mad as a hatter

The more Texas talked, the more Hannah remembered her. The quirkiness of her was a side she only could have known in person. Thinking about it, she could see glimpses of a previous arrival to the Whittemore reunion. It was like some sort of alternate reality, and she had been more excited about the prospect of this arrival than confused. “He had to have come. He was here before, and how would I have gotten here if he didn’t come, too? I remember because he was upset with me for convincing him to bring me with him, and he tried to send me back to the shop countless times. Has this actually happened before? I’m not just going insane, am I?”

"Gosh, I don’t know,” Texas sighed, exasperation clear on her dark features as she pushed her brown hair back out of her face, red lips pushing together for a second or two. Charles’ notes for her were still tucked under her bed but she thought vaguely about throwing them into a stream to be devoured by the current naturally like their lives. “No, you’re not insane. I’m totally bonkers but you’re probably only Whittemore crazy,” she reassured, eyes widening slightly, “Golly gosh, time travel really is out of control these days. We should of made a map.”

What the hell was happening? Two separate sets of memories were at war in her mind, fighting for dominance, but it only left Hannah more confused than ever. “I have no clue what you’re on about, but this is the first time I’ve ever set foot here. At least… I’m pretty sure,” she mumbled, losing herself to her thoughts yet again. Nothing felt right, but everything felt familiar. The whole concept left Hannah lightheaded. “Where is Jonah?” Maybe changing the subject to something–someone–absolutely familiar would ease her racing mind.

As if the thought was the most natural thing in the world, Texas realised that the thoughts that were cluttering her mind were a new brand of unusual but she couldn’t quite find a way to articulate what she meant. As usual she was left with the inability to explain herself as a normal person would and she momentarily cursed the whirlwind that went on every day inside that pretty little head of hers, “There’s nowhere you’ve never been before, we’ve trod a million paths, Hannah,” she told the woman in font of her -- although thinking about it, girl seemed like a better term, as if she had seen them both weather even if it seemed unlikely as they stood there. “I don’t know, perhaps he didn’t come,” she suggested sounding more like a version of herself that wasn’t her at all, the thought of her twin sister twirling in her mind in a melancholic fashion, “Maybe it’s better not to be found at all this time around. Hide and seek.”

Brows furrowed, Hannah studied the girl’s face. “You’re Texas White, aren’t you? Oh, my God! Jonah and I have you recorded! We have to have it recorded because he pipes in every three minutes, but that’s another story. I can’t believe you’re here! It’s so nice to meet you; I feel like I know you, but I guess that’s a celebrity thing.” Finally taking a breath, she snapped herself out of the brief starstruck moment. “I’m sorry– Early?? What do you mean?”

While Texas was confused she was not under the impression that this was any mere feeling of repetition, whether or not it was her fond and lost memories of her daughter that reminded her of the truth or not, she was very much aware of it, “I mean I thought that you came later,” she pointed out simply, unaware of the implication of her own words as she always had been in this lifetime that she was now puzzled by, “But you were here when it all went red, red, red. Maybe orange, blinding colours of denial. But Trevor’s still alive now. For a few more days, he’s still in the same world as me and he’s still good and that’s pretty nice.”

INSTAGRAM FT TEXAS WHITE THE PAST YEAR (1/?)