Retrospect

Fifty-four

   "To Reeves!" Murl announced, holding up his glass. Everyone brought their glasses up to his and clinked them together.

"To Reeves!" Malachi, Ana, Miles, and I repeated, all of us taking a sip after to let the drinks bubble up and shift from blue to red to green, shimmering in the dim restaurant light.

"Wow, this is actually really cool," Ana commented, swirling a straw around in the liquid and observing it switch colors before her very eyes.

"What, you thought it wouldn't be?" Miles asked, taking another sip of his drink.

Ana shrugged and tapped her nails on the table. "I don't know, I've seen things glow before. I didn't think it would be anything new."

I found myself agreeing with Ana and my gaze met hers. "I feel like we've seen everything after being inside Hale," I said, and she nodded, slurping up more of her drink.

"Oh, that reminds me," Miles blurted out from beside me, unexpectedly taking my hand in his which made me jump. "I have something to show you. Follow me." He pushed Murl out of the booth then.

"Hey!" Murl said, standing up and moving to the side so Miles and I could get out. I was still in the dark about what we were doing so when Murl asked where we were going, I had no choice but to shrug. It was really strange and I had a feeling it had something to do with why Miles had come over today.

"Calm down. It'll only take a few seconds," Miles promised Murl as he grabbed my hand again and led me away from the others and through the restaurant, not bothering to wait for his cousin's reply. The music in 2 AM seemed to grow louder and it was the only thing I could hear now, even over the customers. Everything suddenly faded into the background while I followed behind Miles, heart picking up speed (as usual) in my chest. We left the warmth of the restaurant and he led me out the front door, into the night.

A cold chill crept over me instantly and the rain was now lightly spattering the sidewalks and streets, the puddles reflecting the turquoise light from the lamps strung up in Laurier Section, glowing like the drinks we had had tonight. I found it kind of hard to tear my gaze from them after a while.

Miles was still holding my hand and leading me past the windows of the restaurant, walking a few more feet until he stopped in front of the convenience store I had waited near when I'd been observing the workers. This time, however, I wasn't wearing a fake worker coat and I wasn't attempting to break into Hale. I was with Miles who had just finally let go of my hand and was standing in front of me. It was silent out and only a few people wandered the streets, passing us with little interest.

   If Miles and I had been standing here a week ago, people would've been swarming around us, asking us all sorts of questions about Hale. Now it seemed everything was back to normal and the five of us were just regular city civilians again, though we would occasionally be recognized on busy days when it wasn't 1 AM and people still packed the streets.

I watched Miles reach into his jacket pocket and pull out a chip, holding it in his palm carefully. "This one's mine," he spoke softly, looking down at it as if it might jump out of his hand any minute. He then lifted his head to look at me and his eyes were filled with something like confusion and fear and excitement all at the same time. "Should I do it?"

"Get your memory back?" I asked, unsure of why he wouldn't want to do it. It was the reason he'd wanted into Hale after all. He would be able to remember everything, including the memories of his mom.

He nodded without a word, the sound of light rain falling on the ground echoing off the dark skyscrapers.

"Well...isn't that what you wanted? To be able to remember?" I tried.