Author's Note

I actually feel a sense of pride inside of this chapter.

Just.

Igniting The Flame

One by one, all 7 had entered.

Each one wears a different type of outfit, with a different skin colour each. Okay, that was a lie. Not all were different. They all brought concerning faces inside the room that I was contained in, but whenever I glance at them, all they did was that they brought up a smile to me. They’re hiding their concerns, and anxiousness, locking me away from it.

I guess that’s just for the better.

They talked with each other at first, making a not so big circle for the seven of them to whisper their words. It was located at the end of the room, just right next to a corner. But since this place is small and cramped, it wasn’t that far.

The talked for about five minutes or so, with their expressions being aggressive, and a little sparkle of sadness. Gut sense tells me they were talking about my tensions with the girl previously, and my confession of amnesia. It makes sense for them to worry. For long sure they stayed with me, becoming my friend, and went through thick and thin, as a group.

Together. Or at least, that’s what they would say.

I have no voice of my own.

My recognition is gone. Nothing I say is point point-full, and sure for shit that I can’t prove anything, except for the information I got after amnesia wiped my memory clean.

I have no knowledge. No past.

But at least I have a future.

A future that hangs in the balance.

They broke up from the little association they made a couple minutes ago, and stride over to my bed. The 7 of them formed up in front of me, one by one, I glance them. If at least I can spot just one person, then I’ll be glad. One is better than none, right?

Their pupils reflect my image upon my own self. For once, for all I could remember, I can see my body, lying ragged on the white sheets. I almost feel sorry for myself, in a way, since the body that I have always lived in will remember the scars, till they burn to ash, but my soul can’t detect a single one, the exception being me lying in the sun, how many days ago, I don’t know.

I’m sorry, me.

I left you suffering alone.

And so, I glance at each one, at a time, trying all my best to remember. I have to be quick. I don’t want to make them have a sense of awkwardness.

...one.
...two.
...three.
...four.
...five.
...six.
...seven.

No.

Nobody.

I remember nobody here.

Either I’m the stranger, or they are. I don’t know, but the only thing I have truly traverse is that they care for me. Take that into account. They took the time to actually go to a random somewhat nobody with an empty shell, mind you, and still had hope in me, even though I don’t even recall them. I even admittedly told them this, and it was no blatant prank. I’m not planing to surprise them, saying ‘hey, chill, it’s just a prank!’, do I? No, I do not, and I don’t intend to. It was real. All of it.

They stood in silence, hands jittering and faces shattered in discord. One tries to desperately do a fake smile, and it would have worked, if it was good. Truly it wasn’t. But out of all the people in this room, she was the one holding back the most. I can sense it. If something were to be the blame, it will be me, but c’mon now. Everything is me in almost any scenario I’ve encountered.

Her face tells most of it. Just the way she holds her face up was like her carrying a boulder. She keeps to take down the mask and let the expression out, and puts it on whenever I make eye contact with her. She keeps on wiping her eyes, like something is bugging it.

The most obvious fact about this girl was her hair. It was the colours of the rainbow, and my guess that she dyed it on purpose. Or it was natural, I dunno. I’ve seen pink, yellow, red, green, and a couple more hair colours before, I’m assuming, that is if my life is actually about me seeing the outside world rather than indoors, and I know for a fact there’s much more abundant types of naturally born colours of hair, but not the entirety of the rainbow. Sure, one or two is a thing, a trio is really rare, and seven is outright impossible.

But who am I to judge? I know absolutely nothing.

Who says knowledge is important?

Yeah, they were kinda right about it.

On the other hand, the others seem to have the gist of it already. Most of them have their straight faces set up in a way, that even I can’t figure out, whether it’s a hoax or not. But to be honest, I don’t care. I don’t need to care. Hell, why should I? These people are infinitesimal to the life I’m living now, not the past, and so, why should I give attention or care towards something that I can’t even know being true, albeit my entire past has been with them?

I’m a new me now.

I don’t know who the other me was, but for fuck I’m certain he’s gone.

I decide my life right now. Nobody else does. A clean slate, a new beginning.

“Soo, umm....what do we say?” the girl I confronted asks the other, whispering so that I can’t hear it. She must be terrible at secrets. She brings forward a confused expression to them. They look at each other back, in their heads lie the same exact question, but only relying on the other to finish the said question. They have nothing to say, not now at least, and the room fills in with nothing but awkwardness. I manage to save them from this terrible sense. Just.

“You know, you guys don’t really have to say anything if you want.” I shrug off. It’s a long shot, and most definitely they will not follow, but c’mon, anything but the awkwardness of a lifetime. They shot they’re glances back at me, and quickly I duck my head under the pillows. Like a shy, timid guy.

Wow, that sounded wrong for a person found burnt and shattered.

“No, no! It’s just..” she trailed off, her eyes getting hazy, all while her cheeks turn crimson red. It makes sense nonetheless, she wants to retaliate, but realised she had just placed herself in the pit. There’s nowhere to go except confess now. Admit that she was wrong and that there’s nothing to even say at the first place.

At least that’s what I thought.

One of her friends jumps in at the last second, barely cutting her sentence, and her expression. It almost seems as though uncooperative, and kind of messy, in my eyes. Can they just at least work together to form a sentence?

“Look, Jason. You might not know us, but we know you. We’re your friends. Your okay with that?” she asks. I agreed, and nodded like a bobblehead. It wasn’t just an expression either, I really did bobble like that. That dumb question was just there to over her lack of words, and I punched it out clearly.

Man, I’m a dick.

“Good. Let me show you my- our friends.” She continues, in rapid fire, almost as if she was trying to get this done and ready ASAP. She stumbled a little on the word my- possibly meaning her friends, not mine.

Let’s hope we get of this hard start with a good one.