Human Spines

Trying So Hard Not to Forget-I

Emmeline

        Nothing she's saying is making sense and I don't think she knows it. She spoke about young Hans and told him she loves him. She told Dumaine to change his face, but now she's stroking it. The blood is slowly seeping away, just like Hans's did. This is the all-respected Reaper-Mother, and she reeks of pineapple.

        "Why'd you do all of this?" I want answers. "Why'd you hurt them and let Amistifer change me? Why'd you lock Illyvimsius in a mirror and create a creature that would suck out brains? Why'd—"

        "You ask so many questions. Come in here, this way." She interrupts me. Pushing Dumaine in front of her, she starts walking. Don't get mad at her don't get mad at her don't get mad at her. We walk, but the ground moves at the same time, keeping us where we are as the walls around us change. They shift and curve until—

        We're standing in Washington. In my house. In my room. But my bed isn't here. Instead, there's this pink tea table. Ten thousand dollars worth of china and decorative foods lay across it.

       "Sit. But not upside down. And don't touch the underneath of your seats." The Reaper-Mother warns. We follow instructions, careful of where we place our hands. "I don't know what's in these teapots, but it tastes very good. I wouldn't drink any if I were you though. It screamed when it slid down my throat earlier. And I don't think you're supposed to chew tea."

        I don't think she really knows who we are. Or at least when we are. She seems to be pulling information from both our pasts and futures, like she's lived it all. She hugged me like we were best friends. And the way she spoke to Dumaine. And there's something up with her dog. It's an actual dog, not a Demon dog. It's sniffing the air, paying attention to everything going on as it lies behind her. Why's she have an actual dog?

        "Krissy told on you, you know. Said you played a song and it poisoned her. I told her she was supposed to plug her ears, idiot child. She threw a fit and stepped through the wrong door. She's been quiet ever since. But it really hasn't been too long, has it? Emmeline, what'd you do with your father?"

        I'm making a new plan. I'm going to have a simple conversation with her. "I got Osinsius to... do something with him, so we could come talk to you. Shouldn't you know that already? And who is Krissy?"

        "Krissy is Osinsius's twin. I hate the name 'Krissy.' And worms aren't fast. I learn things hours after they happen. But your father, on the other hand, has a freaky obsession with knowing everything that's going on concerning any of the things he loves the moment it happens. Did you know he's actually just a big baby?" She presses her claws into her eyeball.

        "How'd you do it? How'd you create all the Demons? And what are they?" I ask what I shouldn't, anger bubbling in me.

        "Well they aren't Demons." She wiggles. "I wish they were, but they're not. The Translucent are simply mis-reaped humans. The ones who slid into the nothingness instead of the light." She moves her claws as if they're legs running across the table. "The humans who were too afraid to leave their life and tried to go back. But shhhh, most of them don't know they're dead humans." She's reaching across the table, sticking her elbow in the teapot. "Do you know how to pick a lock?"

        "What's that make you?" Dumaine ignores her question. He's sitting at the edge of his seat... soaking wet? Beside him, Hans is rubbing his head, like he's trying to stop a headache.

        "The Reaper-Mother. Well first I was just a Reaper and before that I was just... human. But that was sooooo long ago, wasn't it, Emmeline?" She's staring at my hands. "But that's far into your future. Look at how small you are! You'll always be that small, you know. I wasn't supposed to tell you that. Do you think the French like French toast?" She watches Dumaine now.

        "What's happening? Here, with the Opaque?" I draw her attention back to me. Why is respect such a big deal to Amistifer if the Reaper in front of me doesn't seem to care about it at all?

        "Honestly, I don't know. There are things I do know, but the Opaque's agenda is not one of them. And I don't want to know." Her head shakes and I have a feeling she's also answering the question in my mind.

        "Why not?" Dumaine's voice is almost accusing.

        "Because. I know everything about my Translucent and the Opaque know everything about themselves. Even you. You just have to remember. You're bad at remembering. You all need to remember. Sometimes it's so hard, isn't it? So hard not to forget. Like that little girl, you remember her? Malinda. She kept your pulse, murder boy. And her eyes were so beautiful, weren't they Emmeline? You've met her mom, Hans. But you don't remember. We all should really stop forgetting." Her sloth claws shake as she crams them into her mouth.

        "What is it we need to remember?" I'm trying to get as much information out of her as I can.

        "How not to forget. Or how to remember. Or why he looks at his fingers when he plays or where Hans learned to dance or what happened to your grandfather. You can try to remember which questions Lochlan wouldn't answer and which things he said that were important and which things he himself didn't quite say but still communicated. You should really remember what your parents said to you and what lies people told you and what color your cup is. Emmeline, you need to remember your sisters. That will help you a lot. But sometimes we forget how hard it is to remember." We're all quiet as we stare at each other, trying not to forget. But the more you try to remember, the easier it is to forget.

        "And what is it, my darling, that you need to remember?"

        Hans's question land all eyes on him.

I know this chapter is super short but thank you all so much for reading! Don't forget to vote and comment!

Question: What names do you hate?