"Christopher? Daniel…Darren…David…Derek? I've always liked that name…" I could hear them trying to pick a name for me. As if I would go by anything other than Erik. Apparently I would be granted a father in this lifetime, and oddly enough he looked very similar to my former self…well you know, aside from the mask business. As I suckled on this plastic and rubber contraption, I noticed for the first time they spoke English, but were lacking the accent I was accustomed to.
"Earl, Edward, Edwin…Elijah, Erik?" Finally. I let out a bellow. Marie trembled around me. I met her brown eyes. She cocked her head at me, blinking. I wonder if she remembered then, but after a moment it passed and she only smiled.
"Yes…that's it. Erik Charles." I felt my face contort…into a smile I suppose, for her face lit up as she squeaked happily. When she called my father over I knew I would be forced to make a spectacle of myself to please them. An easy task, though, when I saw the love that shone in both sets of eyes. "Oh! Charles he looks just like you!" This only made my face contort again.
"Destler!! Time to take this boy home!" A ruddy, grey-haired doctor pinched my cheek and winked at me. I ached to roll my eyes at him, but kept my plans in check and merely smiled, once again, at him.
I was handed off to my father who changed me into some highly embarrassing outfit, I'm sure. I've seen other children leaving in equally ridiculous outfits. Yellow ducks…well I suppose it could be worse.
It wasn't until we left the hospital that truly questioned what year I was now living in. Some sort of motorized machine whizzed by. I couldn't see much while trapped inside this hooded carrying device I was set in, but other, similar machines were lined up, white lines marking the ground. Marie wore trousers, not the dresses I was accustomed to. My father wore some sort of uniform. Some branch of the military I gathered.
My father reached a huge machine, his I guess, and went to work on securing the contraption I was in inside. Then we were moving…I think. I couldn't see a thing, but I felt movement. Once I learn to walk again, I will have to investigate this. The scientist in me itched to know how it worked.
The vibrations must have lulled me to sleep, for when I woke I was once again being transported again. Their home was small compared to my mother's…former mother's that is. But then, Mother only had the best of things…except for son's…no, she didn't have the best son at all. All that finery dulled when surrounding me.
Sweet smelling cinnamon greeted my nostrils when we entered the house. It wasn't strong, just a hint. It smelled nice…relaxing. I was sleepy again. Very sleepy.