Chapter Text
I didn't know what happened.
One moment I was driving down a long stretch of road, the next I was pulling up at my destination, that being my late mother’s home. I try to recall what I had been thinking about while driving. Nothing comes up. Another memory gap. Damn.
What time is it?
I check my car's clock. 6:47. I lost an hour this time. I can shrug it off, nobody else was in the car with me, I went on this trip by myself. Picking up the last of my mother's things from this old house of hers.
I step out of the car and walk up to the door, and step inside. Honey light filled the empty entryway as I stepped inside. I take a moment to marvel at the way the light shone on my skin, and on the walls, making everything seem like a soft orange or shades of brown, for just a moment, before the illusion seems to fade, and my eyes adjust to the color in the stark shadows.
I take a deep breath, shuddering at how empty the childhood home seemed, The only sounds being the creaking of the planks underneath my feet and the squeaky door hinge. It's funny, I think, That I refer to this as my childhood home when I'm no older than 23. I moved out only four years ago, mostly by dumb luck and a group of good friends.
I remember the days where me and my brothers would run down this hallway, shooting nerf darts at each other. I remember how Cade slipped, spraining his wrist catching himself. We weren't allowed to run around in just socks anymore. It was either indoor shoes or nothing. I take a minute, letting myself think back on this fondly. I pause, The smile slowly dropping, and head further into the house.
I can’t let myself get distracted by that. Let’s go.
I head into the house and start carrying out packed up boxes. I let my mind wander as I carry things out, Leftover boxes of dishes, collectibles, plushies, etcetera. Toby came in a few days ago to grab the old clothes and such, Promising to donate the ones none of us wanted to keep. The bright orange sunlight has lowered, casting the shadows far across the ground like snail trails from the subjects.
I head back inside to look over everything, making sure I didn’t leave anything in the house, going through each room. I look into the dining room, and it almost looks like there’s a clock, intricate in design, hanging in the corner, fitting with the shape of the corner and entirely monochrome. The glow of the sun’s rays coming in through the large, sliding glass door doesn't even seem to affect the thing. I blink. It’s gone. I look around, puzzled, but take it as a figment of my imagination. I really need sleep, I assume, and head out to return to my car with the last of the things.
I text Cade to let him know I’m coming by to drop things off, and start driving. Pulling a u-turn, almost hitting the mailbox, I start heading back home. I silently hope that I forgot something, the nagging pull to return making me wonder if I was intended to find something.
I’ll come back tomorrow, I think. Yeah. That sounds like a good idea.