I wasn’t quite finished with the story I was telling by the time 2025 ended and so decided to continue it until it reached an ending point. Then I will start a new one. Besides, I kind of want to see where Penelope ends up. And so we have…
Day 226: Penelope scrolled down the rest of the column and found that the text mostly contained information about when a clear record of events might be useful.
Penelope scrolled down the rest of the column and found that the text mostly contained information about when a clear record of events might be useful. While interesting it wasn’t what she was looking for at the moment. “I can see why the record might be useful,” she told herself as she turned to the next set of pages listed in the index. “If it was a memory I found, then it was certainly useful to me. I just don’t know how I found it.”
The second section contained a paragraph about how memories could fade over time or be influenced by outside commentary. The example was that if someone thought an item in the room was blue and everyone else claimed it to be red, they could convince themselves they were wrong and it was really red, thus altering their own memories. The second paragraph further down the page explained that memories differ because everyone paid attention to different things. Therefore the focus of a recorded memory would be on the parts that the person recording found important.
“Which makes sense, but again, isn’t the most helpful.”
Penelope was about to turn the page again when she heard her phone ring. She realized she left it on the kitchen counter and glad of a chance to give her eyes a break from the tiny text she got up and walked to the kitchen. She picked up the phone without looking, answering the call.
“I hope you are proud of yourself,” Trinity’s voice spilled out.
‘I really should look before I answer,’ Penelope thought.
“About what?” she asked.
“You know exactly what you did.”
Penelope sighed. “I really don’t,” she said. “As far as I know I have done nothing that concerns you in the last few days. Certainly nothing to warrant a call.”
“Like I believe that,” Trinity said.
“So what have I done?” Penelope asked.
“You know,” Trinity replied.
“Look if you aren’t going to tell me I am just going to assume you meant to call someone else and hang up on you,” Penelope said. She knew that nothing would bother Trinity more than to be dismissed. As much as she relished the idea of hanging up she also thought it would be the best way to get Trinity to explain. It had always worked in the past.
It worked now.
“You got my invitation to the ball,” Trinity said. “No one wants you to attend, obviously they meant it for me and you somehow convinced them to put your name on it.”
Penelope sighed. “Who did I convince?” Penelope asked.
“What?” Trinity asked. Penelope was certain she was braced for a refusal and the question seemed to catch her off guard.
“Who did I convince?” Penelope repeated. “Did I sneak in and convince the master of ceremonies, the person detailed to address the envelopes, the prime minister, one of the potential heirs or did I just walk right up to the Emperor himself and tell him to take your name off the list and put mine on instead? Who did I manage to convince.”
“You know,” Trinity spat back reversing into her comfortable role of general accuser.
“I don’t actually and if this is it then I am going to hang up.”
“You told them lies about me.”
“Who did I tell lies to? And if you say you know one more time I am just going to hang up.”
“Everyone,” Trinity said. “All my friends. You told them that we stole from you that you are the one with money while we were just living off you,” she spat.
Penelope thought of the bank records she had to review.
Ten til Midnight 