Issue 4: Heartbreak


    Venessa wakes up at 8:36 in the morning. She’s surprised that Avonari hasn’t woken her up yet. She panics for a second before realizing that it’s Saturday and there isn’t school on the weekends. Avonari has woken up, as evident from the empty top bunk. Venessa heads downstairs to find that many of the foster children are awake and moving about the house.


    Cory: Good morning, Venessa.


    Venessa: Morning.


    Cory: Annelise has breakfast on the table, if you’re hungry.


    Venessa nods and heads into the kitchen. Avonari sits down beside her.


    Avonari: So, can we watch the movies today?


    Venessa: Movies?


    Avonari: Every single Marvel and D.C. movie ever made.


    Venessa sighs: That would take all day.


    Avonari: It’ll be the best day of your life.


    Venessa: Fine. I’ll watch the movies with you.


    Avonari: Yay! I can’t wait! Which one should we start with?!


    Venessa: Can I finish my breakfast first?


    Avonari: Right. Sorry!


    Venessa: Oh! And I’ll have to get dressed and ready for the day first. I don’t want to wear pajamas all day.


    Avonari sighs: You’re killing me! Alright!


    Venessa smiles, but her smile fades when Annelise enters the room.


    Annelise:(to Venessa) Good morning. Did you sleep well?


    Venessa nods and continues eating her food.


    Annelise: You seem a bit tense. Is there anything you need to talk about?


    Venessa shakes her head and doesn’t make eye contact.


    Annelise smiles: I’ll be here if you need me.


    She walks away.


    Avonari: Annelise is right. Something’s bothering you.


    Venessa: Nothing’s bothering me.


    Avonari is unconvinced: C’mon. You’ve gotta tell me now.


    Venessa looks around.


    Venessa: I’m pretty sure I had one of my clairvoyance dreams last night.


    Avonari: Really? What did you see?


    Venessa: I think…I think Annelise might die.


    Avonari: What?!


    Venessa: Sssh! Keep it down!


    Avonari: How accurate are your dreams?


    Venessa shrugs: It depends. Some of them have been only about 20% accurate. Some of them have been completely correct.


    Avonari: So, how did Annelise die in your dream?


    Venessa: I didn’t actually see her die, but it seemed like she was in the process of dying. It was only flashes. I guess that she was being murdered, but I didn’t see any blood.


    Avonari: We’ve gotta tell her!


    Venessa: No, we can’t! She should live her life normally and not be stressed!


    Avonari: How soon is this supposed to happen?


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    Venessa: I don’t know. It could be years from now…


    Avonari sighs with relief: Okay, good. We’ll have at least a few more years with her.


    Venessa:...But it could also happen today.


    Avonari: I’m gonna go tell Annelise!


    Venessa grabs Avonari by the arm: We should let her enjoy the time she has left. That means she can’t know that she’s gonna die. At least, that’s what I’ve heard in movies.


    Avonari: Well, in Marvel movies, the characters try to change that! Do you want Annelise to die, Venessa?!


    Venessa is silent.


    Avonari: Do you?


    Venessa: I…I don’t want anyone to die. But I don’t think that we can change the future.


    The two of them sit in silence.


    Avonari sighs: I won’t tell her.


    Venessa: I think I want to get ready for the day and watch the movies now.


    Avonari nods: Yeah, that’d be good.


    Venessa changes into some comfortable dayclothes and sits down with Avonari on the couch.


    Avonari: Do you want to start with Marvel or D.C.?


    Venessa: I don’t know either of them. Uuum…how about D.C.?


    Avonari: Okay. Which D.C. movie?


    Venessa: I don’t know. Which one is your favorite?


    Avonari: My favorite is Man of Steel, but I think that Wonder Woman would be a good one to start with.


    Venessa: Alright. Let’s watch it.


    Avonari: Daia, turn on the 2017 Wonder Woman movie.


    T.V.: Okay. Turning on “Wonder Woman”.


    Avonari and Venessa watch the movie. Venessa pretends not to like it, but does a terrible job. Annelise steps into the nearby kitchen to make lunch.


    Venessa: Why does this take place in World War 1? I thought D.C. was contemporary.


    Avonari: It’s an origin story. Now, shh! The action’s about to ramp up!


    A huge fight scene comes on the screen of the projected television.


    Venessa: Whoa! That was…okay, I guess.


    Avonari: Okay?!


    Venessa: So, why don’t they make superhero movies anymore?


    Avonari: The government hates powered people, duh!


    About an hour later, the movie is over.


    Avonari: Now, I need to hear your theories. You could beat whom?


    Venessa: What? I watched one movie!


    Avonari: Could Batman beat Superman?


    Venessa: Who are those two?


    Avonari gasps: Okay, we’re watching their movies next.


    Venessa sighs. Annelise watches the two girls lovingly from the kitchen. Suddenly, she cries and crumples to the ground.


    Avonari: Annelise!


    The girls run over to help her. Just like in Venessa’s dream, there’s no blood. Tears roll down Annelise’s face.


    Annelise:(rasping) Get Cory.


    Venessa runs to Cory, who appears to be researching something.


    Venessa: Something’s wrong with Annelise.


    Cory immediately stands from his chair: What is it?


    Venessa: I don’t know. She…she just collapsed.


    Cory runs into the kitchen before Venessa can finish telling the story. He picks up Annelise with remarkable ease and carries her into their bedroom. The girls hesitate for a second before following after them. They find Annelise lying on her bed with Cory at her side. Eight-year-old Josie, another foster child, rushes into the room.


    Cory: Can you make your hands cold without freezing Mommy?


    Josie nods. Cory scans Annelise’s temperature: 100.2 Degrees Fahrenheit. Venessa and Avonari watch intensely.


    Cory: We can’t let it get above 102.5.


    Annelise’s breathing speeds up.


    Cory:(to Annelise) What do you see?


    Avonari and Venessa look at each other, confused.


    Annelise: A…A town in Thailand. Wait…It’s 05437. Webmaster! She’s infected the wifi in the buildings! All of them!


    Annelise clutches Cory’s hand harder. She grimaces in pain.


    Annelise: The town’s about to be wiped out! There are people in there!!! Oh…Thank heavens! The Cyclone Sector showed up!


    Annelise grimaces and clenches her teeth. Cory scans Annelise again: 101.1.


    Cory: C’mon, Annie! I’m right here. Stay with me!


    Annelise: HE’S GONNA DESTROY IT!


    Venessa:(to Avonari) He? I thought Webmaster was a ‘she’.


    Annelise: HOW…HOW?! HOW ARE THEY GONNA GET EVERYONE OUT IN TIME?!


    The group waits intensely.


    Annelise: EVERYONE’S OUT! THE TOWN’S BEEN EVACUATED!


    Annelise seems to brace herself. Cory measures her temperature again: 101.9


    Cory: You can do it! Stay calm!


    Annelise screams in agony, and what sounds like a bit of anger and despair. Cory checks Annelise’s temperature: 102.1, 102.3, 102.5, 102.2, 101.6,...(it keeps decreasing until it reaches 98.4)


    Annelise pants: It’s over now. He’s content again. Webmaster’s been seriously injured.


    Annelise sits up and wipes the sweat off of her forehead.


    Josie: Mommy, are you okay?


    Annelise nods: I’m okay now, JoJo.


    Josie climbs onto the bed and hugs Annelise. Annelise hugs her back.


    Annelise: Thank you. I love you so much.


    Josie: I love you, too.


    Cory kisses Annelise’s forehead. Annelise hugs him, gets up from the bed, and heads downstairs to make lunch. Venessa and Avonari are perplexed.