Shattering Crystals

"I don't know if we can all fit up there," the girl says, pointing to a tree house sitting on branches then feet off the ground. "I've only had six people up there before. That's all that can really fit."

The girl had led us into her backyard, which is full of trees. Various questions are asked, but she just ignores them. This reminds me of how we met... Aaron. He knew exactly who we were and so does this girl. Is it just a coincidence?

"Well, I guess only five of us can go, if this thing only fits six. Who doesn't want to go?" Lorraine asks. No one answers in any way, so it's assumed that everyone wants to go. "I think the first five should go. We've been through the most."

The first five to join the group were me (obviously), Lorraine, Dean, Connor, and Cody. And Lorraine is right - we've been through a lot. Maybe we do deserve it.

"Is that really fair?" Elise asks, looking up at the wooden structure. She was the sixth to join - just barely missing the cut.

"We won't be able to settle it any other way," Lorraine says, already starting for the rope ladder. "Besides, you weren't there when we have to sleep on benches."

"I can say I've been through worse than that," Elise says quietly. We all know exactly what she means. It's a wonder that she's speaking again. Life goes on...

The girl with the curly black hair looks at Elise, inspecting her thin frame. Surely she can't weigh much, and she's gotten thinner since Aaron's... accident.

"She can come too," The girl says, starting to climb the ladder. "But no one else."

Everyone nods, accepting it. They probably don't want to waste any more time.

I'm the last to climb up, and my stomach drops slightly when I move my foot up. I prefer to be firmly on the ground, rather than a flimsy rope ladder, thank you very much

A feeling of relief washes over me when I climb into the tree house. It's not the same as being on the ground, but at least the floor is stable.

The room is fairly large, and a perfect square as far as I can tell. There's no decoration, just a small table in one corner.

The girl motions for everyone to sit in a circle. I place myself between Lorraine and Connor.

"My name is Teena," she says. "T-E-E-N-A."

"I've never heard of that spelling before," Elise murmurs. She's sitting next to Dean. I wonder if there's anything left between them. Probably not.

"I know," Teena says. "My dad had a sister named Tina, who died, and he wanted to name me after her. But my mom didn't like her, I guess. He wanted to name me after her so badly, that my mom agreed, except different spelling."

Elise nods with interest, but Lorraine starts to get impatient. This is not what we came to learn.

"That's cool. But how do you know who we are?" Lorraine asks, changing the subject.

"Oh, yes. The magic. Our past lives," Teena says. "I have memories. Strong memories."

"How strong?"

"Vivid," Teena replies. "Only of certain things though. I remember a few people, their names and what they looked like."

"Can you do that with any of us?" Elise asks. She's been desperate to find a piece of her history; she remembers next to nothing.

Teena looks at me. "You are definitely Diana. You have her face, almost, but not exactly." She looks at Dean and Lorraine. "You are definitely Charles and you are definitely Crys."

"How can you tell?" Elise asks. She seems disappointed. Her identity remains unknown.

"You all look like your former selves... kind of," she explains. She gestures to Lorraine. "She has the same eyes as Crys."

"And who are you?"

"I am Roxee. Spelled with two E's, just like my name here on Earth," Teena says. "I am from Morning Love, and my best friend is Lacy Queens McLace, the fairy of love." She smiles at us, knowing that the information will probably help us.

"Is Lacy one of us here?" Elise asks. "And are there any other names you remember?"

"I think Lacy is here... but she isn't one of us up here in the tree house." She looks out of the small square window, down at the rest of the group. "I'll have to get a closer look at everyone. And I remember a few names. Serenity Illusen, Ben Unan, and Jason Yale."

"Can you recognize these people?"

Teena shakes her head. "No. Can't put a face to the name. I wish I could tell you more... but it's just so hard to remember some things."

Everyone nods, understanding. Trying to remember memories that don't completely belong to your brain is like failing a test that you studied for; you know that the answer is in there somewhere, and you keep trying and trying. Eventually, you have to give up, because the only fact you and think of is the fact that you're screwed.

Connor sits quietly at my left side. He's going into a world that he doesn't belong in - how does that feel? But he's never caused any problems, and I know that I could never leave without him.

"Let's go back to everyone else," Elise suggests. "I mean, you explained mostly everything. Maybe you'll be able to recognize someone else."

Teena nods and we all begin to exit the tree house. I start first and jump down to the ground as soon as I am close enough.

Everyone on the ground stops talking and looks at me. But then their eyes look past me and at Lorraine, probably out of habit.

"She knows," Lorraine says simply. And I’m reminded of the time we met Wessley. Except this is wholly different. Ashlee smiles, Wessley gives a thumbs up. Andrew says nothing (as usual). Lynda stares strangely at Teena, and Katalina and Sarah simply don't care.

"Sorry I didn't tell everyone," Teena says, sounding like she means it. "I just felt safer saying it up there."

"That's okay," Ashlee says cheerfully from where she stands with Andrew. "Do you have any special powers?"

"Not that I know of," Teena answers. "Why?"

"Because Aaron was special," Ashlee says. "He knew all about us."

"Which one of you is Aaron?"

No one answers and an awkward silence follows. Elise clears her throat. "He's... he's not here anymore."

"I see."

I look back at Lorraine and see her crossing and uncrossing her fingers. But it makes sense. Aaron should have not been mentioned. There is now a higher chance of Teena refusing to go.

Ashlee sees what Lorraine is doing and mouths 'oops'. Lorraine ignores this.

There's another pause as Teena looks at all of us again. She searches our faces one by one, and I can't help but feel self-conscious. Her eyes stop on Lynda. "Lacy... it's you."

"Lacy?" Lynda asks. Then we can almost see the light bulb appear over her head as her eyes light up. "Ohh. That's who I am. I remember... Roxee."

Lorraine looks up at the sky to see that the sun is sinking. We should get back to our hotel.

"Okay, Teena," Lorraine says, her tone business-like. "We can get more things sorted our later. But right now we have to go."

"Oh, okay," Teena says.

"We have to find where we can go next," Lorraine explains, "and then we will come back and get you."

"Oh..." Teena says, picking up a leaf and shredding it into tiny pieces. "About that... I can't go with you."