They ate and talked as their stomachs got full and his body looked a little less slim. They all huffed as they took their last bites. "Delightful, absolutely delightful!" William declared. Pauleen added, "It's only breakfast, Willy. You better not be too full for dinner." He gave a low growling tone. "I'm not, I'm not!"
It seemed the food was already troubling John, as he could barely get out of his chair. "Here let me help you up!" Pauleen said with a huff as she helped him. "If I might ask, what is the relation between you two?" He inquired while getting out of his chair.
They both looked at each other coldly, then with a smile, she finally looked back at him. "He's my fiance," Pauleen said with a giggle. "Hey, I wanted to say it!" William chimed in. She looked at him with disdain. "You are 34, act like the man you're supposed to be." He winced and ran back into the kitchen. "Sorry about him, you're probably done with him." She said putting back on her nice face. "Ah, no, it's fine. He is nice to me so I don't mind." I reply.
She looked toward the kitchen. "That's what I like about him." She had a dreamy tone of voice. She admired the man. He didn't talk again, leaving them in silence. "Okay, well, I'll be off then. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Snow." She said as she walked out of the apartment, leaving him standing there. I decided to go back to his room, something was missing about John, he had all his memories. However, they didn't feel complete. Once I entered the room he saw William. "Agh! You scared me!" William shouted as the door squeaked open, revealing him in the faint rise of the sun.
"What are you doing?" I ask, trying to find out a reason as to why William was in his - my room. "Sorry…I just bought you an outfit while in Pentas. I wanted to surprise you with it." He said gloomily at his failed surprise. "No, it's fine. I didn't even expect you to get me anything." I respond with a nod.
William looked at the outfit he had bought, then around the room. "I see the chair is gone. Did it break?" William asked quietly. "Yes, sorry. The pieces are in the corner." William walked over and picked up a leg of the chair. "I knew it would eventually. Sorry, I haven't been able to find a bed." I pat William's shoulder. "It's fine, anyway. Do you have anything to do today?" That seemed to wake William from his apologetic mindset. "Oh god! I have a meeting to attend soon. Sorry John, but I have to go." He hastily left the room and exited the building, leaving me alone.
I decided to take a bath in the building's bathroom. However, it took a minute because the layout in John's memories was different from the actual building. But when I finally got to the bathroom, I started a lukewarm bath. As I removed my clothes, I noticed some scars from previous endeavors that John had gone through.
The water stung his body as he got in, it felt like fire from the sun. Even if it wasn't too hot, it seemed his new body couldn't handle much of any temperature. Alas, I continued his bath and when done headed back to my room.
The outfit William had brought was lying on my desk. It was a nice fancy purple outfit along with a teal trench coat. I decided to put the outfit on and explore the wooded area around the building. The coat was long and almost reached the floor.
The dress shirt was baggy but not too huge. It fits me quite nicely. And so I was off. I open the door, revealing the sun that seemed to be waiting for me outside. There was a reason he wanted to go out. He wanted a job - To do something while William attended meetings and during that time I tried to piece together foggy memories.
…
As the sunlight hit my eyes I felt a sensation I hadn't felt for what seemed like a long time. The new smells, I… Well, smelt. I felt like this was the best moment of my life. Of course, it wasn't though. I stepped out of the gate to the bustling town that John had lived in most of his life.
I felt as though, if maybe, just maybe, if he could've had a better life he would have loved the outside. But to John who died, the outside was a cruel and unjust place. There was truth to his thoughts, the world could be cruel, it can be mean, it could be downright evil at times. But I plan to change your thoughts, John.
I walked against the sea of people, avoiding anyone I could. Nothing caught my eye too much, there were just stands that were selling various goods I didn't need. But then I ran into something. A circus act was happening! John had never been to a circus before, and I wanted to see what would happen.
I should enter but I don't know what it might cost. I looked at the tent with mixed feelings, I wanted to go in but it could cost coins I don't have. But something unexpected happened. "Hey, sir! Would you mind coming to our show? It's free!" It seemed like this girl read my thoughts. She was young and energetic, and practically bouncing while asking me to see the act.
At this, I couldn't refuse. "Sure, I'll come and watch." We both gave wide smiles at each other and entered the tent.
The immediate shift in the air was evident in the tent, as it was cooler outside. The young girl led me to my seat, I seemed to be the only one on this row. Everyone else was either behind me or below me. It was saddening as John always seemed to be alone. - The show was starting so I didn't have any more time to ponder.
The ringmaster led the act.. it was a great show indeed.
Until they brought out the matches.
The matches made me freeze. I remembered something, something from my previous life. I..I remembered my name. I remembered everything.
"Boy! Get the matches!" Shouted a man standing in front of a body. "Yes, father." A boy who looked like the spitting image of John stumbled around trying to find them. And eventually, he did, giving them to his father. The father lit one of the matches and started to burn the corpse. The boy pushed his father into the body, making him fall into the fire. "Seth!?" The father exclaimed as he fell.
That was only one of my memories that played. Many more things happened. But I noticed that the act was over. And the girl from earlier was shaking me awake. "Sir! Sir! Are you up? The act ended, it's time for you to go!" I got up. "Sorry dozed off… I said as I walked off. "But you…You looked fully awake.." She murmurs, just loud enough for me to hear.