by C. S. Harte
“Yes. Thank you.”
Helen poured a cup for Kayla and then one for herself.
Kayla looked around the room and at the odd portrait above the fireplace mantle. She noticed the painting was different again. The teenage boy was gone. The new portrait was empty, a landscape without the main subject. “Did you change the painting on top of the fireplace?”
“I didn’t, no.”
“But you do see that it has changed right? It’s not just me?”
Helen didn’t seem to acknowledge the question. “We have some rather important matters to discuss.”
Please don’t ask me about Emily or the escape plan. Kayla’s hands trembled as she sipped her tea.
“Right. I’ll get down to it then. I know you are trying to escape.”
Kayla sprayed tea all over Helen’s table.
“You do not deny it. Good. This will move faster. Here is what I know — feel free to correct me should anything be factually incorrect. You and Masa are the mastermind of a jailbreak so to speak. You’ve since recruited Jaime. Who in turn enlisted the rest. I’m not sure if Emily will join. It doesn’t seem she will at the moment. Aida and Brennan decided not to leave with you. Am I off so far?”
Kayla nearly dropped her tea cup. “No…”
“Why am I not actively trying to stop you?”
Feelings of panic and fear stabbed at Kayla’s chest, paralyzing both her mind and body. Kayla could only nod in response.
“Let me show you rather than tell.” She stood up from her chair. “Mr. Williams.”
Mr. Williams blinked in behind her.
“Please take us to Studio N.”
“Right away Governess.” He held out both his hands, one each for Helen and Kayla to take.
They blinked out of Helen’s office and into the Hollywood wing of Eden House, in front of Studio N.
“Thank you, Mr. Williams. That will be all.”
Mr. Williams nodded and disappeared.
Helen reached for the door handle. “Initus, Coventry, England, April 25th, 1920.” Then opened the door.
“This is the street I grew up on,” Helen said, her voice filled with a sense of nostalgia.
Kayla followed Helen's eyes. “Is that your house over there?” She pointed at a two-story, white Victorian home, one of only three houses on the street. Dark wood trim outlined the home's features. Brown wooden shingles capped the rooftop. There were four bay windows, two on the left side, two on the right that stuck out giving the home depth.
Helen’s eyes brightened. “Yes, it is. My father built it after he married my mother. I grew up in that home.”
“It’s lovely.” Kayla smiled.
They made their way towards the house. Three people came out to greet them. One five-year-old boy. One young woman, the nanny, holding another two-year-old girl.
“My children and my nanny,” said Helen. She rubbed at her eyes.
This is the first time I’ve seen Helen emotional.
The boy ran to Helen yelling, “Mommy, mommy.”
Helen bent low, inviting him to jump into her arms.
“He’s a sim right?”
Helen nodded. “Yes. They all are. But still real enough on occasion.”
How old was Helen when she was taken?
“This little one is Benjamin. And my baby girl with her nanny is Amelia.”
“They’re adorable.” Kayla pinched Benjamin’s cheek.
Helen lowered her son after giving him a big kiss and offered her hand for him to take.
They all continued towards the nanny.
“Afternoon Mistress,” the nanny said. She handed Amelia to Helen.
“Hello, my little darling!” She kissed her baby. “Did you miss me?”
Amelia giggled.
Helen gave her back to the nanny. “Please take them inside.”
“Yes, Mistress,” the nanny said.
Helen stared at them until they were all inside.
“They really are lovely kids,” Kayla said.
Helen’s smile faded. “I remember everything about this day. I remember the warmth of the air. It was unusually hot for this time of year. I remember the smell of fruit pie wafting through my neighbor’s window. I can hear the sound of little ones playing with their dogs. Because today would be the last day I would ever see my children.”
“You were taken against your will just like me and everyone else?”
“Not quite.”
Kayla gasped. “You chose to come to Eden House and be taken away from your family?”
“I have much more to this story. Let’s get out of the hot sun.” Helen gestured for Kayla to follow her inside the house.
Kayla was fascinated to see this part of Helen, finally getting an inside look into a very mysterious figure in her life. “This is a very cozy home. I can’t believe you would choose to leave this.” She followed Helen to the family room.
“Please, sit.”
Kayla sat down on a blue love seat with ornate wood trim. The room had a visually pleasing blue and white aesthetic. Every chair had floral embroidered throw pillows. The large bay window provided a fun reading nook that also gave a good view of the passersby on the street.
Helen grabbed the teapot from the table next to her. “Would you like some tea?”
“OK, thanks.”
Helen poured tea into two cups. The tea in Kayla's cup flashed blue for a split second before returning to a translucent color.
“As I was saying, there’s more to this story. A few weeks before this day, Benjamin had tuberculosis. Multiple doctors had informed us he was going to die. It seemed like such a certainty that we picked a casket and a grave plot close to my grandfather.”
“That’s horrible!” Kayla exclaimed, nearly shouting.
“Indeed it was. The pain of watching your child slowly wasting away… I hope you never have to experience it yourself.” Helen wiped away a falling tear.
Kayla fidgeted in her chair, shocked at the revelation.
Helen refocused her stare on Kayla. “Amelia was not faring much better. She was born eight weeks premature, you see. There was a strong possibility that I would lose two children in the span of a year.” The tears streamed faster. Helen used a handkerchief to dry her eyes.
“I’m so sorry.” Kayla was a daughter who lost her mother. Sitting in front of her was a mother who about to lose children. She began imagining what the final thoughts of her mother could have been when she knew she was going to die. Did she think of me? Silence filled the room as both Helen and Kayla drifted away in their thoughts, absentmindedly finishing their tea.
There was an odd metallic taste with Kayla’s tea. It burned her throat a little as it went down. However, Kayla was preoccupied with Helen’s story to think much of it.
Helen cleared her throat and continued. “Every night, for what seemed like weeks, I would pray to God to save them — to take me instead. What decent mother would let both her kids die before her? Had the worst case scenario happened and I lost both of them, I told my husband that he would need to find a new wife. I would not let my children face death without me.”
Kayla could not hold back her emotions as tears made their way down her cheeks.
Helen handed her a fresh handkerchief.
“One day, I made a decision that would forever change my life and that of my kids. A young, Irish fellow came to my door. At first, he wanted to come in for a glass of water. Then he heard Benjamin crying and coughing. I told him it was tuberculosis and that he should leave. The young gentleman said he had an immunity and knew of a cure. He proved it to me by fearlessly entering Benjamin’s room. He sat on his bed examining him. I asked him every question about the cure. The cost, the nature of it, the likelihood of success. He guaranteed it would work and the payment wasn't determined by him. I would have to discuss it with his master.”
“A Creatore?” Kayla asked.
Helen nodded. “I also asked if there was any hope for my daughter. He told me that he woul
d be back in the evening with a carriage and that I should bring both of my children to meet his master. My husband did not believe the fellow. He thought he was a grifter. At this point, I had nothing to lose. So I went without his approval.”
“You’re so brave.”
“Perhaps a little foolish. They brought us to a grand estate in the countryside. I never found out whose home it was, but it would not surprise me if English royalty lived there. We entered through a service entrance to avoid infecting anyone. We were left in a large guest bedroom and were told to wait. They gave us no timeframe. I was there for almost two days before I nearly changed my mind. The night I was about to leave, an Oriental teenager came into my room. You might know him as the person in the painting above my fireplace mantle.”
Kayla’s eyes widened. “Ahh, so that’s who he is.”
“He took one glance at my children and then at me. I remember the odd smile that crept onto his face. At the time, I found the smile off-putting and out of place. He told me that he would cure both my kids and that they and my husband will never want for a thing. In exchange, I would have to stay and work for him.”
“That’s when you agreed to be the governess of Eden House.”
“Yes, but there were a few steps in between. I asked to be given a few weeks with my children before I went to work for him. He agreed. We were all brought home the next day. I was skeptical, naturally but they were healthy and happy. It was a miracle. I had several good weeks with them before coming to Eden House. Later on today, I would go to bed like normal. The next day, I found myself here. My previous life vanished like a forgotten dream. But my children are alive because of what I did. Because of that, I would do it all over again.”
“You’re a good mom. It must have been very hard."
"It's so kind of you to say. I can see plainly on your face that you have questions. Please ask them."
Kayla nodded. “Why did the Creatore choose you? You didn’t mention having any talents.”
“We are far from the ending of this story. There is more you need to know. The Creatore didn’t exactly live up to the original promise made to me. While my kids did survive their hardships, they later found themselves in a different set of difficulties. I later learned they developed talents and were taken by other Eden Factions.”
Kayla held up her hand. “Wait, there is more than one Eden House?”
“Many. If nothing else, I hope you can see that I would do anything for my children. I do not care for my own life. Only that my kids will finally be free. Therefore, it’s in my best interest for you and your cohorts to escape. So that one day you can bring down the faction holding my children. I will help you escape in return for that promise.”
“I will have to talk it over with Masa and the group.”
“I understand.” Helen dug her hand into her dress pocket and removed the golden apple. “I have something I'm meant to give you.”
Kayla accepted the gift, examining it. “An apple? I’m not hungry.”
“No, silly. This is a very particular apple. It contains knowledge of something very personal, very singular to you.”
“Like what?”
“That I cannot tell you as I do not know myself. It’s different for every person.”
“I’ve read Snow White. I’m not going to take a bite.” Kayla tried to return it to Helen.
“I can’t take it back. The apple is bound to you. If you try to get rid of it, the apple will find its way back to you.”
“OK… How do I make it go away permanently?”
“The apple contains knowledge that you’ve been seeking. It will disappear in one of two ways. Either you consume it, or you perish before consuming it.”
“Will anything bad happen to me if I eat it?”
“I don’t think you will fall asleep for a thousand years if that’s your concern. The apple contains knowledge. The threat to you is how that knowledge will change you or how you perceive the world around you. Such is the case for all knowledge. In that way, the apple poses no more a threat to you than reading a book.”
Kayla fixated on the apple, holding it with both hands. The skin felt waxy like a typical apple, not metallic. It had an unexpected weight to it, but not so heavy as to be entirely made of gold. She brought it closer to her eyes and saw herself on the shiny golden surface. Knowledge that I’ve been seeking. That could mean so many different things!
Kayla opened her mouth to ask another question. Her eyes looked up, searching for Helen but she had already left the room.
38
Kayla returned to her bedroom after her session with Helen. She cradled the golden apple in her hands and plopped down on her bed.
The apple contains knowledge you’ve been seeking.
What could that be? She brought the apple to eye level, spinning it around, searching for clues that could reveal its secret.
It’s just an apple. Who gets hurt eating an apple? Kayla shook her head. “I don’t trust Helen.” She threw the apple in the trash can.
The apple made a loud thud as it settled into the bottom of the bin.
A yawn escaped her mouth. “What a long day.” She rested her head on her pillow. Thoughts of Helen’s kids floated in her mind mixed with images of Tommy and Izzy together. Did Tommy really move on? She closed her eyes allowing sleep to wash over her.
“Hey, what’s the matter?” a familiar voice asks.
Kayla opens her eyes. The brightness of the room overwhelms her eyes, forcing them to close.
“Didn’t get enough sleep last night?” The familiar voice grows louder as if getting closer.
“Tommy?” Kayla asks.
He didn’t respond.
Kayla’s eyes adjust to the light. She’s outside, in a moving car, riding in the passenger seat. I’m in Tommy’s truck!
She turns to look at the driver. He looks like Tommy, but older with scruff on his chin — I like it.
“If it’s not raining today we can go play fetch at the park.” Tommy pats Charlie’s head.
Charlie lies in the middle seat of the truck, not reacting to the affection.
They pull into a gas station. It's the one where she pushed a couple of overly aggressive boys into the food shelves.
“Time to go to work.” Tommy sighs and gets out of the car.
Charlie follows him out the driver side door and immediately heads to his doggy bed in the corner of the garage.
Kayla notices Tommy’s uniform and name tag. “You’re a mechanic now?”
Tommy doesn’t hear her. He walks to a monitor on the wall. “No cars in line today. Nice! Light work day,” Tommy says to himself and enters the convenience store part of the gas station to greet his boss.
Kayla follows. Walking into the store triggers a flood of memories. Cans flying everywhere. Shelves crashing down. Bottles breaking open. The faces of the boys she knocked out.
Now, everything looks normal. The shelves are back in place. There are no dents or marks to indicate a fight ever happened. It’s as if her time here didn’t leave an impact. Her shoulders drop — the world seemingly forgot she existed, already moving on.
Maybe that’s for the best. There’s no guarantee that we would escape. I could be stuck in Eden House forever. The world didn’t leave a positive mark on me. I’m not obligated to leave a positive mark on it… Kayla glances at Tommy before heading back into the garage. She sees Charlie standing behind her.
He’s sniffing the air as if detecting something familiar.
She drops to his height. “Can you see me, boy? I miss you so much.”
Charlie gives a small whine and lowers his body to the ground, lying on his side.
Kayla tries to rub his belly. Her hands pass through him like she was a ghost in this world.
Tommy comes over. “What’s wrong buddy? You OK? Did I give you something bad to eat?” He claps his hand, his usual way of getting Charlie to stand up.
Charlie doesn’t move.
“Are you
hungry?” Tommy walks to the pet aisle and returns with a beef jerky dog treat. “I got your favorite snack!”
Charlie raises his head to sniff but ultimately ignores it.
“I think I’m gonna bring you to the vet just in case.” Tommy picks up Charlie and carries him to the truck. Since there were no cars to fix today, Tommy’s boss let him leave early.
Kayla stands next to Tommy, her arms circling his waist. Thank you for looking after Charlie.
They made their way inside the truck.
“Gonna make a stop at home and then we’ll take you to the vet. Hang in there buddy.”
Tommy pulls into a trailer park, stopping in front of a blue and white double-wide trailer. “I’ll be right back,” he says to Charlie.
She follows him inside. Kayla half-expecting to see a shrine dedicated to her as a sign that Tommy still cares. Please don’t let me find a half-naked Izzy in the trailer. She holds her breath as she enters. Clippings of teenagers who vanished in the Austin metro area plastered an entire wall of the trailer. Some of the articles dated back over ten years.
She skims through each clipping and sees one with a photo of herself. One year ago today. Has it been a year already in Eden House?
Kayla doesn’t recognize any of the other people in the photos. She turns towards Tommy who's in the bedroom looking for something underneath his bed. He pulls out a metal box. A cash box. Is Tommy storing his savings underneath his bed?
“I guess we’ll hire the private investigator next month. Charlie needs this right now.” Tommy mutters to himself.
He’s been saving his money to look for me! A feeling of tightness climbs her chest. “TOMMY!”
His head turns in her direction.
“Stop looking for me. You can’t find me where I am. I want… I want you to move on. Forget that you ever met me. Forget that kiss on the bridge. Forget everything about me. You need to move on.” Kayla wipes away a tear. “Go ahead and start dating Izzy. Just move on. I don’t know if I’ll ever find a way back to you. Some days it feels impossible. So just, please… Move on! Be happy!”
Tommy takes two one hundred dollar bills out of his savings and stands. He pauses as if looking at Kayla, his eyes gazing directly into hers.