MirrorMirror

49 / May the Force be with You

"Bobby!" Cassidy cried, dropping to his knees to welcome his previously dead dog.

The Cockerpoo scurried to its owner and jumped into the outstretched arms. Cass hugged the animal, and tears rimmed his eyes.

"I thought he was dead," Ethan said bluntly.

"How did you get that wrong?" asked Jazz as she scratched behind the puppy's ears, smiling warmly.

"I... I didn't! He was dead!"

"You're not just making all this shit up, right?" Ethan asked.

He knew the answer, but his mouth wanted to ask anyway, regardless of any offence caused. Sometimes his brain and mouth forgot to communicate with each other, so there'd been multiple times when he'd had to apologise. So many, in fact, that he didn't bother any more. People knew him and what he was like. They either dealt with it or didn't.

"No, of course not," Cassidy retorted. "You know I wouldn't!"

"We know," agreed Jazz. "You can't blame him for asking, though. This little doggo is meant to be dead."

"Yeah," said Ethan. "But he's not."

"I know! Don't you think I know? He really was, but..."

He didn't finish his sentence. Bobby had nuzzled in under his chin and Cass forgot what he was going to say.

"You said Amy took him?" Jazz asked, taking the dog from her brother's arms and cradling him herself.

"Yeah, she did."

"Maybe she gave him back, somehow?"

Cassidy frowned. Was that possible? Was asking that a stupid question, given what he'd seen? Maybe she could do that!

"Let's go ask her, shall we?"

The siblings hurried upstairs and huddled into the bedroom in front of the mirror. It was clear apart from the smudge near the top.

"That's from..." Cass began. He stopped and shook his head.

"The dad?" Ethan asked quietly, as if saying so could cause the reappearance of both the man and the abuse.

Yes.

Jazz gasped. Ethan smiled, though it was one heavy with the knowledge of what Amy's answer meant. Cassidy let out a higher pitched sound than he intended, and his own grin outshone his brother's. He didn't acknowledge the reason behind the smudge. There was no need to.

"Hello Amy," he said.

Hi Cass Cass.

He hadn't missed the way she was speaking to them. Gone was her face and gone was her voice. She had reverted to her original method. The extra energy she'd had, enabling her to become more... whole, must have dissipated. Cass felt for her. It must have been so liberating to be able to interact with him as fully as she had. Did she feel lost without it? Did it make a difference to her either way? Dead was dead?

"Amy!" Jazz clapped her hands together and bounced on her tip toes. "It is you! This is... this is..."

What was it? Scary? No. Unbelievable? Fuck, yeah. Happening? Oh, absolutely!

Hello Jazz.

It's nice to see you again.

"And you. I've missed you! I can't believe I'm talking to you again after... you know."

After my father murdered me?

"Yeah, that."

And dumped my body?