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Twins
A "Conversations in Dreamworld" story.
“What’s she doing?”
“She’s ignoring life.” Ryan said, coming to the window and looking out. “But it’s okay. She’s thinking about Wonderland, so she’s okay.”
“How can you tell what she’s thinking about?”
Ryan looked at him. No one had ever asked him that before. They just knew that he knew. They were twins. He could he not know? He took a breath. “She’s listening to ‘Chase This Light’. And she’s walking through the trees, looking at the grass. All plants are Wonderland to her. Except, like, crops and stuff. And she’s looking out, not in.”
“How can you tell what she’s listening to?”
“She’s mouthing the words.”
“And you can read lips?”
“Just hers and Brendon’s.” Ryan said. “Because I know their lips.” He stared at her through the glass.
She was walking through the expansive backyard, cigarette in her right hand. Tee shirt and jeans. Nothing whimsical and Alice today. She walked through the trees, ducking when the branches got low enough to her head, never upsetting the leaves. He knew that she was looking at each individual blade of glass, the way it shined in the sunlight. He knew her. She was part of him.
And he could tell when the song changed. He saw the moment of hesitation in her eyes, to skip the song or let it stay. But her hands stayed still so she let it ride out.
“Isn’t it bad for her to ignore it? I mean, it’s not a big deal. He’s only gone for a few days, but isn’t it bad for her?”
“She can only ignore it for a certain amount of time.” Ryan said, rolling his eyes slightly. “For as long as her brain lets her.” His fingertips ran over the glass. “She’ll come find me when she can’t ignore it anymore. She knows her limit.”
“Like you know yours?” His voice was skeptical.
“I know mine better now. It’s easier to accept your limits when there’s someone else that can understand them.” Ryan turned away from the window. “Stop spying on her. She’ll come find me when she’s ready.”
“She’s ignoring life.” Ryan said, coming to the window and looking out. “But it’s okay. She’s thinking about Wonderland, so she’s okay.”
“How can you tell what she’s thinking about?”
Ryan looked at him. No one had ever asked him that before. They just knew that he knew. They were twins. He could he not know? He took a breath. “She’s listening to ‘Chase This Light’. And she’s walking through the trees, looking at the grass. All plants are Wonderland to her. Except, like, crops and stuff. And she’s looking out, not in.”
“How can you tell what she’s listening to?”
“She’s mouthing the words.”
“And you can read lips?”
“Just hers and Brendon’s.” Ryan said. “Because I know their lips.” He stared at her through the glass.
She was walking through the expansive backyard, cigarette in her right hand. Tee shirt and jeans. Nothing whimsical and Alice today. She walked through the trees, ducking when the branches got low enough to her head, never upsetting the leaves. He knew that she was looking at each individual blade of glass, the way it shined in the sunlight. He knew her. She was part of him.
And he could tell when the song changed. He saw the moment of hesitation in her eyes, to skip the song or let it stay. But her hands stayed still so she let it ride out.
“Isn’t it bad for her to ignore it? I mean, it’s not a big deal. He’s only gone for a few days, but isn’t it bad for her?”
“She can only ignore it for a certain amount of time.” Ryan said, rolling his eyes slightly. “For as long as her brain lets her.” His fingertips ran over the glass. “She’ll come find me when she can’t ignore it anymore. She knows her limit.”
“Like you know yours?” His voice was skeptical.
“I know mine better now. It’s easier to accept your limits when there’s someone else that can understand them.” Ryan turned away from the window. “Stop spying on her. She’ll come find me when she’s ready.”