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She was back. She was finally back home.
Two years since her disappearance. Two Years. Call after call swarmed her phone when she returned, pilling up on top of the work she hadn't yet finished. She couldn't get a break.
Where she lay in her temporary bed she couldn’t quite grasp her reality as she woke. Everything was far too much, far too big as it covered her under masses and masses of tasks. She couldn’t get her sights on what she needed to do or how to do it, it all tumbled around her and slipped her grasp and scrambled past her mind. It was too much, and she was too little.
Every morning she would awake, and five or so minutes later her cousin-sister would walk in with a small breakfast and a drink. Marie had never liked it when Callie would eat in bed but now she brings it every morning. It was the only treat they’d get before she had to return to picking back up lost papers and filing. Filing, filing, filing. It was so utterly repetitive and the simple feel of the paper nearly had her bursting into tears. It was too much, and she was far too little.
Callie could only wait in bed, all while staring up at the ceiling. It didn’t bring much comfort, no, but she awaited the presence of Marie. She adored her, and their bond was like no other. Every day she dreads the thought of not being by her side. They were family, intertwined like two stray creatures who couldn’t bare to separate. Family was everything to them, and they were all that they needed.
The fabric under her body was folded beneath her, crumpled up and creating bumps under her back. When she clenched it with her fist it would fight against her thumb and press harshly against it. She could tug at it and feel as if the cushion would pull from under her.
“Callie, are you up?” Marie called from behind the door. She sat up in an instant. She was quick to try to call out but words were left heavy on her tongue. Instead, she clapped twice. Marie would know what she meant.
She watched from the bed as the door opened. From one side of the room, a window brought in light. Now, from the other side, the door brought light into the room.
She waved to Marie when their eyes locked and Marie smiled, waving back. She walked over with a small plate and cup. A few Pancakes were stacked on the plate with a slab of butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Beside them held a very small container, that held the perfect amount of syrup if she wanted anything. She held her arms out to hug Marie in thanks and waited for her to set the meal down.
The small bedside table held now her food, drink, and a stray lamp. In Marie’s arms also now held a pink inkling who was very determined to squeeze the darn life out of the squid. Marie wheezed softly as she hugged back, not at all minding the tight embrace.
“Can’t talk today?”
Silence.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Marie patted Callie’s head, letting the inkling lean against her and holding on as though her life depended on it. Her mind was blurred into a singular pink mass and everything around her felt like too much, and she was far too little.
In the domes, nothing was ever too much. Nothing would pile up into an unmovable mass that taunted her with an ugly chortle. She never was alone when she didn’t want to be, and she was never swarmed when it was too much. The surface’s order had started to choke her.
“You should start eating.”
Marie was right, but Callie didn’t want her to leave.
She slowly removed her grasp around her sister and patted the bed beside her, asking Marie to stay by for at least a little while. It was accepted and she grabbed her food so she could eat.
“Thank you.”
“Mm-hmm.”
The only response Callie could muster out was enough, for now at least. It wasn’t talking, not to her.
“You only have one more paper to finish for the payment and then you should be done for unfinished payments.”
Callie huffed, not wanting to think about work. Files make her head hurt. She felt her throat tighten simply having to think about the papers. She barely scraped through the mail she had gained while she was gone.
“I know you need a break, we both do. I’ll take you out to the Crust Bucket later if you’d like.”
She didn’t want to go out, she didn’t want to go anywhere. All she wanted was rest. She needed to fling the papers off the roof of a twenty-foot building and sob for absolutely no reason she can think of.
She shoved mouthfuls of the pancakes into her mouth and chewed half-heartedly.
“We don’t have to go today,” Marie started. “We can go later if you’d like.”
Callie nodded. That sounds nice. Doing anything today sounds terrible but doing something tomorrow? Now that’s a deal. Her sister hummed.
“Then it’s set. We’ll head over tomorrow.”
She finished eating and Marie patted her on the back.
“Thank you. Now, we need to get to work. I won’t have you do much today, ok? Just the one paper.”
She agreed half-heartedly. She could feel the sting of tears at the thought of doing any sort of adult work, but she’d bite through it for Marie.
—- :)! —-
Haha, yes! Finally!
Callie gave an exasperated sigh and smiled at her work. She sat on the ground, her knees being her chair as she finished the paper. It had all the information it needed, and she was so happy to finally be done. She flapped her arms a bit, giving out a trill in excitement.
She got up slowly before shuffling to Marie with the paper in hand. Something in her begged for some sort of praise, hoping that her sister would be proud of her work.
Marie smiled and carefully took the paper with a “thank you,” and quickly skimmed through. She nodded and looked back up at Callie.
“Great job, everything looks like it’s in order! I’ll mail it out tomorrow.”
Callie stepped back and forth on her feet, joy spilling out of her like a cloud as she shook her arms and legs.
“I’m glad you’re happy,” Marie chuckled. Everything was warm, the joy of finally completing something daunting to her (even if it was only a small piece).
But it was odd, something was off. What was it that she felt? It was like she was only half of her body, the rest filled with empty air and fuzz.
She patted Marie on the shoulder, wanting to ask a question.
“Hm? What’s up?”
Time for a game of Charades.
Callie patted her head and pulled her hand far up above herself as though she was measuring the height of someone else. Then, she placed a hand to her heart and then had her hand lower than herself, as though she was measuring a younger inkling.
“You’re… Too big?”
She nodded.
“Is it a problem with how you look?”
Nope. She shook her head.
“Do you feel younger than you think you should be?”
Yes! She nodded rapidly, before sitting beside Marie on the couch in the hopes she has an explanation.
“Ooh-“ Marie seemed to light up with realization and carefully turned to face Callie enough so that she’d know that she was talking directly to her (not that she already would know, anyway).
“Alright, you want the very in-depth explanation or one that I’d give a child.”
She put her fingers into a two, preferring the simpler explanation.
“Easy it is.”
Marie paused, likely thinking for a moment to figure out her words.
“Well… When you feel younger than your body, that’s normally a sign of age regression. It’s just where your brain is in a state where you are younger,” She twirled her fingers as she spoke, spinning her hand along her wrist.
“It’s hard to put into words but it’s just where your mental state is younger. I said younger too much, didn’t I?”
Callie personally didn’t think so. In her very honest opinion, it needed more “younger”s. Add another five and she’s got the point.
“Did you understand any of that?”
Yes. She nodded.
“Do you think that’s what you’re going through? Or do you want to know more?”
Holding up a two, she awaited further explanation.
“Well, it’s a coping or defense mechanism. It can be involuntary, due to stress, or it can be voluntary.”
Stress? Yeah, that sounds like it. Quite on point.
“Is there anything else you want to know?”
Callie shook her head. She has shaken her head quite a bit today. So much so, her head might start to ache.
Marie hummed. “Do you think that’s what’s going on?”
All that was left was to say yes or to say no.
Yes seemed like the right answer.
“Alright, do you know how old you are? It’s alright if you don’t,” Her voice was assuring as possible, urging her to be honest.
She held up one hand, and then the other. 7 felt right, it felt natural.
“Well then, how about we find something appropriate for a Seven-Year-Old Cal to watch?”
That sounds nice. Callie thinks that would be perfect.
Marie was the best sister-cousin she could ask for.