-EX FONTE-
Thanksgiving, the year of Fuzzy, Ninenty-hundred and plenty. Pepper Ann hears a ring at the door, as her mother Lydia bastes the traditional tofu turkey, a tofu turkey Milo just can't get his hands from. From the kitchen, she bolts to to the living room to open the front door. Through all of today and maybe days beforehand, Pepper Ann had anticipated for a surprise-not-so-surprise visit from her father, who she could not see quite as often since the divorce.
She opens the door, with excitement to no avail. Tis just Aunt Fanny and Uncle Harry. The disappointing look on her face as she has to try again for the next ring after is captured by her Uncle's camcorder. "Hey, Aunt Fanny, hey, Uncle Harry...", like a dying balloon. "Damian, Damiana, say hello to Pepper Ann", Uncle Harry says to his two children, who hide behind him.
"Hello, Pepper Ann", the two chime.
Moose, on the other hand, enjoyed thanksgiving with not a problem, in tune with the more-than-handful of thanksgivings before her. Not sure she agrees with the tofu turkey, but what does she know? Only contrarions dislike the traditional long-standing value of a tofu turkey for the whole family to eat.
But as she sits busy doing her thing, she had come to realize the voice. The voices, that were. Moose had wished not to relive them, that is the sound escape the back of her mind. The way Damian and Damiana greeted Pepper Ann, much like they were new to her, but they've know her before.
They've known her before.
On the other hand, Moose comes into an instant shock, giving herself time as to think it was just a mental mishap, an afterthought that slipped to the big screen, but alas, she heard them again, this time coming from what appeared to be leaving twain from around Pepper Ann's legs.
"Hello, Margaret Rose!"
She turns her head slowly to a side of an eye as they said. The three have made eye contact, like Damian and Damiana were using her sister as a shield, as a corner to peek from to spew surprises.
Moose gulps, and with that, she sees it already. All those game-shows she saw on the telly leave her on occasion with four options, whenever in danger or in need to get a way out. Like why does Pepper Ann point why she smelled so bad one day? Did she fight a skunk? Did she not shower? Did she spent time with Ned and indulged in the blue cheese? Fourth option can be all of above.
But this time, it was up to a more serious quarter. A: Do you run from home, escape through a window, and go missing until the gathering is over? B: Do you stay and put on a disguise? C: Do you lock yourself in a room and cry, that you can not escape your fate? Or D: all of the above, since the first two was one after the other.
Moose had a sense that the twins knew what path she took, at any given time of the day, that when they get back to their homes do they know the exact thing she's doing, the exact person she's talking. But the thing they wanted to do most was to play.
She has played with Damian and Damiana before, once at the skatepark, which will be talked about shortly, once at a run-in at the cafe, another subject for later, and once at this house... like the same spot... in the living room. Like two tangets connected once again.
Pepper Ann does not see them as danger, a tad off-putting, but not ones who would go that kind of way. Moose, after plenty of times over, realize now convincing her they were no good would be up with no evidence, for it has been erased, from the sight of others. Surpressed, for no one else to see. Only her. The memory is to her and them. No one else.
All the stories Moose tells Pepper Ann about what the three of them were up to with her, she finds them as made-up. As rambling. She puts aside as she has to have a date with the sidewalk and her roller-skates, where she then leaves the door, quickly forgetting Moose was even there, an example everyone refuses to listen, or at least does not try their best too, because what does a seven-year-old have to say about anything other than what a seven-year old does?
If ever you wonder about those four questions, here is the answer key. It is hours after the gatherings is over, Milo decides not to hustler over to Cissy's place for Thanksgiving gathering #100, having saved the best for last at Dieter's, but instead sticking with PA because her extended family was so cool.
Visible footprints leading to the staircase and the sisters' room. They end at the window. The window is open and gusts of wind push the blinds away and back. More footsteps, they come from the cat-door in the kitchen. Different pairs of clothes and cloaks and shoes and articles, here and there and where. Even more footsteps, they are up the stairs again, this time to the other side of them. Back to the room once more. It is locked.
A small shadow against the door come around, blocking some part of the light under. It is made by someone. Someone... weeping. Someone in shiver. Someone hearing the wind from the window enter the room. A faint voice repeats over and over, interrupting itself. Two voices, in fact.
"It is your destinyyy"
An annoyed voice, "No, it's nooot!", out and back in to the wrapped shoulders. The crying has gone louder.
To be continued...
