Chlorine Halos

Giveth & Taketh

"I'll say," I said under my breath, unable to avoid enchantment.

Anthony picked up the Valet and dusted off the sand. "Now that the two of you have reshaped the phrase, ''Til we meet again', I think we should be on our way."

"Oh, be quiet," Natalie said, pushing him to the side. "It's sweet."

"Anthony's right," Maddie stated. "We should go. We don't want to attract any unwanted attention."

The twins led us up the hillside which overlooked the desolate, rocky terrain. Obstructing the view, a wide plateau walled anything further inland.

"Sad, isn't it?" Natalie sighed, reading my expression. "Really makes me miss the other Correo Island."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, glancing back at the barren surroundings. "That can't possibly be this grid's Correo Island."

"You're looking at what's left of it," Anthony said, reaching the top of the hill. "If you want, I'll take you on the depressing tour a little later."

"I don't understand. What hap—" I began, interrupted by the sight of a dark figure standing on the beach at the base of the hill. A fedora casted a masking shadow as the tails of a charcoal trench coat whipped in the wind. "Wh-Who is that?"

"Unwanted attention," Maddie answered, hurrying me over the hilltop. "Come on."

"Temporary home, sweet temporary home," Anthony said, stopping halfway down the other side. He gestured to the solid slope of sand and stone. "After you, Avian."

"I'm not seeing a penrose or a bottomless pit, so I'm at a loss," I replied. "What am I supposed to do?"

Maddie leaned in close and stroked the nape of my neck with her fingertips, tracing a circle over and over. "Sometimes, you need someone to show you what you've missed."

A triangular corridor revealed itself with every blink of my eyes. "Unbelievable," I whispered.

"Long live the queen," Natalie said, smiling at Maddie.

Anthony patted my shoulder. "Come on. There's quite a lot to catch up on."

The slanted rock walls widened with each step forward, leading to a bunker fit for the apocalypse. Sealed plastic buckets and steel propane tanks lined one wall. On the opposite side,  black-trimmed foot lockers sat beneath several shelves, carved from the stone. An expansive library filled the shelf space with archaic weaponry acting as bookends. From end to end on the far wall, countless post-it notes and photographs wallpapered every inch, some covered with scribbled captions while others carried a bold-faced, red X.

"Why don't you have a seat?" Natalie offered, pulling out one of the many mismatched chairs which surrounded the ping-pong table at the center of the room.

"Okay," I replied, my response trailing off as I sat down. 

"Here it is," Maddie said, rummaging through one of the foot lockers. She closed the case and held out a straight lead pipe. "I really hope this works."

"Me, too," the twins agreed.

I grasped the heavy hunk of metal, confused yet curious. "And I'm supposed to do what with this?"

"I thought you said he made it," Anthony said, arching his eyebrow.

"He did," Maddie insisted. "He just doesn't know he did." 

"What—I—How—" I stammered, studying the pipe. "Can't you just give me back my memories? It would make this go a lot faster, wouldn't it?"

"Give them back?" Maddie replied. "Avian, I didn't take them. They never left you."