At Veronica’s apartment in Brussels, Zach woke up even before the sunrise. He paces around the living room, equating if he should wake up his sister. He barely slept, kept waking up every twenty or forty minutes.

  Ever since their parents broadcasted to the world everything they did, their lives turned upside down. Reporters camped outside Veronica’s apartment for days. They stopped going outside altogether.

  Yesterday, when finally some resembnce of normality glimpsed. A man knocked on the door, told him in French to get ready, they’d be meeting their parents on the next day.

  He cked the nerve to tell Veronica anything. Instead, he packed everything for him and her and decided to lie. Tell her they are going away for a bit.

  Veronica gets up, as always, at seven. She meets him, barely saying a word, not looking him in the eye, and carefully grabs everything in the kitchen to prepare her breakfast. She’ll take approximately five minutes to prepare everything and another fifteen to eat. Then, she’ll wash the dishes and let them dry. Take a shower for five minutes. Collect the clothes she set aside the day before. Do her skincare routine for five minutes. Brush her hair. Get dressed. All in ten minutes.

  He sits in the living room, with their backpacks and trolleys standing next to the front door. She shows up there.

  “All set, Vero?” He smiles.

  She nods only and looks at the door.

  “Let’s go.” He grabs his things and opens the door.

  A private ride awaits outside.

  ***

  Sofie is in the gym by herself. It’s te in the night. Megan has already left. Alex shows up there.

  “I used to be the loner in this house. Are you trying to steal my spot, dear?”

  “No, I still have my sister. That number one spot is yours.”

  “Pushing people away with sarcastic remarks. Is that all we have in common?”

  “No, we both dye our hair. What’s your natural color?”

  “Tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine.” Alex smiles widely.

  “Come here.” Sofie raises her hand and gestures for him to come closer.

  He smiles and slowly goes nearer until they are right in front of one another. She grabs his hand and puts it on her hair, close to the root. He grabs a lock of her hair, softly raises it and sees the blonde growing at the root.

  “I’ve seen the photos of Marianne before she had any gray in her hair. Is this her color?”

  Sofie nods and takes off his hand. “Your turn.”

  Alex grabs his wallet and takes a photo from it. When he was ten. A small, light skin, dark blonde boy. Not smiling. Next to his parents, who both smiled.

  “Stephanie Williams rarely showed herself. Few pictures exist of her. She’s beautiful.”

  Alex grabs the photo and puts it inside his wallet.

  “Are you more like her or him?”

  “Neither, I think.” Alex smiles briefly. “I don’t think they were cut out to be parents. Their intentions were good. I want to believe so. They loved and respected one another. They loved me. That’s not enough to be a good parent.”

  “What makes you say that?”

  “My father spent more time away than at home. My mother… I think she lived in her own reality. No one could reach her. She would just spend her days with the computers. Detached from everyone around her.”

  Sofie puts her hand on Alex’s shoulder.

  “Amy, the monster that everyone feared, was the one to show me love. That was taken from me. I was too powerless to do something about it.”

  Tears form in Alex’s eyes. Sofie puts her hand on his face, cleaning them before they fall off his face. She takes off her hand, and he grabs it, pulling her closer to him. Sofie smiles before leaning in for a kiss.

  ***

  On the next day, Megan is working out at the gym te in the evening when Rachel comes in.

  “Megan, I owe you an apology.” Rachel closes the door behind her and takes a few steps forward.

  Megan steps away from the treadmill and faces her.

  “When you came back, I should’ve just been happy that you were alright. That your sister saved you. Instead, I let my paranoia ruin things. I accused her. That was unfair. She’s welcome here.”

  Megan uncrosses her arms. She sits on the floor.

  “How are you feeling? Are your powers-”

  “Gone.”

  “It’s a matter of-”

  “Time?” Megan taps her hand on her knee.

  “Of course. They’ll be back.”

  “Death’s gone for over fifteen years. Never came back. Why would the others do?”

  “I can absorb them.”

  “You could always absorb them. Doesn’t mean that I can use them. It’s a blessing in disguise, really.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “Rachel…” Megan gets up and walks toward her. “Powers aren’t a gift. They’re a curse.”

  Megan moves past her and heads to the door.

  ***

  Aymee stands outside Marianne’s room. She takes a few breaths in and out before knocking on the door. A few seconds ter, Marianne opens it wide with a smile on her face.

  “Thank you for coming.”

  “Sure, Dr. Olsen. What’s going on?” Aymee heads inside.

  Marianne closes the door and turns around. Walking slowly behind her.

  “Are you still experiencing side effects?”

  “It’s been a week. Of course not.” Aymee rolls her eyes. “Why am I here?”

  “We haven’t had a chance to properly speak.”

  “Speak?”

  “Yes, since what happened.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about.” Aymee sits on the chair and Marianne sits in the one in front of her.

  “Mmm, I’m the Ice Queen, Aymee, and you’re the one acting so cold-hearted.”

  “Is there a question there, Dr. Olsen?”

  “Why are you acting colder toward me now than when I had no memories? Why are you so distant?”

  “I avoided looking back. Recalling everything we went through together. It was easier. Seeing you every day was painful enough. No need to add to the pain. When I brought back those memories, from your point of view… it isn’t the easiest thing to deal with.”

  “I imagine. Can I make it a little easier somehow?”

  “No.” Aymee gets up. “If this is why you asked me here, Dr. Olsen, I think it’s time for me to get home.”

  “Aymee.” Marianne gets up and puts herself between her and the door.

  “What?”

  “Why didn’t you tell me about Edward?”

  Aymee shakes her head and focuses on the other side of the room. She takes a few seconds, staring at it. “Why did you never ask?”

  “Don’t deflect, please.”

  “I mean it. I always answered truthfully to all your questions.”

  “Just answer it now, then.”

  “It’s the same question. Same answer. You never asked, and I never told you because we both knew.”

  “Knew…?”

  “That we wouldn’t survive it. Our retionship isn’t strong enough to handle the truth. None of it is real. We lived off a fantasy.”

  “Mmm, and yet, the truth is out now. Reality is here, Aymee. I don’t care that you work for Edward. I care that you have been avoiding me and acting so cold.”

  “What do you want?”

  “I want to know why.”

  “I finally understand what you told me that day. ‘You can’t love someone who hates themselves.’ I agree. I believed your feelings weren't as deep as mine. But you loved me, and yet, you hurt me in unspeakable volumes. You hurt everyone who cares about you, and worse, you hurt the ones you care about. You’re completely broken.”

  “I am. However, I admit it. I’m less broken with you. We bring out the best in one another.”

  “No, Marianne, you bring out the worse in me.”

  “Fair enough, Aymee. I’ll leave you be.” Marianne goes closer and hands her one of the photos from Norway, “I know it’s still a few days until Christmas, but… I would like you to have it. Thank you for returning my memories.”

  Aymee grabs the photo. The isnds are covered in white.

  “Looking back, those days were the happiest I had in a long time. I wish I’d stayed there.”

  “Well, buy a ticket and go.”

  “No, Aymee. I wish I’d stayed when we were there. Now, there’s nothing there for me.”

  “You say that, Marianne, but we couldn’t have stayed.”

  “No.” Marianne looks away. “You were getting married.”

  “No. Because your daughters are your life. They are here. So will you.”

  ***

  After over five hours of driving, Veronica and Zachary arrive in a small town in the Nethernds, next to the border with Germany. The car leaves them on a Bed and Breakfast and they check in. Their parents will arrive in a few hours. All is set.

  They order room service. Veronica is on her phone and Zach keeps looking out the window.

  The sun sets and their parents haven’t arrived yet. They order room service. Veronica switches to her ptop. Work-reted issues she has to fix. Zach heads to the lobby, he goes outside, heads back to the room.

  Veronica doesn’t notice him pacing around the room.

  Two hours ter, the phone in the room rings and disrupts their silence. Zach picks it up. The front desk tells him that the police is downstairs. They want to see him.

  No. “Vero, there’s some issue with my credit card. I’ll take the other one and deal with it. Okay?”

  Veronica doesn’t raise her eyes while he leaves.

  His heartbeat is over the roof. His thoughts overcome him. The police. Why? His rapid breathing makes him lose focus. He finally reaches the lobby. Two police officers stand there.

  “Zachary Lewis Parker?” One asks.

  “Yes. That’s me.”

  “We need you to come with us to the station. We found two bodies and we believe them to be your parents. Please come with us to identify them.”