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☾ 𝑇𝑊𝐸𝑁𝑇𝑌 𝑂𝑁𝐸
Anna blinked heavily despite the dimness of the room around her. They'd both fallen asleep, tears drying sticky to their flushed cheeks.
Polly had stirred first, eyes staring widely to the door, as if expecting something. Anna glanced over, peering into that direction, toward the shadowed doorway. If she listened close enough, she could hear light footsteps echoing in the corridor, bouncing against the empty walls.
When she looked back, her mother was staring back down at her with an excitement that she hadn't recognised at first. Everything was still so new. Anna opened her mouth to question, but was interrupted by the silencing of steps, the sound of fancy shoes scuffing to a stop against wooden floor.
"Mum. You've got to start using the lights. There's nothing wrong with them."
She heard the voice before she saw the face behind it. A strong, self assured sound, that brought her back to the days when Will would try and lead them back home after a days exploration. Most of the time he'd be right- and it always showed in his tone, loud and clear and never faltering once. So much like the man's voice she heard.
Polly's breath stuttered in anticipation. She shuffled to her feet, hurrying to meet the man by the door, leaving Anna to watch her from where she still sat on the carpet by the unlit fire.
"Mum?"
Anna's heart leaped to her throat at the mere sound of the name from another's lips. Mum. It was her brother. Anna staggered to her feet, half drunk off the ecstasy that ran through her blood- her family. It still didn't feel real to say.
"Michael. You'll never believe it!" Polly exclaimed, gripping her son's hands in her own. "Your sister-"
Michael pulled away with a sigh. "Not this again Mum! You promised you'd take your medication! Tommy says-"
"I don't care what Tommy says," she snapped, face dropping into a sneer. But then she glanced back, straightening, her voice suddenly sincere. "No Michael. I mean it this time."
Anna stepped to the side, moving so that her mother didn't block the view of the person at the door any longer.
The person's mouth swung open, eyebrows furrowing in response. Anna smiled.
His eyes were blue. Bright blue. Different from her own. But she could see the understanding, the way they opened to scan her- the bewildered recognition that must have mirrored her own brown eyes. He had the same nose, she was sure, bulbous and pointed but fitting all the same.
