Golden |2| The Umbrella Academy

TWENTY SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN: FALLING

There was nothing but darkness. Everything was utterly silent, it felt like she was sinking into nothing. Lotus reached out, wishing she'd hit something. It felt like she was the only one here, wherever here was.

"I thought your favourite ice cream was chocolate?"

Lotus blinked, circling in her spot. "Hello?"

"I changed my mind."

She knew that voice, Lotus took a step forward into the darkness that surrounded her. "Mom?"

"I didn't think you'd like cotton candy."

Lotus shook her head, "Chocolate is boring. I don't want to be boring."

Her mother smiled, wrapping an arm around her. "Happy birthday, Flower."

She grinned, digging her spoon back into her cup of ice cream. It was almost melted, a mix of blue and pinks swirled with every poke of her spoon.

Lotus froze, why was she seeing this? This was her sixth birthday, a few weeks before they stopped seeing her grandparents, when they were kicked out.

"Next year can we go see a movie?" Lotus questioned, a goofy smile on her face. "I like the superhero ones."

"Me too."

She closed her eyes, "What the hell is happening?"

"Stop asking that question!"

"I just want to know who my dad is—"

Her mother glared down at her, "I'm not discussing this with you."

"But you said we might be evicted! Mom, this place is a shithole, we can't live like this!"

"I can't do any better!" The woman yelled, "You will not be going anywhere."

"But if I can meet him, maybe he'll help us out? Maybe I can stay with him for a bit so you can—"

A vase zipped by her head, smashing against the far wall. Lotus jumped, staring wide eyed at her mother.

"Make it stop." Lotus whispered, "This isn't—"

"Can you please spare a few dollars?" Lotus questioned, staring up at a wealthy looking woman. She stared down, a look of disgust on her face. Lotus looked like a mess, hair in knots and ripped clothes, "I just want to eat."

"That's why you get a job." The woman retorted, but dug out a dollar bill and dropped it into her hand.

Lotus watched the woman waltz away, clutching her expensive handbag with newly manicured nails. She pocketed the bill and dashed down the street, "Why couldn't I be rich?" She muttered, shoving through the crowds of people wanting to get home from work. "Why couldn't I be someone else?"

The thought carried through her, she reached the end of the sidewalk as she brushed by the woman who flashed her that look of disgust, her shoulder skimmed the woman's arm as they went separate ways.

Pain tore through her, starting at her head and going down to her feet. A shiver took over where the pain left, and Lotus stopped in the middle of the sidewalk in shock as she caught her reflection in a store window. No longer did her mother's green eyes stare back at her, no, she had short blonde hair and wore an expensive white dress. Lotus was taller, especially in matching white heels. She blinked, looking down at herself in wonder. She looked exactly like the woman with the dollar bill. How was this possible?