Chapter twenty-three: A long time ago

An alarm went off and everything shifted. A feeling of scanning the room in slow slow motion.

"My bed. I remember it. I’m in it. My side table where I keep my bottle of water and my lamp and my book. Memories."
 
The poster on the wall. Billions and billions of stars and a quote from Carl Sagan.
 
“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.”
 
The sound of someone moving in the next room, his house, toast smell, dishes clanging together—a school day morning.
 
He stood up and walked slowly into the kitchen.
 
“I know who you are—or better yet who you are not. You are not my mother. I’m not sure who you are but you are not my mother. Mary is my mother.”
 
Agnes stopped cold.
 
Who are you? Where is my brother. How do I find him. Where does my mother live. Do you work for them? Why are you doing this to me? Do I have a real dad? Answers. Now.”
 
Agnes spoke slowly. “Well…I don’t know what you are talking about Hank. I am your mom. You must have had a bad dream.”
 
“No bad dream here. You have a lunch for me. It contains a card like usual. Except this time it has one word on it. Goodbye. Give me the card.” He moved past Agnes tore open his lunch bag and ripped open the card.
 
“How did you…”
 
“How do I know? Because I know what is going to happen next. And it means I am too late to save my brother. He has already gone. You are part of it. You are going to have to carry the burden that you helped seal the fate of my brother. My name is not Hank. Or Ajax. It is Terry Riddle. And my mom is Mary Riddle. And my brother, Tom Riddle, may be alive but he is dead. Do you understand what I’m saying to you? He is dead. L-I-S-T-E-N!!! HE IS DEAD!!! MY BROTHER IS…”
 
“I don’t think he is AJ. You spoke with him. Imprisoned yes. But dead. No.”
 
One was hanging over him.
 
“It is time to get up. We have work to do.”

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