The Time Hopper

The Pull Of Parents

I felt sick. I was staring at the photo, absorbing every detail again and again, heart pounding and mind reeling. I knew that my parents had fallen into Obsivian's clutches, of course, but over the years Mr Consequences and co had thoroughly convinced me that they were dead. But they weren't. They weren't safe or healthy, but they were alive. 

"Sadie? You been sucked down the plughole?" Riley called from outside, knocking at the door. I tried to answer, but no words would come out. He waited for an answer for a few moments before cracking it open, inching into my room with one hand clasped firmly over his eyes. I didn't even try to talk, still staring blankly at the photo. After a moment, when he wasn't yelled out of the room, he pulled his hand down and sighed with relief when he saw I was sat on the bed and decent, though it was replaced with worry when he saw the look on my face and he padded over to sit next to me. 

"Sadie? You alright?" He asked, unsure. He was too polite to peer over my shoulder, but I could tell he wanted to know what the photo was. Wordlessly, I held it out to him, letting him take it. He winced at the state of the people in the photo, but it was clear he was still confused. 

"My parents." I was finally able to choke out, voice thick and strange and foreign to my ears. The look of pity on his face almost made me burst out crying, but the bear hug he wrapped me in did help a bit. 

"Sadie! Go and see the doctor!" Echoed up the stairs, a frustrated Marie trying to chivvy me to where I was supposed to be, ignorant of what I had just learned. Suddenly, the sadness was replaced with a burning anger. Dr Omega must have known. Mr Consequences must have known. Marie must have known. And they hadn't told me, hadn't tried to get them back, or let me try to help. 

I pulled away from Riley and stormed out of the room, making a beeline for the Dr's office as I trembled with rage. The Irish boy jogged along behind me, pleading for me to calm down, or think it through, or some other sensible idea that I wasn't going to listen to. I reached the office and didn't bother to knock, throwing the door open and barging into the room. 

Dr Omega looked up from the file in his hands, surprised. He had red hair, almost as wild and curly as mine, with white and grey shot through it. His eyes were such a dark brown they were almost black, and one ear had a piece missing from it, from a past encounter with Obsivian if he was to be believed. 

"Sadie, you should know to knock at your age-" He started to chide me, voice calm but stern, though he stopped abruptly when I slapped the photo on the desk in front of him. He swallowed, looking up at me and sighing. 

"Take a seat, Sadie. Riley, my boy, it's good to finally meet you, but maybe you should wait outside-"

"No. He stays. He's as much a part of this as you are." I told him firmly, grabbing Riley by the hand in case he was about to comply. When I glanced to him, I saw that he had set his jaw into a determined grimace, and looked a little flattered at what I had said. 

"Very well. Then will you please both take a seat?" I didn't want to, because my back was up and I wanted to be difficult, but Riley sat down and tugged on my hand until I did the same. I had started crying a some point, tears constantly pouring down my cheeks and I couldn't stop it. I hated how I always cried when I was angry. Dr Omega was solemn, staring across the desk at me, not saying a word. 

"Are you going to explain this, or not?" I demanded. 

"How did you get this, Sadie?" He asked, looking at Riley. 

"Wasn't anything to do with me, sir." The Irish boy said with a shrug, though his tone of voice, with just a touch of hostility, showed that he was on my side in this. 

"It doesn't matter how I got it, what matters is that you didn't want to show it to me-" Omega had taken the photo and flipped it, taking one look at the small, neat writing and sighing.