what you sow

[katrea]

On the doorstep of a townhome in New York City, a basket is placed.

The doorbell rings.

There are footsteps, and then there are not.

Comments

[pythbox]

Elizabeth lifts up the edge of the basket and peers at the girl underneath.

[katrea]

The girl looks up at her. "I didn't want to be in a basket, anymore," she explains.

[pythbox]

"Oh," says Elizabeth. "Well, come out, then."

She holds up the edge and scoots back to make room.

[katrea]

The girl crawls out from under the basket, then sits down, no longer in it.

She looks out the window, and she yawns.

[pythbox]

"Do you wanna go to sleep again?" says Elizabeth. "You can."

[katrea]

"I wanna know what's happening," complains the debasketed girl tiredly, but she flops against the couch anyway.

[pythbox]

"Me too," says Elizabeth.

[katrea]

"If I'm not new I should have a name," she adds.

[pythbox]

"Well, do you?"

[katrea]

"I don't know!"

[pythbox]

"Me neither," says Elizabeth. "I guess your parents would, if Chris finds them."

[katrea]

"Are you sure I have those?" asks unbasketgirl suspiciously. "I don't remember having those."

[pythbox]

"Do you remember not having them?"

[katrea]

"Nnnnno."

[pythbox]

"I think everybody starts out with parents," says Elizabeth. "But you might not have them anymore. I don't."

[katrea]

"Why not?"

[pythbox]

"My dad's never been around. He's not important," says Elizabeth. "And my mom died."

[katrea]

"Would that be a reason for me not to remember mine?"

[pythbox]

"If they died? I dunno," says Elizabeth. "If you were really little, I guess. Do you remember anything though? Because if you don't remember anything then that's a really good reason why you wouldn't remember your parents."

[katrea]

"I..." Unbasketgirl scrunches her eyes shut and frowns intently. It is a long moment of thought before she says, "The sun. It was up. Now it isn't."

[pythbox]

"That's something, I guess," Elizabeth says doubtfully.

[katrea]

"I think I like the sun," says unbasketgirl in a helpful voice.

[pythbox]

"I like the sun too," says Elizabeth. "Except when it gets too bright and it's hard to see."

[katrea]

"I don't remember that happening," volunteers unbasketgirl after a moment.

[pythbox]

Elizabeth regards her thoughtfully.