As I wake up from a rather comfortable sleep I recall the last moments before falling asleep. I understand that frankly John has played me. He was just stalling for time for my "mother" to come over. From the context, I can imagine she was not very nearby. I check the time on the desk and find it is 08:00 in the morning. I've slept quite long then.
Quickly I start prodding my brain for memories of my "mother". After reviewing a key selection of memories that are apparently the quickest to spring up I realise I have - or well, Evan had, a rather good relationship with his mother. It seems however that many memories are missing a key person: my father. I also recall Dr John - his labcoat gives him that title I believe - knows my father. He said I looked like him.
Shame I can't look in a mirror right now. But given that the mother in my memories is rather beautiful - can I still say that now that I'm her son? - my father should be a nice-looking fella as well. Or he hit the jackpot and punched above his weight. Man, now I hope I have more features resembling my mother.
I prod my brain again in search of memories related to my father. From what I can find he was a dutiful husband but many a time he was away from home. Deployed in active duty in the 'Global Army'. Another thing that I'll have to get more information about. From what my foreign memories tell me, the Global Army is a collective military that oversees all human territories in space. All colonies might have their own governance, but they strictly fall under the Human Federation and the military is operated centrally, though each colony may have a standing army of itself as a garrison.
My father was a captain. I'm not too sure about ranking but it sounds impressive. I can recall his image now too. A robust-looking man, with broad shoulders and a charismatic smile. He seems likeable but my memories tell me he was a fair but disciplined father. He would tell me of, it and give me an 'educational' clap on the back of my head every once in a while. I seem to be a bit of a troublemaker also. He's not super-good-looking but definitely above average. Then again, I believe the muscles and gruff look and military uniform complement him very well. Maybe it's not that bad to look like him a bit.
I'm off on a tangent again. Let's focus, I will be meeting 'my mother' in a bit. Luckily the 'lost memories' might explain some of the difference in my behaviour but I should still play my role well. Acting like myself is bound to cause trouble... But some adjustments should be expected after the horrors that I've completely blocked out after taking a peek. Sorry, Evan, you died horribly.
I continue to peruse the memories of my deceased friend. That's how I view our relationship now. His dead was awfully tragic, but he did give me a chance to live in his stead. Somehow. After sleeping and having a good think on the situation I can only believe this is my life now. Whatever life I had is no longer that important as going back to that life does not sound likely. I will need to live this life and live it to the fullest. That is the least I can do for my namesake in this life I've taken over. I'll accept this life and live it as my own. I promise to do well for you.
A door slides open and two people who I'm immediately familiar with enter my view. One of them is Dr John - who has actually popped up once or twice in some memories and happens to be a friend of my father - and the other is the main subject of my most recent studies; my mother.
As our eyes meet, the familiarity hits me as if she truly is my mom. My eyes immediately start watering and she practically throws herself into my embrace. An automatic response that is triggered by the emotions that I feel coursing through me. It seems that acting is.. not that necessary. The remaining feelings that are channelled through the memories are enough for me to operate naturally as her son. Things click and I feel the connection with the memories of my other self - my namesake - binding and as if merging I feel more whole than before.
"My baby boy... My son... You're truly awake. It's been, it's been so long. I've missed you.. so much, so much." I can feel the moisture of her tears and feel the emotion course through her words and the watering in my eyes becomes a flood as even I start pouring out and sobbing as if I've come back from the dead. Well, maybe I am. With the nervousness that I've felt and the anxiety of starting this new life, I can finally vent in a straightforward way as I let out all the uncertainties and cry like a baby.
Crying is a very manly thing. Don't accuse me of being a baby. I am a very manly man.
As we finally release the hug and look at each other, I feel my emotions have stabilised, I feel lighter and more confident. Letting it all out feels great.
"We're together again Evan." She smiles.
"Alina, you'll have plenty of time with Evan again. I think it is however time for you - or us, to tell him a few things. I believe it's better to handle things straightforwardly. He can take it. He takes after his father after all." John softly says, encouraging my mother (Alina) to start with a story I've been trying to repress for a while. Hick, those memories are horrible.
"Son, it's been six years. Six years since.. since the incident."
"Six years? What?" I feel shocked, I had not thought that I had been out for a whopping six years. Does that mean that I'm now... I do the math and come to a disturbing fact - I'm now twenty and I will not relieve my high school period. So sad, I could've gone chasing *cough*, I mean I could've entered the academic world again. All in all, though I'm definitely shocked, since this is a new life - I handle it pretty well.
Encouraged by me not to freak out immediately she continues;
"Yes, six years. You were only fourteen then. You've grown so much since then... Your father, you must remember your father - always out of the house but a great man he was." - "Was?" I interrupt her - this woman keeps dropping bombs out of nowhere, holy F*ck.
"Alina, structure your story a little - you're spooking him. The kid needs an explanation but you can't use every sentence to completely change his outlook on life over and over again. He's gone through enough already. Be clear, but be patient. Explain the incident first. The rest.. the rest we will tell after."
"Sorry, sorry.." she sobs "It's just so much. So much." She takes a moment to recollect and in the silence I can already connect the dots. My father is dead. Was Evan cursed? His life is absolutely tragic. Sadness wells upon inside me, I know where it's coming from but I can repress it. I need to follow the story so I can catch up with all the new information. The sadness and the hurt can wait. I also feel some peace arriving at this conclusion.
"Yes, the incident first. You were kidnapped along with many children from dignitaries and military personnel when attending a yearly festival on Rumag-267, well, you might remember it better as "Rumana" as the locals call it... Your father was stationed there for a long time already. It was a former brood place for insurgents that fought for the rebellion. Your father was sent there during the rise of the rebellion and was stationed thereafter to look after the rebuild and to repress further rebellions that could rise in the further. With a full regiment stationed on Rumana people believed that peace would remain and the rebellion would not be able to catch their footing anymore." She spoke clearly, professional even.
Then again, one of the memories that I've come across details the story of how my parents met. A very romantic story really - he was hurt on a battlefield and she was the nurse tending to him. Though father was a 'tough man' that usually would waltz straight out after a quick fix to head back to his station - he quickly became enamoured by the blonde beauty and later managed to win her heart. Corny, yes. Romantic, super. Big win for the dad. As someone who served in the army, recounting this information like a pro came naturally to her, it seems.
"In the end, we were all wrong. For years the festival happened without any incident and the peace made us all believe it was safe. The rebels had not been heard of for years and thus.. we - your father and I - decided it was a good time to reunite as a family. This way we could spend more time together. Much better than his six-month visit where he'd stay with us for two months and then be off again. So, we moved there and for a few weeks, we lived as a happy family. Then... the festival started. And our world turned upside down." I can see emotion well up in her face again, tears forming in her eyes. She looks at Dr John and he subtly nods as he takes over the story.
"On the eve of the festival, the rebels struck. A few well-placed hidden bombs went off and the entire place spiralled into complete chaos. With so many soldiers - on and off duty - nearby the unrest was quickly dealt with. However, in that chaos, many kids got separated from their parents as they rushed to either get away from the bombing or get help. As your father rushed towards the bomb site your mother rushed away, trying to get to safety." He paused.
"Your mother was then hit by a blunt object, passed out and when she came to, you were gone. This happened not just to you but to many kids from ranking officers, dignitaries and other important people. Some were shot at, threatened or like your mother straight up ambushed."
"At first central command thought they would ask for ransom, transport to a different sector where the rebellion was still active and maybe some other concessions. They were wrong and until this day it's still a mystery why the rebels acted the way they did. But after a strike ops team led by your father found most of the children back.. what they found were mutilated bodies. Bodies that had clearly been... experimented with. Many died or later succumbed to their wounds. We too thought we were going to lose you." John checked if Alina was still holding up before he continued.
"Your father brought you to me, and.. I've never seen someone, let alone a kid.. look so... terribly wounded. Your father asked me for help. He begged me to save you. Naturally, I tried. I tried everything I could to stabilise your condition. But... I honestly thought you were not going to make it. Your body managed to somehow stabilise but your brain activities were very abnormal. From overactive to almost no activity. I recorded a phenomenon that I - or others in the field of neuroscience - had never seen before."
"I've known your father for fifteen years, and I tried to persuade him - to get you relocated to a better hospital - supervised by a more qualified physician but he wouldn't listen. He told me - I don't trust anyone but you to look after him. So I did. For six years. Many times I thought about whether you would ever open your eyes again. But you managed to create a miracle yesterday."
My mother then chimed in "A real miracle.... I thought many times that I would never be able to speak to you again."
"Your father... Your father missed you very much. The bills, though heavily sponsored by the Global army as part of the compensation pushed your father to get back in the field again after a year. He passed away on duty last year.." a tear streaked down her face "But things are finally looking up again. I have you back. I'm just.. now I'm just happy that you're back."