While I’m in bed sick, I thought I’d update the blog with a little teaser.
“Grace, what started out as a desire to get my family back turned into me destroying everyone else’s families. Yours specifically. I wasn’t thinking at the time. My vision was clouded by vengeance and greed. Do you know where it got me? The greed got me millions. So much there’s no way I can ever spend it. The vengeance got me nothing, aside from millions of people who wish I was dead.” The tears on his eyelashes clump them together, making them look much fuller. “I know it doesn’t mean anything to you, but I’m so sorry.” He wipes his eyes with the back of his hand, and turns to me, his head slightly shaking from keeping down more cries. “I think I’ve come up with a plan that gives us both something we want, but it won’t be enough to make us completely happy.”
I shift uncomfortably, not really sure what to say. Chris acting normal is unsettling. Chris vulnerable? That’s something else entirely.
“What do you want?” I ask cautiously. I’m afraid to say anything and make what he’s feeling leave.
“I want you to take me through the mirror.” When I start to shake my head, he puts his hand on top of mine. It’s warm. “For the last time,” he says quietly. I freeze, watching as one tear slides down his cheek. “I want you to take me back to that day my family was killed. Help me save them, Grace. I want to wake up tomorrow with parents and siblings who love me. I’ll take it through memories over what I woke up feeling like this morning. I want to be the man my mom was trying to turn me into. I want to follow my dad around the house in awe at everything he did. I want to brag to everyone I talk to about my brother. And I want Gwen to look at me like she used to. Like I matter. My older self wanted me to follow in his footsteps, but I don’t want to. I don’t want to feel like this anymore. I hate what he’s done . . . what I’ve done. I can choose differently now. I haven’t done those awful things yet, and I don’t have to, but I can’t without you. I need you.” His hand grips mine tighter.
That feeling I got last time I was with him? That dark, all-encompassing hate? Where is it now?
“Will you help me?” he asks.
In my head, my answer is immediate. I smile at him as a soothing calm settles my stomach. Everything is going to work out. This Chris hasn’t done all those horrible things. He isn’t evil yet. I can save him.
I’ll have Mom, Dad and Shane back. Dad would have never built the mirror, and our lives would have never turned so dark. The stone wouldn’t have consumed Dad. He would have never known Chris. He never would’ve built the machine to take him to that awful place and make him see a world that was possible. He would have never met Mom and . . .
He wouldn’t have met Mom.
I’m so stupid.
If I take Chris back, he’ll wake up tomorrow with the stone, untouched by Dad. He’ll have his family and the stone. And I won’t exist.
Wait, whaaaaaaat?? Sneaky Chris….tsk tsk tsk.
Home comes out next month!
Whoa…next month? HOLY COW! HOME COMES OUT NEXT MONTH!
*breathes heavily into brown paper bag*
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