Prologue - Tom's Story

 

For an impressive city, Bridgeport really wasn't all that impressive. Sure it had the glitzy nightspots, the rich celebrities, the high-end condos and the supposed "vampires" who fed on blood at night, but to one man, it wasn't worth living in. 

He took a job as a mayor of the city, and since then the city had become more green and happy, but he couldn't help but feel he was missing something in his life. He was missing a woman, a friend of his since as long as he could remember.

 

Tom Jameson made a fist in his hand, ready to punch the phone due to the seeming ineptitude of the person on the other line who was searching for a simple name in a simple small town. "No listing for Kethrin in Sunset Valley? Well could you check it again, please?..."

"I'm sorry sir, but there doesn't seem to be an Annabelle Kethrin anywhere in the town, she could have moved onto a different city." 

"Well, what about Twinbrook, or Sunset Valley?"

"Hold please..."
Tom waited for half an hour while the operator on the other line searched the listings in the two towns. After some time, he heard a "ding" noise and the operator's voice came back onto the phone.

"We found one listing for Kethrin, Annabelle in Twinbrook. Calling" 

Tom stayed on the line until the phone stopped ringing and he heard, in Annabelle's high, youthful voice, "Hello this is Annabelle Kethrin, I am not here right now but if you leave your name and number I'll be sure to get back to you. Thanks."

Tom realized that Annabelle probably wouldn't call him back. Hell, she'd probably block his number from her phone after what he did, leaving her like that without looking back. If he was in her shoes, he'd find himself in Bridgeport beat the everliving crap out of himself, not that he wasn't already kicking himself repeatedly in the head over the stupid choice he made.

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"I got a job as a mayor in Bridgeport... I... I took it. I'm sorry for all the jokes I made Annie, I really am... that part of me was just there to make... no, it doesn't matter, not anymore. Goodbye, Annabelle." 

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He didn't even let her respond, he didn't wait for her to tell him no if she wanted to, he just...

"Hello?" 

Tom couldn't believe it. It was actually her, it was Annabelle's voice! "Annabelle? It's... it's Tom."

"No, it's Keera, Tom. You know who I am, right?"

"Keera?! Of course I do... you just sound identical to Annabelle now. I can't believe it's been ten years since we last met. How are you doing?"

"Still scarred as all can be, you know. I still see it every time I look in the mirror... that will never heal, you know." 

"Yeah, I know. Listen, Keera... is your mother home? I need to talk to her. I need to tell her some things that are very important."

"Important enough to wait ten years to say? Yeah, I'm sure SHE can't wait to hear them!"

Tom felt guilty just talking to Annabelle's cloned daughter. "Now listen Keera it's important that I speak to her immediately. I need to apologize, I need to set things straight, just give her the phone okay?"

"Sorry to sound like this right now, buddy-boy, but whatever you have to say to Annabelle, you can say to me."

   

Suddenly Tom came to a startling revelation: Only one person had ever called him "buddy-boy" in his life, and now to hear her say that in this tone made him even more depressed.

"Annabelle? Listen. I'm very sorry. I... I didn't want to leave, I just had no choice."

"We all have a choice Tom. You chose to leave Sunset Valley, and I'm choosing to hang up right now. You've done a lot of stupid things in your life, but that was the be-all end-all of them. Goodbye."

"Annabelle, NO. Just hear me out please! I know you're not just mad about me going, but about everything else I've done, and I want to apologize for them too! All of it! Please, just hear me out."

"You've got five minutes."

"Okay. I first want to say I'm sorry for all the green jokes. They all stem back from something from when we were kids, remember that, Annabelle? Annie?....."