Algid (#TronnorAU)

Chapter 42: Down to skin and bones

"... But... impossible...", he thought, "I hadn't felt that scent since... since..."

Suddenly, light. And Connor opened his eyes wide.

He blinked once, twice. He was inside a room he took seconds to recognize. The red walls, the small, rectangular shape, with a window at one end and a door at the other. The bed he was sitting in, with a matching maroon cover. The desk in front of him, piled up with books. The closet next to it, which he was sure that if he opened, he would find the clothes he used to wear when he was little. And behind him, on top of the bed, the few medals from swimming competitions he had attended with his oldest school.

Plus, the smell.

There was no mistake.

-"... I'm... I'm, home...?"

Connor could hear himself speak out loud, but it was a mere whisper. His vision was still blurry, and he couldn't tell what was in the reflection of the mirror in front of him. But he was almost a hundred percent sure he was in his family's house of La Crescent, Minnesota.

But how did he get there?

Why was he here?

Did this mean that Nicola was here as well...?

Suddenly realizing he was sitting up straight, and that meant he had control over his body once again. How much time had passed since he passed out?

Stumbling a little, he managed to stand up. It was still very dizzying to his head, but he had to make an effort. Taking one step at a time, he headed towards the door.

The pictures on the walls, the color of the green carpet that lined up the hallway, the lamps to his left and right... yes, this was definitely his house. But he didn't know what he was doing here; with it practically intact. It had been years. Hadn't it been demolished...? Feeling quite weary, Connor spoke into the hallway.

-"... He-Hello...?"—he asked out loud, timidly—"Is there anyone... here?"

RING! RING! RING! RING!

The sound of a ringing phone was coming from somewhere downstairs. Connor knew that the one phone they kept was on the kitchen counter, so that had to be it, if this was truly his house.

-"I'm coming!"—Connor suddenly announced with a hint of excitement he wasn't sure where it was coming from.

Making his way down the hallway and left towards the stairs, in no time he was already at the kitchen, just as he remembered it, with the wooden cabinets and the silverware placed on the lower shelves so that Nicola could reach them as well; and the phone, right where it should be. Connor failed to notice just how unnaturally quickly he had reached the kitchen.

Picking up the phone with an excitement he hadn't had in years for such a trivial task, Connor answered like it hadn't been a day since last time he had done so.

-"Hello? This is Connor speaking! Connor Franta!"—he said into the device, with a grin on his face he was also not quite controlling.

Then, from the other end of the line answered a sweet, sore, yet homely voice Connor almost paralyzed when hearing.

-"My, my... is the handsome young man Connor Franta himself?"

Connor didn't respond.

That voice... was that...

But it couldn't be...

-"M-Mommy...!?"

He could feel tears rolling down his cheeks. His heart, pounding heavily against his chest, up to the point of physical pain. His knees going weak, prompting him to almost fall, but managing to support himself on the counter.