Vanessa yawned. Her back and neck ached - a surefire sign that she fell asleep on her couch again. Opening her eyes, she's proven right. Her body is half-slumped over the armrest, head laying on her arm.
Ah, that explained why she couldn't feel her arm.
Idly, she shook it.
A pins and needles sensation shot up and down her arm. The sound of paper being crumpled up got her attention. Gregory sat in front of her coffee table.
"Ow," she muttered, internally cursing her past self for choosing one of the worst sleeping positions ever. When it passed, she reached out to pat Gregory's messy bedhead. "Goodmorning, Greg."
He said nothing, just crumpled up and uncrumpled the paper. Taking his time, smoothing it out, before using both hands to ball it up.
"Uh…Gregory?" Vanessa poked him.
The crackling noise of the paper seemed impossibly loud in the quiet of early morning.
For a second, Vanessa feared she hadn't really woken up. It wouldn't be the first time the rug has been pulled out from underneath her.
If not for Luis' soft snoring next to her, and a general lack of impending doom and sense of foreboding, she might have believed that. But-at least for now-she felt safe. Until Vanny, herself, popped out from some dark corner, she was going to hold onto that hope.
"Greg," she said again. "Everything alright?"
Gregory hummed.
Vanessa breathed a sigh of relief. It was odd he still hadn't looked at her, but she chalked it up to him being tired. They had kept Gregory out late last night after all. "I'll get breakfast ready, okay?"
He hummed again, little hands crumpling and uncrumpling the newspaper on the table. She made a mental note to clean it up after breakfast.
Her kitchen was a mess. Pans and mixing bowls they used to make cookies sat in an untidy stack next to her sink.
Vanessa sighed, reaching for a box of lucky charms. Yet another thing added to her bucket-list. Usually, having tasks pile up caused her to go into-what she has fondly started calling-"shutdown mode." The term, she thought, was very on-brand for someone that worked day-in and day-out with robots.
Robots aside, when she shuts down, it's hard to get anything done.
But today was different.
She could just feel it.
Vanessa poured three bowls of cereal. She balanced the three bowls in her arms, somehow managing not to slosh milk or cereal on the ground.
Back in the living room, Luis was awake, watching Gregory continue to play with the newspaper. She placed a bowl of cereal on the table in front of him, patting him on the head.
She joined her boyfriend on the couch. "Well, goodmorning." She handed him a bowl.
"What's this?" He asked, voice still groggy with sleep.
She giggled. "Cereal."
Luis side-eyed her.
"Okay, okay, Lucky Charms. There was a sale at the supermarket."
"Thank you," he murmured.
They ate in silence, the only sounds were the occasional clang from a spoon hitting the sides of a nearly-empty bowl. It was not the oppressive quiet that preluded all her worst nightmares, nor the kind she had gotten used to. The sort that follows you around, hanging over you. Never leaving your side, even in a crowded room. Self-imposed isolation.
Loneliness.
The crinkling sounds returned as soon as Gregory finished off his cereal. They were louder this time, and Gregory's movements were more aggressive.
Luis and her exchanged a glance. "Gregory," he started, coming over to kneel down next to him, "Is everything okay?"
He uncrumpled the paper (again), using his hands to smooth it out.
"It's fine if you don't want-"
"I hate her," Gregory interrupted, glowering at the newspaper in front of him. It was so different from his usual cheerful attitude that Vanessa looked around to make double-sure this wasn't some cruel joke her tormentors are playing on her.
Even Luis leaned away from him, eyes widening a bit. But he quickly recovered, pointing at something on the paper that Vanessa couldn't see.
"Who?" He asked. "Her?"
Gregory bowed his head. "She's a liar."
"Greg, wha-"
He turned to Vanessa. "Mommy promised I'd see her after daycare." His bottom lip quivered. She reached out for him. The revelation that he may have solved his own missing person's case hadn't registered to her. The only thing that mattered was the child on the verge of tears in front of her.
"She promised," he cried, looking over his shoulder at the newspaper clipping. "But Miss Cheyenne picked me up instead."
"...Miss Cheyenne?" Luis asked, voice soft.
"Miss Cheyenne is mommy's person."
"Person?" Vanessa tilted her head to the side.
"Uh, huh, person. She has this big, huge book that she writes in. And she writes a lot, especially when she talks to mommy. She also cleans a lot and drived me to daycare."
Luis' brows furrowed. "And what happened to Miss Cheyenne?"
"She picked me up from daycare, like she always did. But…." Gregory's shoulders shook. He threw himself at Vanessa, clinging to her. "She….Miss Cheyenne didn't take me home."
Her stomach twisted.
"I asked-ed her too, but she wouldn't. She said mommy didn't want me no more." He sobbed, burying his face in the crook of her neck. "And she was soooo mean to me. Miss Cheyenne was nice. I don't understand why she turned mean? Why? Why didn't my mommy want me no more, Mama 'Nessa?"
He cried harder, tiny hands gripping her shirt, as if trying to ground himself.
Vanessa stroked his hair. She fought the urge to track Gregory's mother down. All this time they'd been searching for a woman that gave up her own son without telling him why. And if he was old enough to remember this then it had to have been somewhat recently. No, the title of mother wasn't befitting of someone so…vile.
Monster was more like it.
"You're safe now," she murmured into his hair. "Your mama and papa got you."
Luis laid a gentle hand on his back.
It felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, like she could finally breathe again. Gregory recognizing his mom in the paper meant they had a name to work with.
Eventually, Gregory's cries tapered off. His breathing evened out, and it was not long before he fell asleep.
"Poor guy," Luis said, frowning.
Vanessa hummed. "Can you hand me the newspaper he was looking at?"
"Sure."
The newspaper was a mess of wrinkles and creases, making it a little hard to read. She sighed, doing her best to read it around Gregory's sleeping form. The article itself seemed standard enough.
It was about the dangers of ignoring your mental health. Something she knew all too well. She chuckled a little at her own joke, ignoring the concerned glance Luis sent her.
She scanned the article, looking for a sign of what set Gregory off. Because surely a block of text hadn't done it.
Vanessa had to reread it again, not seeing anything out of the ordinary. She was just about to ask Luis if he grabbed the right one when her eyes saw the name of the writer of the article. One, Dr. Maria Torrez (pictured with her assistant, Cheyenne Michaels in her office, on page nine).
Amber eyes flashed into her mind's eye. A kind smile and a soft laugh.
Blood.
Everywhere.
Screaming.
Vanessa shook her head, forcing down the unwelcome thoughts. Before she could think better of it, she flipped the piece over to page nine.
Two women stood in front of a cozy-looking office. There were bookshelves full of familiar books and a child-size table sat in the corner of the room. One of the women had bottle-blonde hair and a smug smile on her face. The other one…
The other one had dark brown hair and…Vanessa threw the paper away from her. Luis made a startled sound.
"'Ness, are you okay?"
She shook her head.
-x-x-x-
Luis was shoved out of the apartment so fast his head spun. Vanessa was rambling, which was usually not a great sign. But she told him to leave her be for a few hours, muttering something about needing to be alone.
He hesitated, trying to reason with her. His attempt failed, if the door in his face and the squirming toddler in his arms was anything to go by.
Luis got closer to the door. "'Ness, I'm taking Gregory to the mall for a little bit." When he got no response, Luis added, "Just know, I'm here for you. Whatever it is you're going through, you're not alone."
Defeated (for now), Luis made his way to the entrance of the apartment building. Gregory tugged on his shirt, making desperate gestures towards Vanessa's apartment. "Mama 'Nessa," he whined.
"I know, bud. 'Ness just needs a while to cool down. Everything will be alright."
-x-x-x-
Everything was not alright.
There's scratch marks on her arms from where she dug her nails in, trying to distract from memories she'd rather forget. She lays curled up on her bed, covers over her head.
The terrifying panic that had previously gripped her felt less severe now. It wasn't gone, just…Vanessa was too exhausted to continue freaking out. A detached-numbness took its place.
She closed her eyes, pleading with whatever entity thought it funny enough to put her through all that she had, to let her drift off. To let her forget, for an hour at least. Please, please let her sleep…
-x-x-x-
Luis carried Gregory around the store. He tried to use a cart, but Gregory refused to stop clinging to him. Probably uneasy about 'Ness' outburst. Not that Luis could blame him. It was like a switch had been flipped. One second they had been on the cusp of solving a missing person's case, excited but solemn. The next…
….the next, Gregory was shoved into his arms, and Vanessa begged him to leave her alone for awhile.
"Papa Luis, look!" Gregory shouted, pointing at the window of a petstore. A couple of large fish tanks sat in the window, clusters of colorful fish swam around inside. He wriggled in Luis' arms. "Please."
Luis chuckled, letting him down. Instantly, Gregory was gone, staring in rapt fascination at the different fish.
He started to follow after the runaway child, but he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. "Hey!" He called out, waving at the man who had helped him out.
The man smiled at Luis, coming over to join him.
"Hello," he said, in the same somber tone of voice.
"How are you doing?" Luis watched Gregory in his peripheral vision, making sure he stayed put. The last thing he needed was for him to go missing. (Though, he's sure his uncle would love the company. Wherever he is.)
"I've…been better. You must really like this mall. I mean I've seen you here this week, what? Three times?"
Luis laughed, scratching the back of his neck. "Yeah, this week has been….chaotic."
"Story of my life," the man said.
"Papa Luis!" Gregory yells. Both of them turn to look at him. His back was to them, and he's pointing at one of the fish in the tanks. "This one's blue!"
Luis goes to introduce Gregory to the man, but he was already sprinting towards the preschooler. Immediately, he was on the man's tail, trying to prevent him from reaching Gregory. His heart thundered in his chest.
"Stop!" He hollered, hoping someone will do something. "Gregory! Run!"
But despite his best efforts, the man reached Gregory first. Luis was a second too late. The man scooped Gregory into a hug. He squirmed in the man's grasp.
"Let me go!" He slapped at the man's back. "Papa Luis, help!"
"Gregory, baby, I've been looking everywhere for you." The man hugged him tighter, crying.
Gregory froze, eyes widening. "Daddy?"
-x-x-x-
The last two weeks had been hell for Vanessa. Time management had never been her strong suit, but surely she'd remember getting groceries? But whenever she tried to think about it, she couldn't recall getting them.
And it didn't stop at shopping.
Other things, like beating a video game she was ecstatic about, making dinner, or even polishing her silverware (which she had never done before in her life, but hey, her knives and forks have never looked better), were done without her having any memory of doing them.
Ever since she played that stupid video game…..
She groaned, feeling a headache come on.
"Vanessa, sweetheart, are you alright?" A woman-her therapist at the moment, though now that she was between jobs with no insurance, that was bound to change soon-asked. She had dark brown hair and small, almond eyes the color of honey. Her voice was soft, and hearing her speak put Vanessa at ease. Even if she didn't show it.
"Yeah…yeah, I'm fine. Sorry." She cleared her throat, shifting in the chair.
"It's quite alright."
Vanessa nodded.
She'd been seeing this therapist for a few sessions now, but the fog clouding her thoughts hasn't gotten any better. If anything it's just gotten worse, and maybe that was her fault. For one, she hadn't done any of the exercises recommended to help manage her anxiety.
But…still, something didn't feel right. A puzzle piece that refused to click into place.
"Now, have you started journaling?"
She shook her head.
Her therapist sighed. "I really think it would help. There's been countless…."
Vanessa tuned her out. Something was very, very wrong. She gripped the armrests, trying to refocus on the person in front of her.
This started after she finished that game. The one that Faz-Entertainment forced the company she worked for to make.
Vanessa bit at her bottom lip, eyes fixated on her lap. She felt awful for ignoring Dr. Torrez, but her thoughts were speeding by her at a million miles per minute. It was hard to pay attention.
"Vanessa," a voice hissed. But when she looked around, no one was near her.
Her therapist said something, forehead wrinkling and mouth pressing into a tight line. She motions to something, but Vanessa can't pay attention to her.
"Vanessa," the voice says again. "Listen to me."
She blinked back tears, fighting the urge to freak out. This…this wasn't her inner monologue. This voice was different. Grizzled and old and had an accent Vanessa couldn't imitate in her wildest dreams.
"There, there, don't cry."
Vanessa wanted so badly to open her mouth, but she couldn't. It won't let her.
"I'm sure you're confused."
She did her best to focus on Dr. Torrez, who was going over another exercise to manage her anxiety.
"Here, let me show you."
The things she couldn't remember came rushing back to her. She saw herself racing through levels on the video game she'd been waiting for, cleaning her kitchen, and buying groceries.
She saw herself at the grocery store, examining kitchen utensils. Vanessa settled on a large kitchen knife.
She saw herself back in her apartment, getting ready for her therapy appointment, sticking the knife in her bag.
Vanessa gasped, or at least tried too. But the thing, whatever it was, had a vice-grip on her throat. Preventing her from calling out for help.
"Now, now, don't be like that. We can do this the easy way, or…"
She shook her head, Maria saw this and assumed Vanessa was talking to her because she turned around to rummage around in a bin behind her desk. A candy bin for anxious patients, to give her something to focus on. Which usually worked wonders.
Usually.
Her body tensed up.
"The hard way it is."
Vanessa tried to scream. The sound didn't reach beyond herself.
A hand-her own hand, though she wasn't moving it-slipped into her bag. It rifled around, finally wrapping around a handle of some sort. It was small and almost felt like a-
Vanessa felt her face stretch into a wide, almost uncomfortable grin.
Her therapist turned back, placing a few bubblegum suckers on her desk. Vanessa's favorite.
"Vanessa, what…are you alright?"
Vanessa watched on in horror, trapped in her own body, as she lunged at Dr. Torrez. Knife out and aimed at her heart.
She screamed.
It did no good.
The attack was over quickly. But not quickly enough. Blood covered the walls, desk, and even the ceiling.
The last thing she saw before she woke up was a framed photo on her desk. A little boy, no older than two or three, with chocolate brown hair and big eyes the color of honey. He was smiling, holding a raggedy-looking bear plushie to his chest.
… Gregory…
-x-x-x-
"What the fuck is wrong with you!" The man glared at him, looking two seconds away from pummeling Luis right then and there. He probably already would have if not for Gregory.
"I can explain," Luis said, waving his arms around frantically. "We didn't kidnap him."
" Oh. Well, did he just waltz out of the daycare by himself, drive all the way to Hurricane, and force you to take him in?"
"No, my girlfriend found him in an alley. He was in rough shape."
The man relaxed a little. "Gregory, is this true?"
Gregory nodded, resting his forehead against his father's shoulder. "Uh, huh."
"Then who took you?"
"Miss Cheyenne."
The man scowled, patting his son's back. "God, I've always despised that woman." Looking down at Gregory his expression softened just a little. "I suppose I should thank you then, for looking after my son."
Luis nodded, unable to conjure up words.
"Though, I do need to meet your girlfriend. You said she was the one that found him, right?"
Again, he nodded.
"Well, I'm not doing anything right now. So, how about I follow you back to your place. We can clear up any misunderstanding, and me and Gregory can be on our way."
"...Okay…"
Luis turned towards the entrance of the mall, feeling weirdly numb. Shouldn't he be happier? This was what they've wanted this whole time… Wasn't it?
"Oh," the man started, walking side-by-side with Luis, "I've never introduced myself, have I?"
Luis can't bring himself to respond, but the man continued on anyway.
"Evan Afton," he said, happier than before.
The name felt familiar, but Luis couldn't focus on anything besides getting back to Vanessa's apartment, and trying to explain what just went down. Hopefully she's calmed down enough.
"Luis Cabrera," he muttered back.