Lucas Carter's POV
After a few days, I finally got discharged from the hospital.
So, here I am, sitting in a car with two complete strangers, driving to some unknown destination. I have no clue where I'm headed, and they keep saying, "This is our house, this is where we live."
I try to take in every detail, hoping something will spark a memory. It's overwhelming. I have no idea where I am. I don't know anything. My brother casually walks through the living room, explaining, "This is the living room." But I can't commit the surroundings to memory, even though I know it's all supposed to be familiar. They keep telling me, "This is your house. We are your family."
But I don't know that.
My father refuses to accept that I've lost my memory. Imagine waking up one day and your son doesn't recognize you. Any father would be filled with worry. It hurts him deeply.
My mind is a blank slate, and there's so much I need to learn. They understand that. They get it. They keep filling me in on things, showing me where my clothes are, where my room is, how to do simple tasks like putting on my shoes or tying my shoelaces. They give me the basic information, the everyday things. If there's something I don't know, they just tell me. I'm just going along with it all.
So, is that it? You wake up from a coma, go home, learn everything, and then everything is okay? I wish it were that simple because nothing is okay. In fact, I would go as far as to say that death might have been easier.
"A-ahh... ahh..." Suddenly, my whole body feels electrified. A surge of energy courses through me. My head starts to tighten, and my hands instinctively grip the edge of the sink.
"Answer me, or your blood will flow down your neck..."
"I-I don't know... p-please, stop!"
"Do you really want to get hurt?"
"N-NO! PLEASE, NO! S-STOP! STOP IT, PLEASE!"
"Brother, are you okay?"
It's a strange feeling. It's like my mind shuts down, and my body takes over. Suddenly, I find myself pointing a blade at my brother, causing him to stumble backward.
"STAY AWAY FROM ME."
I'm sensing something. There's an intense feeling building up inside me.
"Son! What are you doing!" Our father rushes to us, but he can't get close to me.
I have no idea what's happening to me.
"STAY BACK!"
"B-Brother, calm down... it's us."
I don't know how, but gradually, I release my grip on the knife. My brother quickly takes it away from me.
It's baffling. Even I can't fully comprehend what I just did. I'm just standing there, trying to process everything. I don't feel well.
"Son, what happened?" My father's voice trembles with concern.
I shut my eyes, taking a moment to gather myself. I need help, but I don't know how to ask for it.
The pain in my head gradually subsides, and I finally regain some control.
What just happened?
I look into my father's eyes, then to my brother's. They both wear expressions of deep concern.
"I-I'm sorry..." I whimper.
I don't exactly know what I did, and I don't want to believe I did it. I'm losing control of myself. It's my body, but my mind is in turmoil. I don't want to hurt anyone...
I don't want to.
"Liam, take him to his room," my father instructs. My brother escorts me, and I can see the fear in his eyes.
How does it feel? It's painful. It's not just my own condition that I don't understand, but I'm also scared for my dad, my brother, and myself... I know I'm not safe. I don't know what else I'm capable of.
My mind is telling me something, but I can't visualize it. Everything is gray and blurred.
What is it? I don't know what to think anymore.
"You're probably tired, brother," my brother says as we enter my room.
I simply sit on the bed. I know my brain has been damaged, and I've lost my memory, but I still have the ability to grasp things. Maybe it's all part of the recovery process.
I thought my brother would leave me alone, but he sits beside me. Honestly, the world seems so frightening right now. But with them by my side, everything feels a little bit easier.
The thing is, they are my family, but they are strangers to me.
"Brother," he begins, his voice filled with apprehension. "Can you please tell me what just happened out there?"
I swallow a lump in my throat, lowering my head. I try to recall what I saw, but it's all obscured.
"I-I don't know... I-I saw something," I stammer. His lips part, and he looks taken aback.
"Tell me, what was it?"
"There w-was a... guy, he was crying..." I struggle to explain. I don't have a clear picture in my mind.
"A guy?" he asks, clearly surprised.
"I-I don't know." My head feels like it's about to explode. I don't know what else to do.
He lets out a disappointed sigh and gently pats my back.
"Don't worry, brother. Everything will be alright."
I thought I could just brush everything off, but some things just don't make sense. I was acting recklessly, something was clearly wrong, and I'm desperate for answers.
"Can you tell me what exactly happened to me?" I ask, my voice filled with a mix of curiosity and desperation. He averts his gaze, unable to meet my eyes. My blood runs cold at his reaction.
"It's a long story. Me and Dad had to go somewhere that day, and you were left at home with Mom. Later that day... we found Mom dead, and you were rushed to the hospital."
"What happened to me?"
"You were driving, and you drove off a cliff," he answers. A chill runs down my spine. I feel a slight wrench in my chest.
It triggers something within me.
"D-Dad, I-I'm s-sorry... I'm s-so sorry..."
"Tell me where you are, please!"
"I DON'T KNOW!"
"Lucas, where are you? Please, what's wrong?!"
"I SAID I DON'T KNOW, DAD!"
"Son, please calm down and tell me where you are."
"AHHHHHH!!!"
"Lucas? Lucas!?"
BEEP! BEEP!
I close my eyes tightly, gritting my teeth. I've seen it before. Was it really just a dream, or was it reality?
"H-How about Mommy? Is she our mother?" I ask, my voice trembling. A flicker of contempt flashes across my brother's face, but he slowly nods.
"Yes, she was our mother. Her name was Eliza. She was found dead on the same day you had the accident."
"How did she...?"
A tinge of anger flickers in his expression.
"That's what we're trying to find out. According to the police, someone broke into our house. He killed Mom and you managed to escape," he explains. "You called Dad for help... the next thing I knew, you were in the hospital."
Everything starts to piece together, bit by bit. That dream—it was real, and it was my own experience.
But I can't remember it. All I know is that I had to run, as if someone was chasing me.
"Lucas... the suspect is still at large. We need to recover your memory," he says with a sense of urgency. I look away, my shoulders slumping in resignation. My knees tremble slightly.
I survived one danger only to be thrust into another.
...