Memory Field

Her room was the same.

The room Georgia shared with her older sister Odette hadn't changed one bit since he had picked her up months ago. Odette had taken to sleeping downstairs, not even bringing down her own blankets.

Everything remained the same.

Alex stood in the doorway, watching Joe's eyes move over every object, every surface, noticing things he hadn't before. He felt afraid to touch anything, afraid that it would all seem to real. That he was surrounded by all these objects, but Georgia was no longer here to claim them as her own.

The book at the end of her bed, with a pink post it to keep place would never be finished. The yellow dress thrown to the floor under the window would never be worn again. He was on the verge of having a breakdown when Alex stepped into the room.

She picked up the yellow dress Joe's eyes were just on and smiled. "The other day I was thinking about that time we built a tipi in the feild... She was wearing this dress. But I couldn't remember the pattern-" Alex's voice cracked and she looked to Joe with her eyes wide. "It hasn't even been that long. I'm already forgetting..."

Joe stepped forward to try and comfort her. He didn't know how, but he would try. She laughed and turned away, wiping under eyes carefully. "It's silly... I know."

No, It wasn't silly. Joe's brow creased as he watched Alex practically tiptoe around the room, gently brushing her fingers along random objects. Alex was the strong one, the stable one. She pulled everyone together when no one else could. Since Georgia had died, Alex had been his rock.

She said it was her job, as his friend, to help him through this.

He was just too selfish to realize she needed help too, she loved Georgia too. She lost her too.

Joe took Alex's hand as she passed and took the yellow dress from her shaking hands. "Let's go." She nodded and waited in the doorway while he laid the dress on her bed.

When he turned around, Regina was leaning in the doorway, her arms around Alex. "I keep thinking I should pack it all up... There's no use for it, right?" She trailed off into a bitter laugh, "But I just can't bring myself to do it." She smiled, her perfect teeth all showing but it didn't reach her eyes.

When they didn't say anything, Regina let go of Alex and occupied her hands with straightening out her shirt. "Would you kids like to stay for lunch?"

She looked hopefully between the two, but Joe was focused behind her where he could see Zora peeking at them from behind the corner. The look on her face was all he needed. He continued to watch her glare as she shook his head and politely declined.

Regina didn't say anything further, only smiled and led them downstairs. Alex exchanged goodbyes with everyone. Even Zora, who seemed to be growing more upset in the presence of Joe.

He looked at the broken family in front of him, every one having similarities to Georgia. He felt wrong standing in their home, talking with them, hugging them. He was a stranger to the Dexter family without Georgia to tie them together.

. . .

Joe waved to Odette as she shut the door and ran down the steps to catch up with Alex. He fell in step with at the end of the driveway.

"Lake?" Alex asked, casting Joe a hopeful look. It was scorching outside, and neither of them wanted to be home. He nodded, dragging his feet obnoxiously across the gravel road, dragging his bike beside him. From a distance, the water looked incredible; A sparkling deep green in the sunlight. Up close it was more of a murky green-brown.

Alex made a face at how the mud squished between her toes as she waded further out, eventually kicking her legs to keep from going under. Joe followed after her, but swimming out further. They were the only ones at the lake, which was surprising for such a hot day.

He let the cool water swarm around him for a minute, before he held his breath, closed his eyes and submerged himself in the muddy water. His heart hammered away in chest, but the longer he stayed under, the slower it got. His mind swarmed with different thoughts, but none he could comprehend with his chest so tight. He felt like his lungs might burst at any moment. His throat strained, his chest begging involuntarily for oxygen.

Cool hands gripped his arms and pushed him upwards. He broke through the surface, taking in a deep breath of air. He pushed his hair out of his face and looked at Alex. She was visibly upset and for a second, he thought she might just hit him.

"Alex... I wasn't trying t-to- to drown myself," Joe stuttered. He squinted in the sunlight and lunged forward to swim back to the dock.

She sat beside him, bringing her knees up to her chest. "Joe?"

He looked over at her, "Hm?"

She bit her lip, hesitating. "Do you believe in reincarnation?"