did die. I was too distracted that a mere child like Cassia, who always tagged along with me, wasn't able to spend any time with me.
Is this how she developed an interest in libraries?
Back in my school, I always spot her in the library, reading random books and doodling random sketches around. She was doing the same thing back when I was busy.
Was she waiting for me to come get her?
Also, during that time when the Ambrose manor fell. She could've left me for dead, used Paradigm Repeat to escape or even protect herself from E.S.P.E.R., but instead, died along with me believing that she has nowhere else to go once I am gone.
YOU ARE READING
Hidden Worlds: The Sheltered Princess
ParanormalA shutter snapped and suddenly nothing was the same. To think that reality could shift with the literal blink of an eye or in this case, a lens. He took the photo by accident, of a peculiar girl - the Sheltered Princess. A girl who has an astounding...
