Forgetter

“Dinner time!”

The days began to pass like water droplets from a faucet. Slowly they descended, at such a mundane rate that it became meaningless to think much about it.

“H-here you go.”

Each night when Frankie handed her the one dish of the day she’d partake in, she looked at her sister with the same pleading eyes that asked, “Won’t you eat with us? Won’t you come out and be my sister for once?” It was a little annoying, but Katie would take it anyday over her actually complaining to her.

In time, a rhythm formed. Their new boundaries became set in stone soon enough, and eventually, the both of them started to feel something again that could almost be called comfort.

“Dammit! Saint, give me a hand!”

While Katie would never participate, Frankie and the siblings quite enjoyed the time they just spent inside playing video games together.

“Don’t listen to her, Saint! Help your sister!”

“Don’t you guys know what a free-for-all is? I’m not supposed to be helping anybody!”

Sometimes, Frankie and them did want to leave the house. And often, the others would. The parents would go on dates, maybe take Cheryl and Saint places sometimes, but the youngest member of the Pops always stayed behind with her sister. And while Katie wouldn’t admit to appreciating the gesture, it certainly would have angered her to see them leave her behind.

Frankie did try talking to her, sometimes. Talking at her was the best she could manage. It was sad, having her once-chatty best friend go mute most days, but she grew fond of telling her stories to her. In time, she’d read all of Percy Phytoplankton to the shut-in, alongside her sequels, which would soon be all published come the middle of April. She even read Gregory’s reviews of them to her, as well. The young mage couldn’t stop himself from praising every bit of them.

Frankie considered writing more- a chronicle of her and her sister’s journeys, perhaps- but she figured she’d rather not spend her time recounting such that had already happened. Rather, by the time her renewal of her favorite book series was concluded, Frankie put down the pen for good. With her loved ones all gathered in one spot and decently comfy within their humble home, there were better things to hold.

Movie nights were frequent. They got Katie to join in, once or twice. She only showed up for the scary movies- she never said this, but anything else would just make her sad. Frankie liked these nights too, because mom wasn’t a fan of horror and wouldn’t be there to tease her every time she dared brush shoulders with Cheryl.

It was a little hard with her some days. With how much she had to watch her sister, Frankie didn’t get to spend as much time as she would’ve liked with her partner. There was always a caveat, always a condition… always a time limit. Still, they made do.

The previously-stressed relationship between the two sisters became laxer over time. Once in a blue moon, Katie would laugh, and Frankie seldom worried she would hurt herself again. She certainly had no inkling of the idea that Katie would ever hurt her. Things weren’t back to the way they were- they probably wouldn’t ever be back to how they used to be- but for quite some time, Frankie was more than okay with that. Everyone seemed to be okay with that. This new life was better than the old one, bogged down by school, work and responsibility. Without a future, it could be scary to fall asleep each night, not really knowing when the honeymoon would end- but it felt like things were going to be just about perfect until that day finally came, if it ever did.

Saint did have trouble sleeping, some nights. They all did, as the news became more and more worrying each and every day. Cities were flooding. Strange things were happening to the environment. Yet everybody in the world was none the wiser to what was going on, spare them. It was a lot to bear.

But even then, there was always someone to help, when the darkness got to one of them. When the young boy was scared, Cheryl was right beside him, and when she herself couldn’t take the pressure, her girlfriend wiped her worries right away, just as she’d do for her. The parents cared for each other, and now and then, when Katie dropped her facade and cried out in the middle of the night, Frankie was there to stroke her head. It wasn’t a perfect life. But it was as close as anyone there had ever gotten.

One night, everyone went to bed, and for the first time in months, there wasn’t a single worry on their minds. Cheryl and Saint were out cold after a long, hard day. Hugo and Suzy felt like they were kids again. And inside the bedroom of the Pop sisters, under the cheap, thin ceiling thoroughly damaged by everytime Katie woke up with a bit too much pep in her step, the two traveling sisters laid in their beds, sound asleep for the whole night.

Or at least, Frankie was.

Without her fear of losing Katie again, without her dread of her coming end… she’d let her guard down. Peacefully she slept, under the watchful eye of Katie as she stared over her bed.

She thought about putting a pillow to her sister’s face, but reached for the doorknob instead.