SYNCH

Chapter 11

September 21, 2312

"Alice what happened? Where's Brian ?"
Alice, who was sitting on one of the chairs in the waiting room, raised her head. Red eyes appeared in front of Jack and Alice threw herself in her uncle's arms, for a few moments she stood there, frozen, jack removed from his pocket a tissue which he then proceeded to place in his niece hands before telling her.
"You must have been very frightened" a slight nod from her was enough to confirm the state in which she was.

He then took Iris back to her seat.
"Give me a few minutes I'll just go see Brian, ok ?"
Another nod indicated her agreement and Jack entered the hospital room.
"Mr. Loren, I'm Dr. Trevor"
"Brian ?" asked Jack as he approached his bed.
"Huh, your nephew was transported here after he collapsed during his school trip, he was transported directly from the museum"
"But do not worry our doctors have already confirmed that everything is fine, he just needs some rest"

     After the doctor's speech jack's bust slowly relaxed, he did not realize that he was holding his breath, the relief covered him and Jack came even closer to Brian's bed.
"Are you sure that everything is ok, there is no need for me to intervene" he said.
"Do not worry Mr. Loren, we just gave your nephew something to sleep, he will be able to leave tomorrow"
"Ok...., in that case can his sister come in for a moment,  she was very affected by the event"
"Huh..., I think that it would be better to wait until tomorrow for this"
"Just for a moment, Alice might not be able to sleep if she doesn't see Brian."
"Okay, but just for a moment"
"Ok thank you doctor"

After spending a few minutes in her brother's room Alice and her uncle decided to leave, visiting hours were over and they had to go home.

      Along the way Alice couldn't help but think it was her fault, like the death of their parents. If only she had paid more attention to Alicia's warning.
She clearly remembered the day she first met Alicia, six was years old and had broken her arm when she fell from a tree while playing with a friend. She had to spend two weeks in the hospital before she could return home. For people like her small injuries like that were very dangerous. It was during those few days that Alicia appeared. During a night she couldn't sleep, her arm was hurting and she was alone her mother went home to pick up some things and wasn't going to come back until an hour later. As she was sobbing between the bed sheets Alice heard a voice.
"Why are you crying ?"
She raised her head and in front of her was a little girl, her skin had the color of coffee and eyes the color of gold, she wore a red dress and her hair looked like one of her favorite vintage cartoon characters sideshow bob, she was beautiful like one of the small dolls her mom was collecting, she looked like some kind of fairy, certainly because she looked to young to be a goddess.
"If you stop crying I will stay with you forever." she said.
Alice, who was afraid of being alone, stopped crying instantly and from that moment they became inseparable.

     During their first year together everyone treated Alicia like a very distinguished imaginary friend, no one could see her except her and Alicia told her that it was because the contract had not been formed yet. The years passed and Alicia and Alice continued to grow up, yet the people around her could still not see her. The day before her parents died Alicia had told her that she had to go on a long journey and that she had to be strong in her absence, that things would become difficult but that she should not worry because she was not alone. It was only after she woke up in the hospital that Alice understood Alicia's words.
    
After that she disappeared for six years. Initially Alice had thought it was normal, Alicia was her imaginary friend and this kind of thing disappears when people grow up. Until one evening, after coming back from school she opened the door of her room she saw a girl sitting on her bed, she wore a red dress like the ones she wear when they were children, but it was only when she saw her eyes that Alice became aware of who she was.

     When they arrived at home Alice exhausted went straight to bed.