Xan kept her head down as she walked, buried deep beneath her thoughts. Everything looked the same, but different. Just like the woman in the mirror. Some of the sidewalks looked like they'd been repaved recently, some storefronts changed names. She couldn't shake this feeling of displacement.
The sounds of the people made her ears perk, recognizing the smells and decor as the Harvest Festival. She bit the inside of her cheek, wondering how she could have possibly forgotten. Last she could remember it was still spring. A pang shot through her temples, Xan wincing as she reached for her head. The pressure helped dull the pain.
She suddenly remembered how hungry she was, looking around for the first place she could see that had food, recognizing a diner. Still rubbing her temples, she pushed herself through the diner doors taking a seat at the counter.
"What can I get you?" Asked the old man behind the counter.
"Just a milkshake, chocolate malt please."
"Are you sure you don't want to try our pumpkin flavor? It's perfect for the season."
"Uhm, sure - and actually, can I get a double cheesburger too." Xan hadn't ever had so much junk food, it made her sick usually. She buried her head into her hands, trying to collect her thoughts. Nothing was right. Maybe this wasn't even real, maybe she was dreaming - and if she was, might as well enjoy it.
Xan pulled out her phone, suspending in time for a moment - her body telling her to stop. She punched in Nixie's number, something she'd done a dozen times always hanging up before she could hear the click of the line connecting. A couple of times she managed to send the call through - always hanging up before the second ring.
A mop of white blonde hair made her freeze, phone still in hand. She stood up so quickly she knocked down the drink of the person next to her, immediately mumbling a string of apologies. When she looked back, the woman was staring back at her with a blank expression. Xan almost fooled herself for an instant, insisting she must be wrong. This wasn't Erin. There wasn't a blink of recognition in her expression, it was like she was seeing right through her. Then she saw the darks of her eyes, the slope of her nose. There was no mistaking it, it was...
"Erin?!" Xan said much louder than she intended. She heard the sound of a distant voice, looking down and realizing the phone had connected. Panicking, she hung up - not bothering to find out if she'd just been sent to voicemail. She stood there for a moment stunned. The sharp pain in her temple was back, making her wince. Too many things were happening at once. She grabbed her head, squinting her eyes the florescent lights above suddenly blinding.
Then she just vanished.
Disappeared right out of thin air. Those around her so preoccupied with cleaning up the spill they hadn't noticed, only the woman with the white-blonde hair had been looking at her. Xan looked back, completely unaware that she was no longer visible. Her migraine had left as quickly as it came, Xan steadying herself as she walked toward the woman. It was obvious the woman didn't recognize Xan anymore than she had a moment ago, but there had been a shift in her posture when Xan said her name.
The woman's gaze didn't follow her as she approached, remaining fix at the point where she disappeared. Xan sat down across her, unwittingly re-manifesting in the seat across from Erin. "What are you looking at?"