Litchfeild Homecoming Support Group

By: Sophia Chenko

Content warning: This piece contains references to death, grief, suicide, mental health distress, physical violence and abuse, substance abuse and harsh language.

H: Welcome! My name is Hakima and I’m your assigned online counselor. We at the Revent Group are aware of this being a challenging time and we will do our best to support you during the upcoming transition. Please consider this your safe space.

We’ve brought together participants from different areas, as we believe strangers to be more open with one another. A little ice-breaker to start us off: Where were you when you found out that your loved ones would be brought back to life?

J: Amazing, thank you so much for setting up the group chat, Hakima!! What a great way to share our experiences! I hadn’t expected such a level of commitment. Well done! 

H: That is kind of you to say, Josie.

J: I’ve been going through the house returning Pete’s things exactly to where they were when he was last here. I also prepared his favorite food - you know the frozen croissants with the chocolate glazing? I almost dropped the bag when I got the message haha

H: Have you always been confident about the Homecoming project being successful?

J: I’d been praying since I submitted our application and deep down, I knew that I’d be heard. We were made for each other, Pete and I

And I’m not someone to give up on marriage, no matter the circumstances

H: Thank you, Josie. Anyone else? @Andrew?

A: I appreciate the gesture but as a member of the Board, I’m exempt from such obligations. Please kindly remove me from this conversation.

H: I’m afraid it is part of the Terms and Conditions. Every Homecomer guardian is required to complete a round of mental health check-ups. 

A: Reference?

H: Page 4, paragraph 15.

A: Very well. I was attending a shareholder meeting, discussing regeneration therapy. And yes, considering that I paid for this project, I’m fairly certain of its success.

H: Your transparency is appreciated. How about you, @⍨ Nor ⍨? 

⍨ Nor ⍨ has left the chat

⍨ Nor ⍨ has been added to the chat

⍨ Nor ⍨ has left the chat

⍨ Nor ⍨ has been added to the chat

N: stop messaging me you creep wtf

J: Language, please! I teach small children. Someone could see my screen!

N: fuck you @Josie

H: Apologies, maybe there has been a mistake. Is this Ms Eleanor Giles, from 12 Lealand Grove?

N: what if it is?

H: Then you must have been informed that your mother, Ms Catherine Giles, is to be resurrected tomorrow and released into your care on March 9?

N: ???

H: According to our records, you entered the Revent Group lottery scheme with a ticket purchased on October 17 at 04:23am at McKenney’s Deli & Off-license. Congratulations!

J: She probably doesn’t even remember. Black-out drunk from the looks of it

N: you bet I was lol

what’s your excuse for digging up your dead husband?  

J: @Andrew with all due respect, why does the Revent Group waste resources on people like this? She clearly doesn’t appreciate your work!

???

A: That is of no consequence. Homecoming is an economical venture. With an increasingly aging population, it’s a solution to keep things going. Chemical resurrection is cheaper than overhauling the child care system. Reuniting families is a positive side-effect.

J: That is ridiculous! How do we even know you’re on the Board at all?

H: Great to see you open up but let’s take a step back. I want to assure everyone that the Homecoming project is 100% ethical. Nobody is resurrected without their immediate family’s consent and the process is regulated to ensure everyone’s dignity.

Now, pick-up times and locations have been communicated to you individually. But if you need anything in the meantime, please drop a line into the chat. The Revent Group is here for you.

*

N: wtf have you done to her?

You ppl are sick löksjflak

H: Nor? It’s the middle of the night…

N: Well sucks for u

 I have a wailing dead woman waking up the whole fuckin building

H: I gather you’ve picked up your mother?

N: couldn't have left her there, could I??

but then the crazy bitch started throwing out my clothes and yelling at furniture

I locked her in the bathroom

now she’s screaming nonsense at the rug

what do I do?

H: Every Homecomer adjusts differently. Have you tried feeding her?

N: she threw a loaf of bread at my head! It’s Spar but omggg

H: What about soothing sounds? Some music?

@⍨ Nor ⍨ ?

N: just blindfolded her

she’s quiet now…

I never wanted this.

H:  I’ll send someone over in the morning to check on you two. These are just growing pains. Everything’s going to be fine.

N: I hate you

H: Try and get some sleep.

*

J: I’m sorry you had such a hard time @⍨ Nor ⍨! But I’d avoid saying things like that. They can feel rejection, you know

H: Good morning, Josie. I understand your first night went well?

J: Fantastic!

H: How about your son, @Andrew?

A: Please find the nurse’s report attached. Medical says Harry’s fit to start university in two weeks. Much to catch up on.

Andrew Horton has uploaded a file

J: Pete was so happy to see me! He didn’t say it but I know. He only threw up half of the croissant instead of the whole thing. Take that, handbook!

He cried when I showed him the pictures of the time he was gone, so adorable!

N: deranged much??

J: Now, Nor. Don’t be like that just because you’re struggling

N: crying isn’t cute, the man’s miserable

and report says Harry tried to escape twice!

H: Josie is right, you’re not being fair. Everyone’s Homecoming journey is different. How are things with your mother?

N: bitch is raging, she tried attacking my bf when he came over

it took the two of us to force some water down her throat

I get she’d been dead and all but still…

H: Is there anything that could make her feel more comfortable? Anything she used to enjoy?

N: how should I know? The woman died in a car crash when I was ten, and even then she was never here

I have no idea who she is or what she wants

J: As I said, a complete waste

N: whatever

*

J: @Hakima do you know when Homecomers are expected to reenter the workforce?

H: One month after resurrection, depending on their condition.

J: Pete has already been sent away from two job postings. Complete idiots. What does ‘too sensitive’ even mean? But as much as I want to, I can no longer afford to stay home

N: I heard the first Homecomers have been abandoned

H: Please, @⍨ Nor ⍨.

How about placing him into a rehabilitation center until he’s ready?

J: At that price??

A: All board members are paying good money every month to sustain the centers and provide assistance for those in need. Surely that is enough to cover the costs.

J: Considering it’s as much as my rent, I disagree

A: Nonsense! I bet you’re also part of the nutjob movement insisting the government pay Homecoming pensions, aren’t you? Do you have any idea what that does to the Revent stock??

J: What are you talking about? Of course I’ve signed the petition! With all the bills I have to pay, how else am I supposed to do this?

H: Let’s all calm down. @Josie, do you mean the loan you’ve taken out to enter the program?

J: That and the medical bills from Pete’s cancer treatment, the IVF… I’ve delayed payment for as long as I could

A: I don’t understand how this is my problem.

H: What would you like to talk about, @Andrew?

A: Well, you’re a shrink. Maybe you can do your job and tell me what to do with my son. He can’t sit through dinner, even taking him out for drinks is torture. He trembles, locks himself in the bathroom but still manages to wet himself in class. It’s embarrassing.

H: How was your relationship before he died? 

A: I don’t see how this is relevant.

N: he overdosed on sleeping pills in Sri Lanka

H: @⍨ Nor ⍨!

N: what? Rich people’s shit is all over the internet.

did you really think no one knew Harry hated your guts @Andrew?

read your son’s obituary!

poor guy spent every second on the other side of the fuckin planet to get away from you

no wonder he’s fucked up dead!

A: And what good did it do? If it hadn’t been for that backwater hospital, he might have survived!

H: He’s alive now, @Andrew.

A: Yes, I suppose so.

*

N: hahaha omg this guy Homecomes his girlfriend but then she falls in love with this other guy who doesn’t know she’s dead! Best movie ever haha

H: Sounds painful.

N: it’s hilarious! Catherine and I hate each other.

she’s cleaning at the hotel next door (courtesy of that guy I dated, go me!)

while I’m doing nights at the Deli

when we see each other, she tries to scratch make-up off my face and I flush her stolen shampoos down the toilet

H: Have you ever considered that she’s trying to take care of you?

N: the idiot can’t even take care of herself

J: I agree with the drunk

N: awww

J: It’s not just that they can’t, it’s that they won’t! They just LOVE us waiting on them day and night. Watching me put food into his mouth, wash his clothes when he doesn’t even make the effort to GET OUT OF BED! Just lying there mocking me…

H: What makes you think that?

J: Because that’s what he does! When I was pumping myself full with hormones for that baby he promised he wanted, sweating like a pig and lying awake at night, he was hooking up with the girl from marketing. And then he got sick and I couldn’t…

He owes me. 

H: I’m afraid that’s not how it works.

N: Omg I’m so sorry Josie!! Eeeek the worst!!! Is killing a corpse considered murder @Hakima?

Andrew Horton has been removed from the chat

N: what just happened?

@Hakima???

H: It looks like Andrew has been expelled from the program.

J: They can do that? Why?

H: It says “Abandonment of Homecomer”.

N: he dumped Harry at the shelter because he wouldn’t SOCIALIZE? WTF??

those places don’t even have enough beds now

motherfucker!!

H: This is my fault… 

J: Of course it is, you should have done something! All of you at Revent! You promised us that it would be like before, that we would be happy. But all we got were those good-for-nothing…things!

N: Chill @Josie, how could she have known they’d come back like that?

H: Risks have been associated with the regeneration of brain tissue, considering its complexity. Especially the psychological implications of resurrection. But we thought since they’d be surrounded by family it would be alright…

N: great

*

N: how’s it going @Josie? Did the dead asshole apologize?

Josephine Greig has been removed from the chat

H: “Violence against Homecomer.”

N: wow…

H: I’m sorry, I should have seen it coming. Cases of abuse have been rising all over the country… I just hadn’t thought it would be one of us. Anyway, Revent made a statement this morning. Anyone who is not satisfied with their Homecomer is welcome to return them to a rehabilitation center, free of charge.

N: must be confusing, being brought back just for that

H: Do you need me to make arrangements for your mother?

N: it's okay…

kind of.

she’s still mean af but hasn’t thrown anything out of the window in a while

we had dinner together yesterday

in the bathtub

she doesn’t like the kitchen

when I leave the TV on she hums