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[[Timeline P015***]]
This house is full of memories. My children are already so grown up, but I can still envision them running around so little, barely my knee height.
[[Clock]]
[[Table]] It’s too early. No one’s home yet.
[[Table]]The table in the living room is full of photos and memorabilia. A little shrine of the family.
*photos on the table*
[[left small photo]]
[[middle family photo]]
[[right photo]]
[[Clock.]]*laughing blond boy, age ~2, playing with a toy*
The eldest, he got quiet over the years. I wish he’d be born as a twin, but he ate his other half in the womb. He has this unique haunting expression, same as he had as a kid. He’s a lot like his father in that, keeping secrets.
[[Table]]*a man with 2 sons age 7, 9*
It took a toll on my husband. The boys are naughty and so difficult to handle. He has been too harsh on the older one, but there’s nothing that can be done about it. They both try their hardest to love each other despite the differences. Their common feature is the love and care for the younger one, he has been such a cute impressionable boy. What happened?..
[[Table]]*a teenager with diploma*
That one has been a struggle. Maybe it’s the boredom of the bright mind, but at some point it turned ugly. He’s back from the hospital recently, the medications seem to keep him at bay. Yet he is still not clearly all here. No amount of love was enough, and I fear the meds will fail as well. This, this is the *curse*..
[[Table]]They’re coming home soon. I hope it goes smoothly.
[[Kitchen]]
[[Go outside]].I look at the [[clock]] yet again.
The dish I prepared for the event is almost ready. I got good in cooking after the retirement, hope everyone will like it.
[[Go outside]] The neighbor cat lays on the sunny spot. It sees me and jumps up for the pets. I was reluctant to get pets because of the way boys were as kids and how easily stressed the husband is about everything. Maybe it would help, but life flew by so fast, I didn’t notice a good time to raise this topic again.
[[Kitchen]]
[[Wait outside]]Time goes so slow in waiting.
I miss my boys. The husband has been so distant too, way too stressed about them both. He doesn’t know how to relax anymore. I suggested the therapy, but he is reluctant. The AA is already taking too much of his time. At least he is trying for the family, for the love between us. He is a good man.
[[Kitchen]]
[[Go outside]] The cat purrs and enjoys his pets, but on a moment’s notice jumps and hides at the neighbor’s: the family arrives, as usual, with a scandal.
They all arrive almost at once, both the eldest and the dad screaming at the phones until they see each other.
The younger one comes a minute later from across the street. Solemn and indifferent, as ever.
“What [[time]] is it already? I told you to get here earlier!” the husband shouts.“Why does it matter? You’re here only now yourself,” the elder one retorts. He isn’t shouting, but he has this commanding tone that doesn’t really help to hear it otherwise.
“It’s time to get to the event, everybody,” I say nonchalantly. “I will [[take the dish]], and you should start the car”.
“Hey, mom,” the elder one stops for a moment the argument to give me a kiss in the cheek and a deep hug. Husband waits for his turn, it’s a short pause to show me their problem is just between them. Despite what they both say, they are so alike and act exactly the same at times.I go inside for the event dish, The youngest follows me. Their age difference is barely 2 years, but it is hard to tell from their looks. They almost pass for twins at times.
“Hey mom,” he whispers behind me.
“Hello, sweetie,” I look back. He doesn’t look too good on a closer inspection.
[[“How was the therapy?”]]
[[“Did they offer different meds?”]]
[[Older one get’s inside too.]]“Oh, the usual, “he answers noncommittally. He never speaks of it much.
[[Older one get’s inside too.]]“No, it’s too early to try, maybe next week,” he looks away as his voice trails off to the sound of the noise outside.
[[Older one get’s inside too.]]“He’s already drunk!” he exclaims, “I knew it would happen like that!"
“I’m not drunk! That was non-alcoholic beer!”
“Yes? Well then your *behavioral baseline* dropped to shit.” He retorts using the same way he got reprimanded growing up. He is reasonably spiteful, the treatment was unfair. The issues with the younger son took too much attention from me to course-correct in time, but at least they are on talking terms again.
So, [[who’s driving the car?]] younger one pitches in.There’s a silence for a moment, he’s been so passive for months that everyone is a bit taken aback by his enthusiasm.
[[I can drive.]]
[[Give the keys to the elder son.]]
[[“Do you want to drive, dear?”]]
[[Pass the keys to the husband.]]
[[Stay at home instead.]]“I’m in the mood to enjoy the road today, boys.” Nobody stops me, they think being a housewife is so boring to me, that I’m eager to drive the car. It can be at times, but I also genuinely like driving.
“Well, if you want, dear.”
[[Start the car]]He expected it. He has been playing the dutiful role of the reliable son for too long, despite his rebellious moments. He took after his father, all the best things about him.
[[Boys sit together, I - with the husband.]]The younger son takes the driving seat. Maybe the therapy went better than he said. He is a bit nervous, but there’s a slight smile on his face, mischievous.
[[Boys sit together, I - with the husband.]]I know he isn’t drunk yet, he keeps his promises to me each time, regardless of what anyone may assume. But he will be after the event, so someone has to stay refreshed and sober.
[[Boys sit together, I - with the husband.]][[Everyone agrees to stay]]It is a tempting idea because everyone knows the conflicts will not end this second. Everyone is too stressed and tired of this repetitive cycle, but it keeps happening like a tradition of sorts.
“We can spend [[the evening together]], play some board games. The event will be always there next year. It’s not good for everybody to go in a bad mood.”The evening passes fast, it was a good decision. The younger one looks more relieved than ever, he is not very hungry because of the meds, so he skipped the meal and almost avoided the kitchen all together. He has some weird ticks at times, this OCD like symptoms, the only thing he seems to share with the dad, except the face.
Both husband and the elder one shared a beer and praise the dish I prepared for the event.
[[Morning.]] Despite implausible odds, you managed to turn against the major course. The Timeline P015*** averted. At least for this day.
End 2/2.
[[MENU]] I almost believe we can start a new leaf.
Of course it doesn’t work like that, not with this family’s *curse*.
We pass by the difficult curve, and [[the car loses control.]]You’re dead on the impact. [[There was no pain, you got lucky. ]]I almost believe we can start a new leaf.
Of course it doesn’t work like that, not with this family’s *curse*.
We pass by the difficult curve, and the car loses control.
[[The brakes don’t work.]]
The collision is unavoidable at this point, as I found out this too late. I try to turn the car around, but instead it flies into the air.
I wake up in the hospital, everything hurts, but I can somewhat move. I can’t breathe due to the collapsed lung, as much as to the crippling realization and fear of the answer I fear to ask a question for.
[[Press the button to call for help]]
Nobody comes. I try my best to get outside. They must be somewhere next to me. I check the documents outside the doors, until I find our surname, [[***]].
"I’m sorry," the sudden whisper in my ear, "your role in this story is to die!"
The hand covers my mouth, as the needle gets into my neck. I recognize the voice… I know *this voice*…
[[There was no pain, you got lucky. ]]You can hear the distant sounds… The last thoughts in your head try to form in vain, as your consciousness drifts away, forever.
End 1/2.
[[MENU]]