Mortimer’s vision started to blur and he started hearing echos of voices and sounds that weren’t coming from those around him. He tried to shake off this strange feeling, chalking it up to the alcohol he had ingested earlier… soon he would realize it wasn’t the liquor at all……..



A small child looking no older than five years stood on her knees on a large, pillowed couch that pushed up against a row of frosty fogged windows. Her tiny hand reached out and wiped away the chilled moister so she could see through to the snowy streets of her neighborhood. She seemed antsy and ready to be elsewhere. This was apparent due to her current clothing. She wore what looked like two coats and warm sweat pants that ran down to her brown snow boots. Her hair was slightly messy from donning all of that cold weather attire. She rested her elbows and forearms against the head of the couch as she fidgeted with the window, drawing whatever came to mind onto the fogged surface. He ears perked up as she heard the soft thuds of shoes coming down the stairs in the other room. She knew the sound of her father’s footsteps anywhere. She jumped up from her perch and ran towards the lobby of her home to find her father.



Her father was dressed in a brown long-coat that was made out of fine cotton and silk. Underneath he wore a simple black sweater which matched his outer attire very well. Wrapped snugly around his neck was dark blue scarf with multiple snowflake designs stitched in white. He wore simple black dress trousers and brown boots. Mortimer smiled as he saw his daughter running towards him, throwing out his arms to catch her embrace.



“Are you ready to go Eliza?”



It was a rather stupid question to ask seeing as how she was already trying to guide him out the door.



“Alright alright, there’s no rush…”



He chuckled as she led him out the door and into the chilly afternoon. Eliza held her father’s hand as she skipped alongside him, snow kicking up from her feet and leaving tiny random footprints along side her father’s evenly placed tracks. The pair traveled down icy cobblestone sidewalks, taking a few safe shortcuts that Mortimer knew about. After a journey of twenty minutes, which he was sure felt like twenty days to his daughter, they made it into town. Even though it was a very cold afternoon, the streets where abundant with people going from store to store in their daily activities. The sound of distant conversations riddled the air of the market district. People carrying large bags of groceries and other assorted goods hurried along with their daily errands. Eliza’s sunset hued eyes lit up when she saw a tiny shop with the words ‘Pete’s Prancing Pets’. She pointed and urged her father to go faster, laughing with joy as they made their way towards the establishment.



Pete, a scruffy, weathered old man stood behind the counter of his business with kind eyes and a smile that welcomed everyone who were to look at him. His ears perked up at the sound of the bell that jingled when his door opened. An even broader smile appeared along his face as he saw Mortimer and Eliza walking into his shop.



“Ah! Dr. Charles! It’s so nice to see you! Oh? And who might you be?”



He asked Eliza, winking towards her to assure her he was just joking. Eliza would often come visit Pete’s store when she was was with her mother on grocery runs. She smiled brightly and waved.



“So Dr. Charles… what can I do for you and your daughter today?”



Mortimer waved his hand dismissively towards Pete, letting out a soft chuckle.



“How many times have I told you it’s okay to just call me by my first name? You could even make up some amusing nickname for me! I welcome the randomness of it all. We’re here to pick out a furry little companion for my little angel here.”



Eliza beamed when she heard the word 'Angel’. It always cheered her up when she was feeling sad and made her all the happier when she was not. Pete turned stern for a few hilarious moments.



“Now young lady… A pet is a big responsibility… I’m sure your father has told you about this?”



Eliza got serious in return, though she was apparently struggling to hold off her giggles. She nodded towards Pete in the most serious way she could muster before letting a tiny giggle escape her lips. Pete also couldn’t hold back his laughter as he led them into the back-room where all of the animals that weren’t on display where housed. Eliza went from cage to cage, petting and holding whatever pet she could. She liked them all but none of them seemed to be the one she wanted. She looked up at her father with a somewhat helpless expression. Mortimer looked down at her with a warm, reassuring smile, nodding towards a pet display that she missed. She smiled and rushed over towards it. It was a small display on the floor that allowed people around it to interact with the creatures on the inside which in this case was a small number of rabbits. Eliza’s eyes sparkled with amazement at the cute fluffy little creatures. It took her almost a full minute to decide which one she wanted, picking up a white-furred rabbit with long ears. It’s white coat was trimmed with tiny black patterns of fur that appeared randomly on its body.



“I think we have a winner.”



Pete said, nodding towards Eliza with a warm smile. She ran over towards them, carefully cradling the rabbit which was amazingly accepting of her chooser, snuggling up against her warm coat and closing her eyes. Mortimer agreed wholeheartedly and he was very quick to pay Pete for his help, sliding in a few more pounds as a donation to his shop. Pete had always been there for Mortimer and he knew that Pete’s shop was going through some hard times. Pete reluctantly accepted his generosity, saying something along the lines of paying him back someday which Mortimer obviously dismissed with a smile and a polite shake of his head. Eliza held her new friend close to her chest as they made their way back home.



“So Eliza… thought of a name yet?”



Eliza smiled and nodded her head.



“Yes father! I think I’ll name her………………”



Her words were then contorted and slowed down as the entire world seemed to stop.



Mortimer stared down at his then-alive daughter, frozen in his own body in this strange world from the past. He realized what this was… a shadow… and nothing more, like the one he had a couple days ago. He closed his eyes tightly, willing this terrible dream to go away, wishing that he would have no more. These glimpses at his past tore away at his already fragile heart and mind. Like the first… there was no warning, no chance for him to mask this memory from Utari. He didn’t want her to know his past, he didn’t want to share his burden… When he opened his eyes once again he was back in his office, standing where he was what seemed like an eternity ago. His forearm computer still displaying text logs and thumbnail pictures of random animals. He glanced over at Utari, hoping he wouldn’t see a change in her expression for the worse. He knew that probably wouldn’t be the case as his visions seemed to be getting more and more vivid… like they were really happening.

-Bedsforth