#mysterymarch2021no.11

[nickkkwritesstuff]

Day 11: Name

((I’m so late for this aaa i didn’t know how to start this nor how to finish but here ya go, enjoy ;) it’s 1 am))

Vivi massaged her temples frustrated, the screen in front of her eating her brain and questioning her intelligence once again. She sat on the floor, legs closed and back firmly pressed against one side of her bed looking towards the open door of her bedroom at the apartment she and Arthur shared. 

There she was, hidden among piles of tomes and encyclopedias. Her hands fidgeting with the edges of her sweater and matching skirt as her ocean eyes fixated on her laptop like deadly daggers. Vivi fought to concentrate on the chase, one that shouldn’t bother her as much as it did, but the beat of a heart kept stealing her attention like a fire alarm.

Resting on top of her night table, a shiny golden locket drumbed loudly enough to echo on her chest. The girl gave it a quick glance, just a little look to ease the need to open it. Oh, words would never hold enough power to describe how much she hated that anchor.

Vivi could hear the owner of such trinked luring around their kitchen, unbothered by her thoughts, he kept his distance from her after being aware of how she felt towards him. It hadn’t been long ago when the wraith (what was his name again?) had rejoined their small group just after he had come to terms with Arthur, they got along fine, both having to get used to each other again but things were working out slowly, painfully slowly, however Vivi wasn’t buying any of this, the ghost and her friend told her the most heartwarming stories about the couple they once were, and he sounded like a nice guy, really, but the hatred she had seen on his eyes and the way the ghost had tried to willingly kill Arthur not once but twice didn’t mix well.

As for that, the ghost had trusted Vivi his anchor as both a promise and a guarantee.

He (she had his name on the tip of her tongue) had guarantee that he wouldn’t try to hurt their scrawny blond mechanic ever again, and if he ever did, she guarded his anchor to perform a clean exorcism and get rid of him for forever; and he also confirmed that she would find the answers to her questions inside of it.

But Vivi was afraid of the truth.

Arthur had tried many times to itch her to open it, Mystery had done the same a few times last month and they had offered her to confirm her memories, just in chase they were incorrect and the ghost tried to brainwash her. 

Vivi cracked her knuckles and returned back to work, ignoring the loud thum next to her. She pressed the keys harder than before to mute her thoughts but she interrupted herself when she catched her bobbing her head to the rhythm of the anchor. Vivi closed the computer angrily fighting the urge to throw it out of the window and sat down on her bed.

Her eyes landed on the golden heart, imitating the pulse of a real organ. Her hands stretched to welcome it onto her hold but she freezed and withdrawned them to her sides.

What if her world stumbled down again?

What if she realized how wrong she was?

What if she didn’t like what she saw?

Vivi couldn’t bear to see what she knew fall again. Everything was working out, she was fine with the life she had, why wasn’t it enough? It should be enough, why can’t it be enough?

Vivi looked at the anchor and wished to rip it in pieces and end her suffering. Her hands once again reached for it and this time she felt the smooth surface on her delicate touch. Her thumb ran across the cover like it was made of glass and found her reflection like a perfect mirror.

“Is everything okay?” A deep voice called from the door forcing her to look up and meet the skeleton’s face. He probably felt her touching his heart.

She bit her lips. “Yes, it’s fine,” She assured, placing the locket on her lap. “I just- ah”

The girl failed to explain herself. “I’m wondering how things were before… y’know.” Vivi moved a little and patted next to her inviting the spirit to sit. He placed himself on the other end of the bed, giving her as much space as he could and did his best to look smaller. “What if everything’s different? How am I supposed to react? What should I do with that? It’s just too much.”

Vivi’s chest tightened as she trailed off inside her mind, maybe she was overthinking it after all, but a large hand on her back gently pulled her off her thoughts before they choked her.

He sighed (or did the equivalent for a ghost) and retrieved his anchor from her grip. “It’s okay if you want to take your time,” the spirit fidgeted a little with the locket on his hands. “and we’re not going to push you to go through that. We were friends once, who says we can’t be friends again?”

It wasn’t a smile what the ghost pulled but it was close enough, one gentle but awkward smile. Vivi’s guess was that it would look better with his human disguise on (the one she couldn’t see or she’ll black out.)

She placed her hands on top of his and applied some pressure until she heard a soft click and the anchor opened like a book ready to be read. “But I want to know what I lost.”

The last came out more like a whisper to her ears, not sure if the ghost had heard her, but Vivi did not care. She guided his hands back to her lap to take a look inside the locket. It contained a single picture of the group, smiling as they never had and squished together to fit in the small frame.

Vivi felt like she had passed through a wall, one by one she saw memories long lost and recent adventures she would have never imagined, it all felt true and right and nostalgic until she was forced back into reality.

She was sitting staring at a wall, crying; the ghost panicking silently next to her unsure to pull her on a hug or lay her on the bed. Vivit turned to look at the wraith, recognition filling her eyes.

“Lewis?” She gasped and her world shattered again.