A Frozen past

"I'm sorry to hear that," Alex offered sympathetically.

"He was our team captain, my second adopted brother, and Eve's biological sibling," John explained, leaving Alex at a loss for words.

"They were twins," John continued, "I was born a year later, we were a family."

"I'm sorry for your loss, but what does this have to do with Ashe?" Alex questioned.

"And," John added, "he was Ashe's boyfriend, the suit you wore today was his"

The mention of Ashe and "boyfriend" struck Alex like a freight train. "How did he die, if I may ask?" he inquired, bracing himself for a difficult response.

"He was killed, though they couldn't find enough evidence," John responded, perching himself on the flower bed before the memorial wall.

"Killed?" Alex whispered, the word heavy with implications.

"I'd rather not delve into the details. Let Ashe fill you in when you're ready. Right now, we're running late for class," John advised, rising to his feet.

As John walked away, Alex remained, gazing at the wall adorned with numerous photos. Among them, he noticed a picture of Ashe, Eve, and Gabriel, engaged in a playful tussle over a slice of pizza—a poignant memory.

Turning to leave, Alex noticed an unusual sight: a flower petal suspended just above the floor, defying gravity. He glanced back and spotted Annalina standing before the memorial wall, her eyes fixed on the photographs.

"I knew you would show up" Alex inquired, cautiously approaching her.

"I held him in my arms when he was just a baby, and he smiled," Annalina reminisced.

"What are you talking about?" Alex asked, inching closer.

"His sister would cry when she saw me, like most children. But you and he were different. You weren't afraid of me," Annalina disclosed.

"Who are you referring to?" Alex inquired once more.

"He was born three months after you and your sister," Annalina replied, her eyes welling up with tears.

"You're talking nonsense! I don't have a sister!" Alex protested.

Annalina's eyes, on the verge of releasing a torrent of tears, bore into Alex's. "But you do, and she's beautiful." A tear fell onto a rose petal, triggering a sudden shower of petals that enveloped the area, radiating a brilliant light. The brightness became so intense that Alex had to shield his eyes.

"Her name is Karis," Annalina declared.

As the luminosity subsided, Alex found himself standing in a vast room with marble flooring in earthy tones. His reflection shimmered on the surface, and above, an opulent white ceiling held a massive golden chandelier that emitted a dazzling, ethereal light. It felt like he had been transported to a celestial realm.

"They're sleeping," a voice spoke from behind.

Alex turned around to find two empty cradles in the room. As he approached, he discovered two peacefully slumbering infants. Annalina's voice whispered softly in his ear, "It was the first time I saw you."

Turning to acknowledge her presence, Alex found himself alone. But when he looked back, Annalina was holding one of the infants.

"I remember the first time you opened your eyes and looked at me. You didn't cry," Annalina recounted, her voice tender. She gently clasped the baby's tiny hand, her touch delicate. "Your skin was so soft. I was afraid to hold you too tightly, but you grabbed onto my finger and wouldn't let go."

Alex's confusion deepened. Was Annalina narrating events from the past or the present?

"Then you smiled," she continued.

"Who are they, and where are we?" Alex finally asked, attempting to make sense of the surreal experience.

"Do you not recognize them? Take a closer look," Annalina encouraged.

Examining the infant in her arms, Alex felt an uncanny mix of recognition and uncertainty. It was as though he knew the child, yet he didn't.

"I don't know," he admitted.

Annalina directed his attention to a scar on the baby's right shoulder. "Do you recognize this scar?"

"I have a scar like that. I got it while playing in a park in New York," Alex recalled.

Annalina kissed the baby's forehead and carefully returned her to the cradle. She then approached the second cradle, and with a contemplative expression, added, "You didn't acquire that scar the way you were told."

"What?" Alex blurted out, his confusion growing.

"Do you remember what happened on the day you received that scar?" Annalina probed.

"Yes, I was playing, and..." Alex began, but Annalina interjected.

"You fell from the swing, injuring your shoulder. It required four stitches. Your mother bought you an ice cream with a strawberry on top," she revealed.

Alex was stunned into silence. Annalina had recounted the incident precisely as it had occurred. "How do you know all this?" he inquired.

"I know because I'm the one who implanted that memory," Annalina confessed, turning away to tend to the second baby in the cradle.

"This is madness! What do you mean you implanted that memory?" Alex demanded.

"You are not who you think you are," Annalina stated cryptically, gently cradling the second child.

"Stop speaking in riddles. Tell me what you know plainly—no more puzzles," Alex implored.

"I will explain later. For now, meet your sister," Annalina said before turning to face the cradle.

"I don't have a sister. How many times must I say it?" Alex protested, but the baby girl began to cry, and he didn't dare look at her. Instead, his gaze remained locked with Annalina's.

Determined not to blink, Alex struggled against the overwhelming desire to close his eyes. But, inevitably, he blinked, and the room vanished. In its place, Alex found himself in a completely different scene. He scanned the surroundings and saw a young child crying. Nearby, a strikingly beautiful woman with purple hair, exuding grace and elegance, tried to console the distressed child.

"Mom, Loanda bit me!" the child wailed.

Alex hastened towards them, his curiosity piqued. "Excuse me," he interjected, but it was as though no one could hear him.

"Show me the bite," the woman instructed the child, who proceeded to reveal a wound on his right leg. At that moment, Alex was struck by a searing headache and a sudden flash of memories.

"I'll heal it now, but it might leave a scar, so be careful next time," the woman said, her hands emitting a soothing green light that closed the wound, leaving behind a faint scar that might fade with time. Then, as if frozen in time, they all stood still.

"These are your real memories," Annalina's voice reverberated.

"This can't be real. I don't know anyone here—neither you nor this woman. And you're telling me I have a sister?" Alex protested.

"You have a long journey ahead of you. You're not ready yet," Annalina replied, advancing toward Alex. He found himself rooted in place, unable to move. Annalina leaned in to plant a kiss on his forehead, and he could faintly hear John's voice calling his name.

"Alex, what are you doing?" John's voice echoed in his ears. Alex knew that if he turned or tried to find John, he would be expelled from this enigmatic dream. "Come on, we'll be late for class," John's voice called from behind.

Alex had no choice but to turn and face John. They both stood before the memorial wall at school. "Hurry up; class has already begun," John urged.

Alex collected himself and walked side by side with John. "Hey, John, how long has your family known mine?" he inquired.

John glanced at the ceiling as they walked. "I'm not exactly sure, but they've been acquainted for a long time. They even talk on the phone every day."

"Every day?" Alex repeated.

"Yeah, without fail," John confirmed.

"Do you know which orphanage your father used to work at, along with my mom?" Alex probed, hoping to uncover information that might shed light on the truth behind Annalina's cryptic revelations, especially regarding the possible existence of his sister.

"I don't know the exact name, but I heard it was destroyed in a massive fire fifteen years ago," John informed him.

"Fifteen years ago?" Alex mused.

"That's right. After the accident, Mom and Dad adopted Eve and Gabriel. I came along a year later," John recounted.

"And let me guess, your mom wasn't a soldier who went off to war, was she?" Alex inquired.

"No, but if she were, she'd be one tough soldier. She's a force to be reckoned with when she's angry," John replied, coming to a halt and fixing Alex with a serious look.

"Oh, it's nothing. My mother never tells me anything, which leaves me curious," Alex explained, trying to deflect John's suspicion.

"Anyway, you won't find much there. Even if you discover the orphanage's name, it's a shopping mall now," John advised.

"Thanks," Alex replied with a tinge of disappointment.

"No problem. Let's go; we're already late," John urged.

At each turn, Alex seemed to get closer to unveiling the secrets of his past and his father's. However, at every step, something intervened to shut doors and sever the leads. His only hope now lay with his mother and the enigmatic specter that haunted his dreams.