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 Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:13 pm
Harrison was home. He hadn't been home in a long time. He used to dream about it, but he didn't dream much anymore, not the way he used to.
So if he could remember, he'd know that something was wrong.
It wasn't Vegas. He wasn't King. Instead he was home, and his mom was home too, which was rare. Not that it mattered. He waited for her to get through with the microwave. He put his own boxed dinner in, then took it to go watch a scary movie by himself on the small television that barely fit beside his bed. Outside the window, something moved.
He woke up in a bed. Not a crummy bed that folded up into the wall, but a real, huge, big bed with a springy mattress, and he was immediately terrified. His sleep clothes were gone. He didn't recognize anything.
Somewhere, another boy started yelling, AHHHHHHHHH, and the sound was enough to turn him ghost white and sweat, like someone was getting killed, like HE was going to get killed, someone else was there with him and as he scrambled to get out of the huge bed he hit the metal siding, and then the floor.
"Ah! Ouch, aw, s**t, oh no-" he wheezed, all the wind knocked out of him.
He could still hear the other boy, but he couldn't see him.
I CAN'T MOVE. I'M FLESHY. WHY, WHAT, I'M TRAPPED, HELP, HELP.
Which just made Harrison panic more.
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:14 pm
Rep had been sleeping, and running. It wasn't much different from his waking life lately, always and relentlessly running from everything without end. He didn't give up, he didn't tire and he woke up expecting things to be more of the same. He didn't feel like he had rested at all.
He moved to hold onto Harrison, needing the reassurance that everything would be all right, that he'd make it through another day of running around after who the ******** knew what out there. It was only when he did that he realised he was all wrong in shape, that there was something wrong. He didn't get a chance to ask what as he leapt out of bed and fell on the floor. Rep sat up straight.
"Ace?" he said. "Ace what the ******** are you all right?!"
He paused and his eyes went wide as he looked at the other man...well not even a man any longer. "What the ******** happened?" he said, the panic evident in his voice.
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:15 pm
Harrison pushed raggedly against the carpet, then made a break for the closest door, still wheezing, slamming it shut and fumbling with the lock to sink down onto the cold tile of the bathroom.
He could still hear the other boy, only slightly further away. He was yelling again, just yelling.
He put his hands over his head, waiting for the effect of hitting the floor to pass. He unsuccessfully tried to communicate in gasps in the meantime.
When he finally managed to gulp some air, he asked everything at once.
"Who are you? Wh-what are you doing to him? Where are we? What'd you do to me?"
And, looking around the bathroom, just as sharp as the other questions.
"Are you rich?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:19 pm
Rep felt the weight of Harrison's uncomprehending look acutely, feeling what fight he had wither at the prospect, he didn't remember. He didn't remember him or them. It was like Cael, another Carl, this time someone closest to him, he could cry, he just didn't have time to.
"I didn't do anything to you." and realising what he meant by him, he added. "Or him. He's in your mind, its what this place does to you."
He sat on the bathroom floor himself. "I'm rich to a kid." he said sadly.
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:30 pm
None of those answers made any sense.
Harrison stood, taking in his situation. The bathroom didn't have any windows. It did have a giant mirror, and in it was him.
He was scrawny, but athletic The only thing he was wearing was a too-big ring. He took it off, and put it on the counter, rubbing his finger. Then he took down an overly fluffy robe from the wall and pulled it on, tying it shut.
"Slide a phone under the door." He said, adding, "and a cigarette. SHUT UP, OKAY!"
YOU SHUT UP.
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:34 pm
"You don't smoke." he said dejectedly, but went and got Harrison's phone, sliding it over to the door. "The phone is there."
It was almost too much for him to handle he realised. He wanted to leave, he wanted to get out of here, somewhere he wouldn't need to be around a Harrison who didn't remember him.
Still naked he went to dress himself, leaving the phone where he'd put it.
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:44 pm
The problem was that there was no innocent explanation about why he'd be waking up naked in a place he didn't recognise. Maybe if there'd been an emergency, and he'd been sleeping, and he was at a neighbour's house, or a friend of his grandpa's, or something.
It was weird phrasing. You don't smoke. Like they had ever met before, ever.
Harrison watched the phone from the crack under the door, then watched Rep walk away. He opened and shut the door really fast, grabbing the phone and relocking up.
He called his mom.
The number didn't work. At first Harrison didn't believe it, grimly listening for a ring, for someone to pick up, even for an answering machine.
He hesitated before calling the police.
The man in the room with him had given him a phone. Maybe he was crazy.
"Do you know my mom?" Harrison asked.
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:49 pm
Rep didn't know what to do, he felt like a sicko, like someone who had kidnapped someone against their will. He found himself constantly eyeing the door, as if out was better, as if getting away was the best solution.
He came back dressed.
"I don't know your mom." he said. He wanted to say you are my husband, you are the other half of who I am, you are the reason I keep going every single day, but he knew it would only freak the kid out.
He could hardly speak. "I've never met your family."
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:53 pm
"My mom's phone's not working Is she okay?" Harrison asked. "How did I get here? Where are my clothes?"
The other boy was not doing great, but piped up in a strangled, I'm never going to be able to use the web againnnnnnn!!
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:56 pm
"You got here because you live here." he said. "You were older, now you aren't. Your clothes are here but I dunno if they'll fit you any more. You aren't allowed to call anyone."
He turned the ring on his finger. "You were my husband." he said.
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 5:01 pm
A sick feeling hit Harrison's stomach.
"You put that ring on me." He said, "You brought me here. I'm not...married to you, or whatever, okay?
He called the police, and put it on speakerphone. It just got a weird message, from a weird guy. The phone didn't work, like the guy said.
"That other kid is scared too."
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 5:07 pm
Rep buried his face in his hands as Harrison spoke. He could handle creation, he could handle Circe, he could handle constant constant danger and threat, but he couldn't handle this.
"You'll both be okay. He'll like the technology here if you show him it, I'll go away. You have the run of the room, if you need me you can phone me. My name is Rep, it will be in your phone. I'll help you, but I can't.. I can't stay here." and his voice cracked.
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 5:21 pm
"You're leaving to go to work," Harrison interpreted, voice oddly flat, and now looking at the phone. The phone was weird. Like everything else. It was big, and flat, like a monitor.
The buttons were all flat. Why would anyone make a phone like this?
Uuuuuuugh, just double press the button!! The big button, I can't, I can't watch this, is this like, is this a VR game...it's really, really bad, I mean, the graphics are okay, but the controls are, off...
Harrison almost jumped out of his skin.
"Are you in here?" He asked.
No, yes, I don't know! I think I'm like, I'm actually on a table?? BUT I can see out of your eyes. But I can't do anything. Which is reallllllllllly frustrating turn it around TURN IT OVER.
Harrison complied, and double clicked, and was back at a lot of buttons.
Pictures, messages, anything, the other kid shouted helpfully.
Harrison looked around, and still couldn't see him.
He looked at messages first.
And there it was, his name, with a picture that...sort of looked like him, but older. There were texts about a job, and meetings, and...it was like a whole life. A whole, weird life that would have taken a lot of effort to make up. The messages all had dates on them, too...going back six years. The only problem was...
"Wh-what year is it?" He asked, in case Rep was still outside.
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 5:26 pm
"Twenty seventeen." Rep said. "And I'm no leaving to go to work, I'm leaving because I cannae stand to hear you talk about me as if I'm some ******** creepy ***** kidnapper. I cannae handle any of this s**t. I've had it up to HERE with absolute bullshit lately with everything pulling me in every direction."
"And all of it, ******** all of it is to get back here to you without losing my life, my memories or something else. Now you don't remember anything, and I know it's no your fault. I just.." He shook his head. "I just need to get out or I'm just going to make this more awkward."
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Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2017 5:31 pm
"So," Harrison said slowly, "I'm...ten years in the future?"
He looked at the bathrobe.
It had his initials on it.
The bathroom looked kind of like stuff he'd like. It had the shampoo he used. Slowly, he asked again, "Do I have...eye implants?"
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