Love

“Dammit what the absolute universe did I do,” bellowed Christopher through the slur of his baby pink braces. He looked into the sky and saw the thousands of people who floated above him.

He watched as the seemly departed bodies only blinked. But soon his gaze was forced on something else. He heard the running of a young child, the foot falls became faster and heavier with each passing second. Christopher looked into every direction looking for anything that could be making the noise. He looked up once more to see the bodies start to blink faster as their lights begin to dim. He shivered in the darkening city as he seen a body begin to float down. It was the body of a child no older than seven.

Even though Christopher was at least twice this young child’s age, he knew it was best for him to sprint. He refused to take the chance he be killed. He ran in the first direction that would take him, the only way Chris knew he was moving forward was seeing contrasting bodies illuminate the sky. The only things he heard was the heaviness of his breathing, a second set of footsteps, and a muffled yelling in a high octave voice. But Christopher ran until he couldn’t anymore. Stopping to lean against a green brick wall, Chris believed he was safe. Until he heard the voice of the young child right behind him.

“Dad!” yelled this young child, “Daddy, please stop running, I need your help!”

“Kid, I’m not your dad,” contested Christopher “I’m fourteen!” Christopher was finally able to straighten out his back against the wall, regaining his breathing, but remained with his knee slightly bent just in case he had to continue running.

“ You are my dad. Your name is Christopher Spencer Montgomery. You father’s name was Spencer. You never knew your mother, and your dad never said her name. You were born June 11th, 1993. You married my mom, Pamela on August 18th, 2024. And you became a dad, March 3rd 2027 to me, dad. I’m Spencer,” cried this young boy as the redness of his face started to diminished as he started to catch his breath. As his face began to calm you could see each freckle appear as if from magic, but could also see each individual tear fall from the child’s green eyes. “Dad, I’m Spencer”

“ Okay, okay Spencer don’t cry. Please don’t cry. I’m only fourteen, while that’s my name and my birthday, I’m not your dad. I can’t be, I haven’t even lived those dates that you named. 10 minutes ago I was in 2007. I’m not your dad,” begged Christopher as he final unbent his knees and removed his back from the wall. He began to take a step closer to Spencer. He still didn’t know if this was the best decision, but he felt to bad for this child who was confused. He slowly cripped toward Spencer, who looked like he couldn’t stand anymore.

“ It’s me daddy. Please remember me. Mommy need you to find her,” Screamed Spencer with every he had left to offer, as he fell to his knees he let out an ear shattering whimper. The bodies of light seemed to be attracted to him as Spencer was the brightest thing with the city. Each beam of light bouncing off of his head, showing the beauty that lies within each strain of hair,  his hair was a reminder of the burnt orange sunset over Camra Bay, it was warm and it tumbled over his shoulders like rusty water. Camra Bay was where Christopher and his father would have a ice cold cider while they would walk along the bay. It was one of Christopher favorite memories of his father.

With each step closer Christopher expected this child who claimed to be his son to turn into this carnivorous monster. How do I have a kid? I can’t. I’m fourteen. What if this is all just one bad dream? It can’t be, I was in the basement when the room went black and I ended up here. Where am I? How many steps to I take before this thing tries to attack me? “Spencer, are you okay?”

Tears had seemed to engulf spencer. He could barely hold his head up must less complete a sentence. He just sat there, with the lights continuing to beam on his head he seemed have a hallo. Spencer didn’t resemble a monster. He looked as if he was being chased by one. As if his nightmares had finally came to life. But even with in all of this he was still able to lift up his head enough to shake it no. He was hurt. He was scared.

“It’s going to be okay,” pledge Christopher, “ I promise.” He took his final step towards Spencer. He stood no more than six inches from Spencer, while still shaken with fear Christopher crouched down to Spencer height. He began to lift his arms to place them onto Spencer’s shoulders. Seeing Christopher no more than six inches in front of him Spencer decide it was his time to caper into Christopher arms. Spencer had hoped this would bring back his father memories of him. It would make him remember all the times he picked him up. The nights he would carry him to his bed after watching a movie together. All the times he carried him in to the house to place a plaster on his knee or his elbows. The many of times he picked him up when he cried. But it didn’t bring back his memories. All it did was frighten Christopher. Christopher picked Spencer off of him to place him onto the ground where he once sat. Christopher slowly back up to the wall he once leaned on. Trembling he looked above him to the bodies as their blinking slowed down and the wailing cries of a child got louder.

“Dad, please remember me!” shouted Spencer through muffled cries.

But I’m not his dad! Would it make him happier if I claimed to be? I just want to be back home! Back in my bed, back in to my normal life. I rather be at the mall with my sister as she tries on a million different outfits than be here! I’d even let her choose a few out for me to try on just to be out of here.

Just as Spencer’s words broke through his cries a body fell from the sky. A woman no older than forty.  She didn't fall with the same graces that Spencer floated down with she was thrown like a fallen angel, her halo was removed when she hit the concrete ground below her. She also didn’t seem frightened. She looked as if this had happened to her before. That this life had been her usual. She peeled her body from the ground and began shouting names. “ Alex, Jordan, Lizzie!”  Four eyes blinked as to assure her that they were still floating above. And one set was missing. “ Jordan!” she called again. But the skies remained calm. No eyes moved.

What is going on? Why is she shouting his name. Who is she? Damn how often do people just fall out of the sky? I have to be dreaming. How did I get here?

“ Spencer please calm down,” said Christopher.

Spencer who had managed himself into fetal position whimpering sat up slowly to the horror in Christopher voice.

“Wha..at’s the matter, Christopher?”

“ There’s a woman. She screaming names. Why is she doing that? Are those her kids up there? How did you guys get up there?

“ This all happen because of you!”

“ What do you mean?” Replied Christopher.

“ You created this world. You thought you were creating a solution but you made a problem.” Spencer had finally gain back his will and stood up. No longer being forced on to the ground by is own sadness. His eyes seemed to darken from their bright green to a hazel. He stood at three inches taller than before. He no longer looked like a sad seven year old but a angry eleven year old.

“What do you mean I created this world, I’m one person I couldn’t do this much damage on my own.”, said Christopher as he looked at his hands and seen the dirt that sat stiff underneath his fingernails, he questioned all of the little events in his life, that could affect the future.

“ You wanted a world of love, something you were basically incapable of, now and then. Dad, I mean Christopher, you once loved me, or you will one day love me, but that how I was able to come down,” said Spencer. “ you loved me enough to bring me down, but only the person with the most capability for love in each family is able to stay down here, but they can bring people down with their love, but sometimes the person with the most love for their family will change. And sometimes that person has a hard time proving they love the other person enough to bring them down. They can die of loneliness down here.”

“ Jordan!” said this woman who not even ten minutes ago fell from the sky, but now she was over her knees with tears as hot as fire rolling down her face waiting for a noise to come from the small thing that sat in front of her. Thirty-seven inches in length, forty-one pounds in weigh the body in front of her did not release a single sound, it didn't move a single inch, it just sat as if it has stared into the eyes of medusa. The soul was missing from the body. The child was gone!

“Jordan! Ale..ex, Lizz..ie! He’s gone!” she cried into the sky, before she fell to the child’s chest waiting for a single breath to find its way out. The world seemed calm once again, the only noise was the soft tears that continued to stream. Her breathing stayed steady through all of her tears like she had experienced this all before. As the tears continued the eyes to began to blink once again. Allowing down two girls, with beautiful hair streaked with warm reddish hues and butterscotch. Their eyes stained of the color of hot chocolate on a cold winter night. They looked like the kindest angels as they floated down with arms intertwined and tears drenching their clothing. They looked as if this world had hurt them to many times.

“Mom! Mom..my! Why? Why daddy and now Jordan? Mom!”, said the youngest of the girls as they landed softly onto the floor. The took small steps over to their mother, never removing the lock between their arms. As the approached their brother came closer they seemed to lose the strength that once resided in their legs. They collapse where they stood.

“Come on we have to make sure that they are okay,” said Christopher. For once he didn’t seem scared but concerned. He wanted to truly make sure that they were okay.

“Now you want to make sure she’s okay! You didn’t care four years ago when Alex got sick. You sat in the basement and continued working on your project! Don’t act all high and mighty now.” Said Spencer with as much attitude as he could physically allow out of him. He never broke eye contact with Christopher.

Christopher gave back a confused stare. Not knowing how to even respond. He let out a sigh, looked at the cold ground that he stood on and walked over to the woman. “ Ma’am are you okay? I mean of course your not okay but is there anything I do to help you.”

“ Get the hell out of here, Chris, this is a family matter. And you made it clear that we weren’t family a long time ago!”  She no longer was only filled with tears but with hatred. Her face went from a pale pink to a red like the most beautiful rose around. Her tears seem to crawl back in to her eyes as to force herself not to cry in front of him. He wasn’t worthy of her tears.

Taken aback Christopher took three heavy steps back. As he stared at this woman wonder how she knew his name and why she hated, he heard the faint words of Spencer behind him, “ Aunt Georgie it’s going to be okay. Lex, Liz it’s going to get better. Jordan loved you but he was only four he didn’t know how to show it. The world choose the wrong one of you to keep down here.”

Georgie!  It’s Georgie! Did I cause her to come down by thinking of her.

“ Georgie? Is it really you? Are these your children? What’s going on?” said Christopher as he waited to be thrown from this nightmare. He thought he must finally be waking up.  

“Spencer you’ve gotten so grown on me? What’s the matter with you’re idiot father this time?” Said Georgie through broken tears and an angry stricken voice.

Spencer leaned his body to be at his aunts ear level and whispered “ He’s not him of now. I used dads regeneration machine to bring a version of him down. I know it needs love to work so I thought of all of dads stories. I guess the strongest one was of him as a teenager.” Georgie through her body back against the wall, defeated she couldn’t understand how this world became the way it is. She looked at her younger brother for a shear reminder of what the world used to be.

“Christopher,” Said Georgie as she picked herself up from the ground she once sat on. As she began walking she said his name one more time waiting for the world to collapse in front of her, finally ending all of the misery she had faced throughout in the past few years. She became face to face with him she looked deeply into his eyes, she lifted her arms to his shoulders and placed her head onto his chest listen to each unsteady heartbeat it was like trying to skip rocks with an rough rock. She said the only thing she needed to say, “I loved you so much.” She left her knee and proceeded to kick Christopher as hard in the groin as she possibly could.

A faint chuckle leaves the lips of Spencer, he hunches his back forward making sure no one can she him laugh. A high pitch noise leaves the mouth of Spencer as he hunches over he places his hand over his mouth to avoid the embarrassment of the first crack in his voice. He's grown again, six more inches and about three more years. He looks to be about fourteen.

As he spiraled onto the ground he let out an exacerbated scream, “Dammit! What was that for Georgie?” he felt the throbbing as if he had a second heartbeat in his lower half this one was more steady. It was like the quick but perfect rounds of a ceiling fan on its highest setting.

“Christopher you were supposed to love me but you've couldn’t.  Christopher, seconds into the world you created I was thrown into the world of the unloved, just like any trash you thrown into the garbage. I was forced to illuminate the skies like all of those who really weren’t loved or weren't cared about Christopher. You were my little brother you were supposed to love me, cuz I loved you, and I guess I still do even if I don't want to. You had Spencer to love you, Even got Allie to love you by all the grace of God because no other woman would have loved you like she did. she was able to keep you down here for months but somehow you became the biggest heart and it sent her and spencer upward. All you cared about where your ideas for this future but so many people didn’t want this.” said Georgie. You could feel her heart sinking lower with word she spoke, the slowing of the beat like a drummer coming to the end of the song. You heard the exhausted like lied within her with each sucken breath. Like her heart could stop at any moment, as if she could lay there as cold and as dead as her son.

“Georgie, I love you. No matter how many times I didn't show it, I always loved you. No matter how many times you drag me out of the house when I don't want, I loved you and I still do love you, you're my older sister. And no I didn't have a choice in beginning but I grew up, and I realized how important you are to me. You are the mom that we never had. And while I don't remember this world I'm ready to start helping. And, Spencer I'm sorry I don't remember being your dad but it is time for me to step up and prove to you, that I can learn how to care. That a 14 I'd be more of a man then I am in this world.” said Christopher as he climbed his way back to a standing position. Hands still remaining close to his lower half to ease the pain that was caused only seconds prior. Once he stood he puffed his chest and stood up as straight as he could to show that he was serious. But a single rolls down his face like a frozen icicle refusing to fall from the frozen bridge.

“How do you expect to do all this you don't even remember mommy” said Spencer who had fought so hard to remain quiet throughout the exchange of father and aunt. He looked exactly like christopher in this moment, the only difference was that he was taller then christopher with and had lighter hair. He stood strong and still.

“The entire time I've been here I've just been scared. I don't know what was going on. This world was different from what I knew but I seen that I have to change it. And I must try, but I will need to change it now but in my own timeline as well. But first I will have to get to know the story of your mother and after I get to know her hopefully I fall in love with her. But I want to go back to 2007 and I want to fix everything that I am because this world is like this because the way I am or the way I become,” said Christopher. The bodies that lied over head seem to agree with this fact they began to blink brightening the city from it’s once dim lighted glow.

Okay but how is it my fault that they glow? How do they change their brightness? Mood lights up in here.

“ Mommy would have loved to hear you say that,” said Spencer through tearful eyes that held forests between them. They grew brighter just like the bodies continued to do. He spoke as if this was a scripted piece for him to speak. He seem to sink back into the seven year old who was searching for his father and missing his mother. His height seem to diminished, his voice no longer cracked, he was just a boy who loved his mother. “ Mommy this amazing woman who loved you more than you would ever know. She spent nights watching you sleep, just because she couldn't believe how lucky she was, to love a man like you. She was so grateful to have married a you. Every time you rang the phone ,mom would continue to stand by it even minutes after you hung up. She said it was it was because she was replaying the conversation so that she never forget your voice. She loved you through all of you hurts and pains. Her name was Allison but when you were seventeen you started calling her Allie because you knew how much she hated it. But she fell in love with the name because you were the one saying it. She fell in love with you because you were kind, caring and loving. And that was all you wanted in the world was for people to love each other. You and her knew the happiness you brought each other.” Spencer seem to know this story like it was the back of his hand, as if it was recited at the dinner table as the prayer. And he was so proud to repeat it back. With his chest puffed and hands on hips this was his favorite song to sing.

“Christopher, you created this invention to show people a love like yours. You never thought that people couldn’t open up like Allie. You believed that no one would spend more than five minutes in the sky because everyone has someone who loved them. Originally that was the case but couples got into arguments, parents and their children stopped talking, and the world became a grave place. When you seen this you neglect Allie when she needed you most. And she was forced to float above you, because she shut her heart so much she forgot how to love.” said Georgie with her back against the war, her poster slouched. Her heart finally raising from her stomach to her chest.

“She sounds amazing, and I sure I didn’t ever mean for this to happen. Guy’s I’m so sorry,” Christopher raised from having to puff his chest to be full to having to a full chest. He was no longer a small fourteen year old boy, but a forty year old man. “ She sound beautiful I’m so happy to know one day I’ll get so lucky.”

“ Why not know that you’re lucky now?” said a small voice as it floated down to the city that was filled with lights from each passing body. Allie was a small woman, but as beautiful as could be. Rose tattoo peeking through the edge of her tee shirt, walnut shell colored hair that fell perfectly at her collar bone. Eyes that told many stories through their green rays. But as she float a foot from the ground, Christopher was thrown back into the reality he once knew as 2007. To meet her in a different rode.