“Get back here this instant, Elizabeth!” I ignore my mother as I run, not even looking back, hiking the layers of petticoat up as I run. I’d already loosened my corset and slipped on my leather boots, so running wasn’t as difficult. But I’d forgotten how cumbersome it was to run in a dress.
“Elizabeth!” Mother screamed. This time I did look back. I saw her looking around for goodness knows who. Papa passed away nearly three years ago and my younger sister, Emmeline, certainly wasn’t going to hop on a horse and catch me. “I’ll not marry a man I do not love! You’ll never see me again so long as that’s what you expect of me!” I shout back, not slowing my step.
Mother cannot marry me off to an old man in exchange for financial stability. I will not be sold or exchanged. I won’t settle for a domestic life, trapped inside a hollow house. A prison cell is still a prison cell, no matter how many valuable possessions it is adorned with. I have too much I want to do. I keep on running, my mother’s contradictions slowly fading behind me.
I run and run and run. I turn left then right then left again, jumping over branches and dodging rocks until I tire so much that my feet cannot bear to take another step. I collapse onto the grass and roll around. “Freedom!” I yell in between gasps for air. I’m surrounded by nothing but grass and fog.
As I look up at the cloudy sky, I see an infinite world ahead of me. I could be an explorer and see the world on board a ship, or a writer who tells stories of wit and adventure. But what I want most, what I’ve always wanted, is to teach young girls and boys with a hunger for learning just as I had.
I slowly rise, tripping over the fabric of my dress as I stand. I take a deep breath in, and walk through the door of possibility, stepping off of the marked path, taking my first steps towards my new life.
“Last flight of the day.” Elise whispered to herself. She took a quick look at the clock. Midnight. Her stomach growled. “You’re almost there.” She thought. “Soon you can go home and order some Takeout.” She pulled at the white ascot tied around her neck. These stupid ascots, she thought. Whose idea was it to put her in an outfit this uncomfortable?
She looked at the screen to see that the plane was coming from Paris. At least she might encounter a cute French guy on her way out. “Door’s about to open.” The captain said over the intercom. Elise smoothed her hair down and looked down the hallway.
The first to emerge was a mother holding a screaming child in her left arm and a small toddler in her right. She looked quite distressed, as her attempts to ease the baby were woefully unsuccessful. Elise stepped out from behind the desk “Excuse me, ma’am, would you need-“ “I’ve got it!” Catrina, the other arrival staff on duty cut Elise off, running over to the mother.
Elise sighed. Catrina had a knack for getting out of things. Now she had to man the rest of the arrival alone. “You’ve got this, right Lis?” She plastered a smile on her face. “Yep!” She said in that peppy arrival staff voice. Catrina gave her an equally peppy smile. “Great!” She said before hurrying off with the mother.
Elise looked back at the hallway. The next group to pass through was an old couple. They were arguing about something. “Have a good evening!” Elise called after them. She was ignored, of course.
Her eyes followed the crowds of people. It was a lot of the same. Old men being wheeled out by airport staff, families with cranky children, couples arguing, and groups of young women laughing together.
The crowd thinned out as the last passengers got off of the plane, rolling carry-ons behind them. What a highly uninteresting flight, Elise thought. Not one cute French guy, no interesting quips of gossip, no weirdos. “That’s everyone” the Captain said over the intercom. “Arrival staff is free to close up and leave.”
Elise wasted no time. She struggled with the heavy door, eventually kicking it out of its locked-in place.
“Wait!” Someone called from down the corridor. Elise heard footsteps pounding against the ground. She used all her weight to stop the door from closing. A young man turned the corner, probably only a couple years older than Elise. He was wearing a black and grey flannel coat, blue jeans, and a grey T-shirt.
He ran to the door and held it for Elise, placing his muscular arm right next to her head. Elise’s breath hitched as she looked at him. The man was tall and lean like a soccer player. His eyes were a deep chocolate brown and his hair was black as night.
She awkwardly ducked under his hand to allow him to move through the door. “Thank you, miss.” The man said. Elise smiled and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “No problem” she said. “I fell asleep on the ride and I just… I’m sorry to keep everyone waiting.”
He was still panting a bit. “It’s really not a problem. This was the last flight anyway. Not like I’ve got anywhere else to be.” Elise said, packing her things up. The man smiled at her. “Let me help you. It’s the least I could do.” After some argument, Elise reluctantly gave in and let him carry one of her bags out to her car.
“Thank you, uh…” “Pierre.” The man said, holding a hand out. “And you are?” “Elise” she said, taking his hand. “bonsoir, Elise.” He said, kissing her hand. She blushed as he gave her the bag he’d been holding. He even ran to the other side of the car and opened the door for her. “Have a good night, Elise.” She smiled at the way he said her name, with a little accent. “Good night Pierre.” She said. He closed the door and waived before turning to walk back to the bus stop.
Elise couldn’t wipe the smile off her face as she fished in her bag for her ID, but instead her hand enclosed around a small piece of paper. She unfolded it and turned the overhead light on.
+33-655-571-540
Elise’s stomach filled with butterflies. She did meet a cute French guy after all.
Lena left the orphanage at nightfall. She stepped stealthily over the piles of children on the floor, sleeping five or six to a mattress. She kissed my cheek gently before she left, though at the time I’d thought it was but a mere dream. Part of me didn’t want to believe she was really gone. How could she leave without me?
I looked down at my bowl of porridge. I didn’t dare eat so much as a spoonful. Consuming that concoction felt like choking down a tube of superglue.
“Lucette Nobodé! You are requested in Mother’s office!” My breath hitched. I turned to see Sister Gale walking towards me. Why would she want to see me? Lena was one of the few friends I had in this wretched place, but I hadn’t a clue as to where she’d gone.
I slowly stood up, placing a hand on the table for support. “Lucy’s gonna get a spankin’ she is!” Hanna Nonæm shouted. The rest of the girls started to cause a ruckus, but the Sisters quickly silenced them. All I could hear was the hardwood floor creaking underneath my bare feet as I walked towards Sister Gale.
We climbed in silence up the stairs to Mother’s office. “Come in, my child.” she growled. My heart raced and my stomach did a flip, but I forced my trembling legs to keep walking until I stood face to face with her. She was a broad-shouldered woman, standing at just under six feet tall. Her black hair was tied neatly into a low bun, gelled back perfectly, with not a hair out of place. She gestured for me to sit at a stool in front of her desk.
“Leave us, Sister Gale.” Mother sat in her chair as the double doors closed behind me. “I’ve been led to believe that you were good friends with Lena Nowon. Is this true?” She asked in a stern voice. I met her eyes and nodded, silently. “Then I assume you’ve noticed her absence, am I correct?” I nodded again.
Mother slammed her hand on the desk, causing me to jump. “Use your words!” She shouted. “Yes ma’am.” I managed to squeak out, shaking harder than I was before.
“Lena was a special orphan, you see Lucette? She did an important job. Do you know what that was?” I scoured my mind. There were times when Lena had been absent from events, or when she would come late to bed, but she’d never told me of any special jobs. “No ma’am,” I said, shaking my head.
Mother’s thin, dry lips curled into a smile, displaying her yellowing teeth. “Perfect.” She hissed. She rose from her desk and pulled me firmly by the arm. With her free hand, she tilted a statue on her desk, triggering the bookcase on the wall to swing open, as if on a hinge. Digging her fingers into my bicep, she pulled me into the room.
At first, it looked like some sort of lab for there were microscopes, beakers and test tubes on a white table, but on one wall, a display of weapons was kept behind glass doors. Across from the lab-section of the room, there stood a desk with stacks of papers and photographs, and a big brown cork board hung behind the desk with papers and pictures pinned to it, all connected by red string.
“I have… many enemies, you see child?” She said, pushing me towards the desk. “And every ten years or so, I select one of my brightest and most loyal children to help me take care of business.” I tensed up as I began to realize what she meant. “You want me to… kill people?” I asked, my gaze shifting to the weapons on the wall.
“I prefer the word terminate.” She chuckled. “But don’t worry. You don’t have to choose. The decision has been made for you.” I turned my head just in time to see her inject my arm with a needle.
Before I could run or steam for the others, My head began to pound. I felt my consciousness take a back seat. I could no longer control my arms or legs. I tried with all my might to fight the mystery serum, but it was no use. “Now, my pet. For your first mission.” Mother slammed a picture onto the desk. My stomach dropped. It was Lena. “Hunt down the traitor, and bring her back to me… alive.”
“We’re through, Louis.” Those were the last words Shayna had said to them before walking away. That was more than three months ago.
Sorrow wondered why it was so easy for Shayna. After almost two years in a happy relationship, how could she walk away so easily? He wished he could see the emotes inside of her mind. Maybe they would know how to fix this.
Sorrow was at the front almost constantly. He woke the body up and coaxed it to sleep. It was alright for the first couple of weeks, but he was really starting to get tired of being the default emote.
When Sorrow wasn’t there, Rage took his place. When Rage fronted, the body would lash out, cursing at family members, slamming doors and ripping pictures of Shayna into pieces. But whenever Rage was finished with the body, Sorrow was immediately called back.
Fright and Shock laid fairly dormant after about a week after Shayna left. Sorrow was fronted too often these days for either of them to notice normal triggers. It was getting dangerous, for the body no longer cared to look both ways before crossing the street or watch the speed limit while driving to work.
Revulsion fronted only while eating, if the body even decided to eat anything. All of its favorite foods and drinks made it sick to the stomach, giving Sorrow a quick break. But Revulsion never lasted very long, and he was quickly pushed back, bringing Sorrow to the front once again.
But by far, the most heavily effected emote was Joy. He hadn’t fronted once since Shayna left. His normal golden glow faded to grey and his cheery attitude became dull and glum. Sorrow wished he would come back, because he was good for the body.
Without Joy, the body was wasting away. It wouldn’t eat, hardly slept, and pushed loved ones away, leaving it isolated and alone. It wouldn’t survive much longer without Joy. None of the emotes could survive without Joy.
Sorrow grew determined. He needed to save the body and the emotes, and so he ventured to do the unthinkable. Sorrow was going to bring back Joy.
**
Sorrow heard the doorknob twist and turned the body’s head towards the sound. As the door opened, Sorrow saw a pair of big emerald eyes staring up at him. It was their sister. “Good morning, Ruby” Sorrow said, his voice quivering. He did everything he could to hold back the body’s tears, to act cheery, but even the young body could tell that Sorrow was speaking.
Ruby opened the door more fully and stepped into the room, those eyes still looking up at Sorrow. Then, she smiled. “Bubba!” She said, her missing front teeth showing as she smiled wider.
That’s what did it. Joy hurdled to the front, and joined hands with Sorrow. His golden glow began to shine. It was dim, but shining nonetheless.
Sorrow and Joy, together, reached out and hugged their little sister. The body cried and smiled and cried some more, holding the little body as it rocked from side to side.
Joy was back. And though the body still needed to heal, in that moment, the emotes knew that things would be alright again.
Annabelle left her bar shift late that night. She walked back to her apartment at a brisk pace, her tidy ponytail swinging from side to side. She would have asked Matt to walk her home, but he hadn’t answered any of her calls. He was probably still mad at her for the other night.
She really didn’t think he was being serious when he said that he was being followed by a muscular bald man with sleeve tattoos and a handlebar mustache. Annabelle had laughed so hard she’d almost spilled her second glass of wine. “Ooo how scary, a circus performer from the thirties is following you home! Wait until the bearded lady joins him!” She said between fits of giggles. “It’s not a joke, Annabelle!” He snapped. She should have been more sensitive. Her brother wasn’t a joker.
But his story was just too absurd, and she was just too tipsy to handle it the way she should have. Matt kicked her out of his apartment that night. She tried to apologize, but the calls went straight to voicemail and the texts were left unread.
She really wished he would respond now. She hated walking home late, with only the street lights and the occasional homeless man for company.
As Annabelle approached west 52nd street, she decided to veer off her normal path and find Matt’s building. It has been two days without communication now, and she couldn’t handle it much longer.
As she started walking down the street, she noticed someone on the other side of the road. He was fairly built, probably in his late thirties, wearing a black beanie and glasses, and… weird, she thought. He had a handlebar mustache. Her heart started beating faster, but she brushed it off, dismissing the absurd thought that popped into her head. There are probably a ton of guys in the city with handlebar mustaches.
She continued walking, but realized that the man across from her changed directions, now heading the same way she was. She picked up her pace a bit, but ignored the man. She was just a couple blocks away.
First, the man removed his hat. Bald. Annabelle chuckled nervously to herself. Weird coincidence, she thought. She still picked up her pace though. Next, the man rolled up his sleeves. Tattoos. A sleeve of them.
Annabelle’s breathing sped up. Almost there, she told herself. Just a few more steps. She practically ran to the apartment complex, frantically pressing the buzzer for apartment 24C. “Matt, let me in please!” She said hastily, checking over her shoulder. The man was beginning to cross. Shit. She pressed the button again. “Matt, I believe you.” She whispered.
No answer. The man was within six feet of her. She checked her purse for the spare key. No luck. The man was right behind her. He touched her shoulder and she screamed. “I’m sorry ma’am. Didn’t mean to scare you. Just wondering if I could get into my building?” The man said in a smooth southern accent. Annabelle sighed in relief. Of course this man wasn’t following her. This was just his apartment building.
“I’m sorry about that.” She said, moving so he could unlock the door. “Are you trying to reach someone?” He asked. “My brother is ignoring me, if you don’t mind letting me in, I’d like to speak to him.” Annabelle said. The man smiled. “Why of course.”
Annabelle stepped into the apartment building, the man holding the door for her on the way in. “I’m over in 25C.” The man said. “Wow, right across from my brother!” Annabelle said. They walked up the stairs together and Annabelle knocked on the door. No answer.
Annabelle grunted in frustration. “I might have another key, hold on a minute.” She said. The man waited patiently, not opening the door to his own apartment yet. Annabelle’s hand enclosed around a small, metal object. “A-ha!” She proclaimed.
Annabelle put the key into the lock and twisted. The lock clicked and she turned the knob.
She let out a small gasp before a hand clamped her mouth shut and held her waist firmly. Matt sat tied to his dining room chair, mouth duct taped closed, and eyes carved into two X-es. Annabelle felt a sharp pain in her neck and started to loose consciousness, but not before seeing a slender young lady emerge from the bathroom, twirling the ends of her long beard between her finger tips.
Chrysanthemum Rose’s parents were gone. They were perfectly present when she left for school that day, but when came home, they were nowhere to be found. She first looked in the garage, where her mother’s make-shift painting studio resided, but all of the brushes and canvases were untouched. Then she walked up the stairs to peer into her fathers office. She was never quite sure what he did for work, but it had something to do with numbers. The door creaked as she pushed it open, and she entered the room, lit only by the blue light of the computer. No one was in there either. Chrysanthemum turned around to further explore the house, but before she got to the doorknob, the light of the computer changed, causing her to jump. “Chrysanthemum Rose” a low voice growled from the computer speaker. Chrysanthemum walked towards the screen, which projected nothing but grey static. “Yes, that’s me.” She said, tilting her head in confusion, her long, blonde, tangled hair falling around her shoulders. “Are you looking for your parents?” The voice asked, mockingly. “Who are you?” Chrysanthemum asked, crossing her arms. “I’m a friend, little girl. Your parents asked me to tell you where they were.” Chrysanthemum squinted her eyes and twisted her mouth into a pout. “I don’t believe you.” She said. “Come see for yourself. They’re at the park. They’ve saved the tire swing for you.” The voice chuckled before the computer screen went dark. Chrysanthemum stood at the computer a second longer before slowly approaching the window. The sky was grey and the scattered piles of frozen snow on the ground were speckled black with dirt. Why would her parents go to the park on a day like this, Chrysanthemum wondered. After a moment of contemplation, she walked back downstairs to the coat closet. Her parents weren’t at home, so she figured she might as well go outside and look for them. She shoved her feet into green galoshes, tucking her Levi’s into the boots. Over her black and blue striped T-shirt, she adorned a black windbreaker. Chrysanthemum left her house and began her search to find her parents. Chrysanthemum’s boots squeaked as she walked down the sidewalk. If she weren’t so focused on finding her parents, she might have noticed the eerie silence of her neighborhood. None of the children were playing, not a chimney was smoking, nor a window lit. ** After quite a bit of walking, Chrysanthemum reached the iron gates of the playground. She couldn’t see the swing set behind the thick foliage surrounding the park, so she flicked open the latch and pushed the gate open. As she stepped into the park, a brisk wind blew behind her and pushed the gate closed. Chrysanthemum found the tire swing, but could not find her parents anywhere. She walked up to the swing anyway, just to make sure they weren’t hiding somewhere. Upon arriving at the swing, she saw nothing. She slumped her shoulders. This was getting bothersome. Why were her parents hiding from her like this, and why would a voice tell her lies from a computer screen? She stepped into the tire swing and sat down for a moments rest. She did walk all the way across town to get here, so she figured she would rest her tired legs before she started on the way home. After a few minutes at the swing, Chrysanthemum felt energized enough to leave the park for home. She stepped out of the tire, but as she left, she found herself being pulled back by her sleeve. The chain of the tire swing had attached itself to her windbreaker’s sleeve somehow. She struggled with it a bit, trying to carefully remove the sleeve from the chain, but ultimately resorted to pulling her sleeve until the part attached to the swing ripped and her long sleeve turned into a three quarter sleeve. Chrysanthemum sighed in frustration, but nonetheless started to head back to the park entrance. She had almost reached the iron gate when she heard a familiar voice. “Chryssie dear!” Her mother called from somewhere behind the trees. “Mamma?” Chrysanthemum answered, turning away from the gate to follow the voice. As she walked, she saw two figures waiving to her. She raised her hand to waive back. Boom. Chrysanthemum Rose lay on the ground, eyes still open, hand over her head, as if she was waiving to the sky.
