It's dark.
It's really dark.
I can't see anything or anyone. Not even myself.
I'm all alone.
Where am I?
Is this a dream?
Or is it...death?
Should I be scared?
No, you have to stay calm.
Don't let the darkness cover you. Don't let it devour you.
Don't...just don't.
I stand there (or maybe i sit there? Can't tell) as I stare around, trying to grab hold of the situation.
But slowly, my hands start sweating, my heart starts thumping and my head starts pounding with fear. I try to regain my composure but I can't. The fear, the fear of something I don't even know, is too strong.
I'm lost. No, trapped.
"Hello?" I call out, but the only response i get is the echo of my own voice.
"Someone help mee!" I shout louder this time.
Nothing.
I want to cover my eyes with my hands, just like a child does when they see something scary for them like a clown or a fake ghost. But this isn't some human disguised as a character. This....this is worse.
Just as I'm about to give in to the dark, I see a light. A glow.
No, wait. That's not right. I think I see... a person?
Without knowing, I start walking towards the glowing silhouette, desperate for help. Even though I could sense something odd about this, I swallowed my doubt and kept going.
"H-Hello?" I say, nervously. "Excuse me? I'm.. I think I'm lost. Could you please...um help me so I-"
Before I could finish what i was saying, I look closely at this person, a woman and horrifyingly realize why she seemed so strange to me. Her face, its blurry.
Faded and milky.
Unrecognizable.
"Who...?" I'm lost of words. Because even when I couldn't see her face, I felt drawn towards her. As if I know her. As if she knows me.
I watch as she kneels down to me, making me notice how small I am in front of her.
"My little Rory." She says in a warm and soothing voice, so gently that i feel like i want to stay here, in this state forever. With her.
But I'm not 'Rory'. I smile sadly because now I know she doesn't know me. Now I know we have never shared any memories.
Rory.
Lucky guy.
Because this woman, this calm and unreal woman, is the most hopeful and happy thing I've ever seen.
She makes me feel...protected. Safe.
It's weird how i feel that way when i can't even see her face.
Just as I'm about to tell her that I'm not the person she's looking for, she disappears. Vanishing completely in a blink.
My heart starts aching with this sudden shock as I jolt back in surprise and terror. Where did she go? Who was she? Who was she looking for?
I feel hot. Like someone has poured hot lava on me. And it hurts now that she's gone. It hurts because I'm alone and scared.
Why did she go?
Why did she go?
Then I remember this is a dream. The relief only lasts for a second because now I realize if this is a dream then I'll probably never see her again. Because she doesn't exist. Not in real life.
Come back! I scream but my mouth is closed.
Come back, please!
I don't understand what's happening as the darkness envelopes me. Chokes me till I can't breathe...
Suddenly, I stop choking, only to fall deep into the abyss of nothing beneath.
***************************************
"Oh My God! He's waking up!" I hear someone squeal. "I saw him move!"
"Emma, Shut up." Says a louder, much gruffer voice. "Go to your room. You too, Charlie."
"But I didn't say anything!" Another voice speaks up. But this one is less squeaky and more smooth than the first's voice. "I'll stay here because I'm old enough and for your information, you can't tell me what to do, Jason."
"If Charlie isn't going then neither am I!" says the squeaky voice, who is apparently called Emma.
The gruffer voice - Jason - gets angrier. "Ugh. Whatever. Just stay out of the doc's way."
"Not like we were bothering him in the first place." The Charlie girl mumbles.
"How's the kid, Kingsley?" A new voice interjects. A much older and serious voice.
"The kid seems fine now that the fever has gone down. Vitals are normal and steady." Replies the doctor. "If you take better care of him, your nephew will be fine in a few days, Ed."
"...Good." Ed answers, curtly.
There is a long unsettling silence. Making me uneasy and confused.
My eyes are still closed. But my heart urges to get out of my chest. Because now I realize that these people... They're talking about me.
Only problem is, I've never seen or heard these strangers in my entire life.
And that is a good reason to freak out. So I do.
*******************************
I sit up with a jolt, looking at everyone wide-eyed, breathes ragged and loud. My head feels dizzy, and heavy as I look at these people gawking at me with surprise. Five. Two kids, three adults.
I can escape from them, right?
I look down at myself, wearing an unfamiliar and over-sized shirt, waist down covered with a blanket. I clench the sides of the soft bed, trying to stop myself from hyperventilating.
What is going on?
Where the HELL am I?
"How are you feeling, son?" says a man who I presume is the doctor, judging by his white coat.
"Who...Where...Where...am I?" I muster, weakly, my voice shaking with the effort.
The doctor looks at the old man - Ed - and the young blond - Jason - expecting them to answer but none of them do. All looking confused as the next.
And I'm just about to run right out of the door when comes a voice.
"I found you." says the smoother voice, "In the forest, which is like the middle of nowhere."
I squint my eyes to get a better look at her and notice her arms crossed, blue eyes glaring at me suspiciously. What was her name? Charlie?
"You looked very dead by the way." Says the youngest of them all, Emma.
I frown at this whole scene.
So basically, I have no idea where I am, my head is throbbing, I feel hot all over, I am in a room of very weird people and this girl keeps scowling at me like I have stolen her milkshake or something. If that makes sense...
I wince at the pain of the headache, "I...don't feel so good." I rasp.
The doctor shifts towards the table next to him and grabs a few pills and a glass of water.
"This will make you feel better."
I take the meds from him and reluctantly drink them down, uncomfortable with five pair of eyes gaping at me.
"I should take my leave." The doctor informs Ed. He turns to me and smiles, "Make sure you take plenty of rest so that your fever goes away. You had your uncle really worried there. Unconscious for two days straight!"
I frown at the old man, who's face is hard and...well scary.
My uncle?
He's the last person who'd be my uncle.
But something tells me I should go on with it.
So I gulp and nod at the doctor who closes the door behind him to leave the five of us alone.
I look at all of them one by one.
The awkward and cautious looking man - Jason
The highly curious girl - Emma
The stern and stone-faced old man - Ed
and the glaring blue-eyed teen - Charlie.
Shit...
What have I gotten myself into?
How the hell am I going to get out of here?
I flinch, trying to remember how i ended up here. When I glance up at Charlie....her skeptical eyes boring into mine.
My mind flashes with pain. This look. Someone has given me this look before. But that look was much more dangerous and hurt.
Matt...
I grab hold of my head, gasping for breath.
Because the memories....they're back.