The Last Time We Met

10

"Do you need a mirror?"

The voice drifted into the sickly sweet scent of flowers and the haze of smoke. I blinked.

"Hello? Were you looking for a mirror?"

It was the woman who I'd seen when I walked in, calling to me from across the store. I pulled the mask away from my face, gulping fresh air.

"You okay?" she called.

"Yeah, I'm good, uh. Sorry, I don't need a mirror." I hung the mask where I'd found it and backed away. The blank eyes of the goggles watched me. How long had I been standing here, caught in that awful memory? It felt like hours.

"Oh, you have a nosebleed," the woman said. She grabbed a box of tissues and hurried over.

I touched a finger to my nostril and sure enough, there was a smear of red. "Oh, god. I'm sorry." I took a tissue with my non-bloodied hand and pressed into my nose, mumbling apologies the whole time. "I hope I didn't bleed in the mask, I mean, I didn't really put it on the whole way. Oh, god. I'm so sorry. I'll buy it if I bled in it." The idea of owning that mask made my chest feel tight, like a cough that wouldn't go away. I moved toward the front of the store.

The woman watched me, concern in her eyes and the box of tissues still in hand, before turning to peek at the backside of the mask. "Nope, no blood. You seemed really taken with it, though. You want me to put it on hold for you?"

"Uh, no. I mean, I'll probably come back with my boyfriend so we can pick out costumes together. I don't know if the plague doctor is his kind of thing, haha." The whole time I kept backing up and backing up until I was at the front door. "I'd better get home and clean up. Thank you and I'm sorry!"

The bell chimed behind me as I practically ran out onto the sidewalk.

I tried not to think of anything as I hurried home. I didn't want to think about the dark house or the maggots and flies and the overwhelming smells, although I ended up having to stop and gag a few times. Up in my room, in the cool clean air, I lay on my bed and once I was sure I wasn't going to lose my lunch, I sat up and flipped to the page that only said smoke.

This vision had been so clear, despite being fully awake and not even touching Cedric. Anne might have been Cedric, but how would I know? Anne wasn't even awake during the glimpse I'd had. Glimpse. As if several hours was a glimpse. It was probably why I'd gotten a nosebleed: the sensations from a period of hours crammed into my head in a matter of minutes. At least I hoped it was only a few minutes. I hadn't checked my watch to see how long I'd been inside the store.

smoke

Anne – Thomas – Francoise, Antoine, Matilde

France – Burgundy?

Bubonic plague

Witch

1300's?

It had to be the same life as the one with smoke. The entire landscape had been hazy and thick. My modern mind wondered if somehow the plague could have spread even more, with all the burning. People would have been breathing all that in. Imagine, thinking a nose full of flowers would have prevented disease.

Pulling out my phone, I checked the time. It was only three. I texted Cedric to see if he was on his way back yet. I wanted something to rinse that vision out of my mind. Why couldn't I remember more about that life we shared in the 80s? So far all I had was the haunting memory of a song I had yet to find and how I felt in that moment. I wanted so much more.

I rolled onto my side and sighed. But I only allowed myself a few moments of ennui before pushing myself up and grabbing my textbooks. I had plenty of studying to do. I texted Eli first, to see if he wanted to come over – Eli was always a good distraction – but he texted back that he was at his cousin's bar mitzvah. I wish I was hanging with you, my aunt is trying to fix me up D:

He texted updates and discreet photos of the girls his aunt was pushing at him, and it would have been a great distraction if I wasn't hoping each ding meant that Cedric was back and on his way over to see me.

All my homework was finished and I was lying in my bed watching Netflix on my laptop when my phone dinged.

We should go to the Homecoming Dance

I nearly typed YES in all caps before noticing that yes, it was still Eli texting me.

Why? I typed instead.

You have a boyfriend now. Maybe you'll actually dance instead of sit on the bleachers like a mushroom.

Hey! That's not fair, I texted back. You're always out there grinding with your GOTM and I'm not about to have a dance circle with Jax or Marlo

GOTM was my shorthand for Girl Of The Moment, or how I referred to Eli's constant stream of girlfriends.

Okay but you have Cedric now

Okay...

Is that a yes for the dance?

I'll have to ask him

I can't wait for your promposal, because obvi you guys are going to still be together in April

I couldn't help smiling at the idea of going to prom with Cedric. I bet he looked great in a suit. Also because being with Cedric felt so permanent already. Less than a month together and already I was thinking about prom. Eli was thinking about me and Cedric at prom, and Eli was a commitment-phobe.

Bring money on Monday, we can buy our tickets

Wait, who are you bringing?

It was a dumb question, because he could just pick whoever he was with last minute, but he texted me a pic of a dark-haired girl with freckles and a big smile. How about her?

She's pretty

Like Victorian girl pretty? :P

I glanced at the portrait of Henrietta on my desk, then forgot about her, because my phone buzzed again and this time, finally, it was Cedric.

Wanna come over?