OK, so this is going to be what happened in Chapter 1 when Alex went to Freya. Sorry, I can't think of any other ideas now- if you have any feel free to tell me!
Alex's running leap through the Door brought her back exactly where she wanted to be.
Or, rather, not be.
In some ways, she was glad she had come back to her home in Oregon- it was one of the last places she had happy memories.
But it was also where the feelings hit her hardest.
Taunting her over and over until she'd finally break.
Alex stood out on the porch overlooking the ocean, the tears from her fight with Kaiden drying on her cheeks. Her anger had cooled slightly, but it was still there, waiting. Waiting to attack her again. She calmed her breaths. Counted them. Knew that her parents would never breathe again. Their breaths had been numbered. Hers were not yet. But how would she know when her death would arrive?
Alex turned away from the lapping waves, opening the door. As she stepped through, a wave of memories overcame her, each one hitting a more painful spot than the last.
She could've navigated the house with her eyes closed. Instead, she stared at each detail, each bit of furniture as she wandered through the house- as if she could burn each room into her memory so she'd forever remember what her home had been like. As if her parents hadn't died yet.
Her bedroom door loomed above her and before she knew what she was doing- she opened the door.
She immediately wanted to get out.
Her room hadn't changed at all really- apart from a few small extra belongings she'd brought from Medora and hadn't put back.
She pulled back the covers of her bed and plopped down, sinking into the mattress. The bed, she noted with surprise, was clean- no dust. Her parents must've cleaned her room at least once before. After she left. She didn't know.
Opening the wardrobe, she found herself groping for a swimsuit. She realised she wanted to swim- out in the ocean where she felt free- felt like nothing and no one could control her future.
She instantly pulled it out, stripped, and tugged on the smooth material.
She turned and stared at herself in the mirror.
How long ago had she stood in front of this mirror?
She could see the change in her appearance over time. She imagined herself- a girl who had no worries other than the newness of The International Exchange Academy. Twirling in front the mirror. And then remembered that her future was controlled. She couldn't do those kind of things anymore.
Alex hurried outside- away from the emptiness that had settled onto the house like a storm cloud. She dared not peek into her parents bedroom. That would be too much.
She shivered in the cold winter air as she hurried down the all-too-familiar path towards the ocean.
creds to HalloPhoenix for legit writing this :D
