Remember To Forget

2

Jonathan

It was always paradise with her, like the sun never set and if it did, it was the most beautiful thing to behold.

Those were Jonathan's thoughts as he rinsed the dishes in the sink then he called out for Katey twice but she didn't answer. 

She always did.

"Katey... Katherine!" He shouted.
He dropped the foamy plate and rinsed his hands. He needed to know if she wanted her lunch in the bedroom or dining.

"Katey, where are you?"

He checked her room, the palor then he saw her standing in the balcony. She was wearing her barbie night dress and holding 'Mr. Mike', her teddy bear. 

He walked up to her, slowly. Why wasn't he walking faster? His palm was damp with sweat and he could feel the fear through his spine as he called her again. 

"Katey baby, dad has been calling you?" He got so close, almost standing beside her.

"Sweety, look at daddy." He placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her to face him, gently. 

It wasn't Katey. It was his wife, Laura.

"Laury, what are you doing here?"
Standing in front of him was a child, clutching so tightly to her teddy bear, eyes so brown and stained with tears. Her face was exactly like Laura's.

He looked closer and saw that it wasn't 'Mr.mike', he has never seen this toy before, he bought all Katey's toys, but this wasn't Katey. It was Laura.

Or at least a little girl that looked like her.

Her clothes were torn and stained with blood. Her tears were no longer transparent but red, blood red. He could taste his fear now, it was vile.

"Laury, baby. Oh God!" He brought her to his chest with a pull and a light squeeze. He cried silently into her neck. His heart was trembling at the sight in front of him. It made him remember, his heart couldn't take the memory of what was almost lost.

"Are you okay?" He spoke into her shoulder. "Talk to me darling."

Referring to her as his wife but seeing a child wasn't Jonathan's greatest bewilderment.

It was the fact that he couldn't feel her breathe on his chest. He always did. He pulled her away, her young, broken face a few inches from his.

"Laury, can you hear me?" He was sacred of her response.

"Maggie." She finally spoke.

"What are you trying to say baby?" He moved his ear closer to her lips.

"Maggie." She whispered.

He heard her. He was confused, his first thought was, why was she talking about the famous Nigeria food seasoning.

"Save me, please!"

"Laury, I want to help you bu..." 

She erupted from of his arms and screamed, "Maggie!" repeatedly. She waved her little arms over her head and kept on screaming and tearing her clothes in anguish.

Jonathan didn't know who the person or child in front of him worse, the face he recognized but everything else left him insanely dumbfounded.

She suddenly stood still again, clutching to her toy. She looked him straight in the eyes. 

"My name is Margaret." She deadpanned.

He shook with fright as her toy transformed into dust and her dress fell off her body, to ashes. "Save me Nath." From her young lips, came the marture voice of his dying wife.