1979
It was a cool October day just like any other. The tiny drops of dew that clung onto the crisping leaves and dying grass were on the verge of freezing. It wasn't quite cold enough however, and the busy feet of Kathleen and Max made the glistening grass flatten.
"Leenie you take care of you baby brother," the children's mother called from the front doorway. "Mom I'm not a baby anymore; I'm six!" The freckled boy protested with a nagging tone. A swift breeze made the hairs on their mother's neck stand up. "Be careful," she mumbled, though her fourth grader and kindergarten son were out of earshot.
The mother made herself a steaming cup of coffee, and sat silently at her kitchen table. She heard the eerie purrs of her snoozing kitten in the front room and a faint ticking sound game from the old grandfather clock nestled in the corner. The egg-yolk yellow kitchen didn't quite seem so friendly anymore. The mother looked around her resting home. Something wasn't right.
A loud knock at her back door nearly gave the shaky woman a heart attack. She went to the door and saw her neighbor Samantha with a cup in her hand. The mother opened the door and let her friend in.
"Hello Lailawni," Samantha greeted glancing around the kitchen. "May I borrow a cup of sugar?" She added thrusting the cup into the mother's hands. Lailawni dropped the glass, spraying shards of glass onto the floor. She swore angrily and dropped to her knees.
"Samantha, I don't know what's with me today." She said scooping the shards into her hand. "Yes, you do seem troubled." The friend replied. "And quick to speak," she added referring to the swear. Lailawni was about to let the snide comment slide when she felt a severe pain on her palm. A thick, open gash had formed. "Agh!" She exclaimed while heavily tossing the last of the blue cup into the trashcan.
"Hon, are you alright?" Samantha asked. "I'm fine," the mother whispered, washing her cut in the sink. The stream of red water made her feel dizzy. Not only was the salty, almost metallic smell nauseating, but the cut stung like crazy. All the sudden she felt her legs go weak. The sink was running and Samantha was shrieking but Lailawni wasn't able to react. It was as if she was frozen.
***
When Lailawni awoke she was in a white room. She wore a white nightgown, almost like one in a hospital. Could she be in a hospital? The woman felt a tinge of pain in her left hand. She lifted it to find a thick gauze bandage covering her palm. The mother was about to unwrap the bandage when three people walked in the room.
"Where am I?" Lailawni cried. Panic rose in her voice. "We will tell you soon; beforehand though, let's get on a first name basis. I am Evan and this is Chelsea," he said pointing to a woman next to him. "I'm Nadia." The last woman said. "We are here to help you," she added sincerely.
"You probably noticed that the last day you remember was rather unpleasant." The Chelsea woman noted sitting in a white armchair. Lailawni nodded shortly. "That was because someone needed your help badly, and was trying to send you mental messages." Lailawni was about to ask who needed her help but as if reading her mind the man named Evan said, "The person who needs you and is in grave danger is alternate identity."
