[Text/Audio]

[dreamtamer]

Date: [3/18]
Characters: Thom

---

 [A new number appears on the network, this time drawn out in block letters, and quickly filled in with different patterns using colored pencils. And then a thump, as Thom notices that Gizmo has spotted one of the family cats and hastily drops his sketchpad on the desk.]

Gizmo! What are you doing? 

[The sound of footsteps and a second voice.]

I wanted to play, but it ran away again. I don't think cats are very good at playing.  

Comments

[vernal_miss]

“I think that’s part of the fun! But sooner or later you might know from a memory,” she says in encouragement. Nel has confidence her brother will think of possible changes for them once the shock has passed.

Her smile sobers as she goes on after a momentary pause, still petting Gizmo, “One problem though is we have to keep it all a secret. We tell Mummy, but we don’t show her, and we definitely don’t tell anyone else.”

[dreamtamer]

"I already promised I'd tell her when I remembered things. But why can't we show her?"

[vernal_miss]

Her hand slows in petting as she glances down, “Mum doesn’t want her to catch it. It wouldn’t be fair if they both got it, cause we aren’t the only kids they have.” It being a Number, and kids referring to their unmarked siblings.

If anything happened to the Numbered...

[dreamtamer]

Thom sort of understood now. The reason made sense... but it felt kind of uncomfortable to think about having to keep something so important away from the other members of their family.

"I get it, I guess. Do you think any of the others will have numbers?"

[vernal_miss]

“Maybe...” she answers softly with sadness overlaying her words after as her hands drop away from Gizmo, “Skypa used to have a Number too. He still had it when I was sleeping too much, but one day it went away... He forgot everything about them.”

“Still, there’s you and Gizmo now, me, Grandpa, Mum, and Feste. The Numbers seem to like our family.”