The two sides of the same coin

Chapter 1~ A Different time

9/19/2048

There wasn't a time when I could remember when my family looked like its picture. The picture of a perfect family where nothing mattered who you were, well that's what I thought.4 years ago I was still with them, 4 years ago I was still a kid with a normal-ish life, 4 years ago I was still a mortal, but no that has had change all because of that day.

I walked to the last house on Spring Roll Street, the fence was grown over in ivy and the house had overgrown bushes covering the windows. There was still the sign on the gate that every day after school I would come by and draw a smiley face on. But now the rain has washed all signs of it off. The lock on the gate had rusted over and could barely open. “Home sweet home,” I say as I take in what happened while I was away. A few drops of rain fall from the sky as I walk up the old gravel path to the door, caution tape still surrounds the edges of the house though it has been 3 years since that case. The sound of the crunch of the leaves echoes throughout the place. I looked at my hand wanting to reach closer to it, but as my sleeve rolled up my arm it exposed one of my stitches.

As I reached the door a little kitten, not only more than 5 weeks old, had walked over to me, it was a full black with a white spot directly over its left eye. I reach down and pat it on its head, as I open the door, the cat leads the way in as the sunlight floods in from the little cracks of the widow not covered in vines. The cat seemed to stand still and hiss as it entered the kitchen as a mouse ran by. I laugh a bit but not too much, this was my home, for over 14 years of my life, I used to play in these walls as a kid, and worked at the table for science fair projects, but all those remain don't stain here anymore. The kitten came back to me when I went to go upstairs. Upstairs was where the bedrooms were, not all of them had been moved from the way it was before, such as my door which still had the sign that said Home is not where there is a roof over your head, it is where family is. I looked toward the sign and grabbed it off the wall with anger. My mother had said those words over and over again like on a loop but it still pained me to understand what all went on in my room. The kitten seemed to just stare at me beckoning me to go into my room.

4 years seemed like forever once I had run away, the walls were still painted a soft lilac colour and the ceiling had the sticky stars up there arranged into patterns of the constellations. I decided to head over to my bed next to the window, there was one moment I remembered from all the bad ones. Nathen had just got home from school, Dad had left about an hour ago and I was alone in the house, then coming to see what I wanted for dinner he walked in on me struggling with a task I had to do to complete the picture I was working on, he took my hand in his and carefully showed me how to cut a ribbon from the delegates on just a scissor cut. he helps me finished the project. Still, I remember vividly how his voice was when he showed me that, there was a song that he used to hum all the time, something like Little Miss Mary in black. There was something I never showed him which I felt was something I wanted back for this place the only reason I was here. I opened the safe lock drawer that had rusted open, inside there was a family of mice eating a little thing of Cheese and the locket. It was a rusted green now since the copper had turned, But the lock was still in place on it. The rose glistened on it like it was still brand new. The kitten that had waited beside the door had turned to me it seemingly wanted to say “You go your shit let's get the fuck out of here before they began to worry”. I stand up and brush off my bed, I didn't want to ruin the good memories that still got held in this home, for what it was. I shut the door and walked out of the hall until I passed Nathens room, it was still clean like the way he always left it, and the books on his desk were still open. Something wanted me to go check out his room but I couldn't bear the sight to look at it, it was just something that stirred inside me saying “Hey go to his room, there's something there”. All I could pull myself to do was close his door, a little thing that he told me to do when he left that way Alexander our cat did go in there. I walk back down the stairs the kitten still following behind me, without thinking I put on the locket, it stung a little because of the cold metal touching my warm body. I take one last look around and see that the kitten has gone off. “Not my cat,” I think to myself as I walk to the front door, the sky has darkened and the sun started to set in the east. I closed the door and began my walk home. 

Home isn't what I call it, it is more like a resting place. Whenever we have a free day or go out to explore for experiments I normally go. It is not every day here that you get to see the rainfall. “Ace, where have you been?” Melody said that it was her job to take care of me but I wasn't some child anymore. “I was just outside nothing much and look I got back before dark, I say pointing out the only window I had inside my room. I looked out it some more as Melody sighed in relief, I was afraid something might have happened to you, she said still a little shaken.” no you weren't, I said my tone firm” You were afraid you would get fired because you lost me that it” still looking out the window, I had to shut the curtains at night and can't fall asleep either otherwise I won't wake up and that was fine with me because hell I had a hard time sleeping anyways. Melody walked up beside me, “new necklace” she said as she pointed to the chain of the locket.” yeah” I said still in a firm tone, I looked at her, her eyes were a pale hazel colour and had little hints of gold in there that matched her sandy blonde hair. Colours were always the main thing that brought me to certain people, the colour of the stone interested me more than anything else.

Melody I say as I flop onto the bed beside me, it wasn't big but still holds my 6`8 body on it. “Hey Melody?” I ask her, she normally gives me one question per night that helps me calm down my racing mind. “Yes, Ace what is your question?” Melody said her voice soft and soothing. “What is a happy family like,” I asked that question myself from the first day I arrived here and now it hurt me more to know the answer after visiting my childhood home. “well, she stared after thinking for a second, “a happy family is always there for you through the rain or snow, that excepts you as their child no matter who you are” she seemed to smile at the answer she was giving. I could tell that she was thinking of her own family.” and where love and friendship hold you all together,” she said finishing her thought. “Okay,” I say as I look towards the window she had already closed the blinds and was getting ready to leave. “Have a peaceful night Ace I'll see you in the morning?” Melody said as she began to walk out of the room, turning back to me and saying “Also even if you do not believe me you will have your own happy family, you just got to look for it” as she turned out the door and locked the door behind her.

I stood in the center of my room, it was like a cell but this was more comfortable instead. There was a window on the left side a bookshelf with self-help books and a table with drawing supplies on it. I normally spend most of my day at the table colouring or drawing what I remember from everything, but this time I drew 4the kitten, the little kitten at had shown me my home again.

Melody walked in when I was finishing up the last of the detail eyes.” wow I didn't know you could draw” she said as she came to sit next to me, I just nodded and looked at her, she had more makeup on than the day before, I seemed like she was trying to mask something. “dr. Melody, is something up” I ask not looking at her but still at the kitten that looks like it is popping up from the paper. “Oh 'it's nothing, Ace,” she said, her voice shaky” Just had a rough night that's all”. I look at her then back at the kitten, listen I don't need the shit yall gave me to see that you're not okay and don't bullshit me about the rough night shit again okay” I say now staring into her eyes, they were beginning to fill with tears.