Paramnesia

Chapter 1: Inceptus (Deene)

par·am·ne·sia /ˌperamˈnēZH(ē)ə/ (noun) a condition or phenomenon involving distorted memory or confusions of fact and fantasy, such as confabulation or déjà vu.

That word seemed so fitting for the story ahead. What will arise when "our hero" awakens to start this story like some cliché adventure book? Who would really know? After all, this isn't a normal story book; it's just a story of affliction.

Jolting awake, I take a glance around the room... it was just that, my room. What were these dreams I've been having recently? They seem oddly... familiar. Like I must know their meaning by now, but any and all tinges of memories are just simply... gone. With a slight sigh it was time to get up. I can't stop thinking of it, those dreams. Why were they so discommoding? A face I feel like I've seen, but would never be able to identify. "Find the meaning; find the truth. This world is in trouble, it's time to save it."
It makes it sound like I'm some hero, but to be honest; I'm really no one. Sitting in front of the mirror twisting my eunry hair around my fingers in thick braids I just take a good look. Pale skin, simple hair, simple clothes. The only thing that stands out are my pink eyes that stare down anyone who crosses them. Definitely no one special. Trying to ignore the words that circle my head as I leave my apartment, familiar voices are heard awakening at the same time I have.

"Do we have to get up so early?" A voice yawned in discontent.
"You were the one who wanted to make sure we get there first. We have to get up early." Another voice chimed in.
I'd unfortunately know these voices anywhere. They--
"Huh? Yo Deene!" The exasperating voice shouts, disrupting my train of thought. "You heading out early too? Finally decide to join us on our mighty adventure?~"
I could just hear the overconfidence. Twain was what you would call a shameless annoyance. A big, raccoon-like girl with large orange eyes and a loud personality; she was the type to invite you to something and forget you there later. Her and Onaji, her indivisible friend, were just the few people who would come up to start a conversation.
"I haven't seen you in a while, how have you been?" Onaji smiled, a much more tolerable human being.
The only strange thing I could say about Onaji other than her friendship with Twain would probably be her turtle shell backpack she wore everywhere. I never knew how but it always felt like she had what you needed and when she didn't, it came as a surprise.

"I was just heading to the store, I'm sure whatever you two are up to it's nothing I'd care to know about." Continuing to walk I could hear the pitter patter of footsteps following me.
"Aw come on! What's more interesting than seeing what cool trash the antique shop dug up in some gross ruin?"
"Eating."
"Come on Twain, it's gonna open soon. If you want to get there first we have to hurry." Onaji chimed in to save me from 15 minutes of torturous questions.
With a pout Twain simply walked down the hall. Smiling as she walked passed, Onaji uttered to me. "It was nice to see you, maybe come join us another time."
Another time... always another time. As they disappeared down the hall I followed till I reached the ground floor.

Heading down the street, those words came back to the forefront of my mind. What do they mean? Who was this man in my dream, and why do I feel like I know him? This isn't the first one either. They started so simple, the man was just staring at me... expecting... almost apologetic. I don't get it, none of this adds up. Why does it feel like he knows me? Like he knows more than he's leading onto. They're just dreams, they have to be. I can't do what this dream man wants from me. I can't fix this broken world. Maybe I sh-- SPLATT. I froze. Taken aback from the abrupt stop to my train of thought I looked to see what it was. There was a body merging into the floor; flattened by the impact of gravity from the top of the tall building to my right. Looking at myself I let out a small sigh as I noticed it had splattered blood on my freshly washed clothes. I'll have to remember to buy new ones on my way back home, but for now I should just continue. Stepping around the body like others on the sidewalk have done next to me I simply continue on my way to the store. I'm getting really hungry.

The stores around the Moonlit Motel where many of us lower class call home wasn't really much. Simple convenience stores and maybe a grocer, but it's all we really needed unless you wanted to go antiquing. Stepping through the isles, nothing on the shelves really caught my interest. I have to remember this isn't just for me though, so I take another look around. Ramen... microwave dinners... Sandwiches, perfect. I can get some waters with these too. Now to where I really want to go. Continuing to walk down the street I can hear the groaning of the homeless in the alleys, right on cue. Turning the corner I spot the purple-headed man I'm looking for. "Good morning, Rune."

Rune wasn't someone I had known for long, but I still trusted him with my problems more than anyone else. He always knew what to say. I would just come here and monologue to him about whatever was bothering me that week. Being undead he didn't really need the food I'd give him, but he appreciated it anyway and I always preferred the company of eating with someone. "Is it morning?" Rune had looked up at the sun shielding his vision.
"Yea, it is. I brought you a sandwich."
He looked over, lowering his mask and smiled at me, "You didn't have to do that."
"Eh, I prefer to eat with someone anyway."
Sitting down next to the zombie I hand him a sandwich and water. He had some trouble drinking considering his cheek was ripped open from decay, but he always managed to make due. "So, is this just a normal checkup or something on your mind?" Rune said as he opened the package to his sandwich.
He could always read me like an open book, "I've been having weird dreams recently."
The zombie thought about it, "Like a 'you're trying to find a book in a jungle on a turtle shell' weird or like you can't understand it weird?"
I let out a chuckle, I always wonder if these examples he gave were things he'd experienced before.

"No it..." How do I describe this? "It's just like a recurring dream, but somehow it's slightly different every time. It's telling me things, but I don't understand what it's talking about. It seems to think I can fix what's wrong around here."
Chomping down on the sandwich Rune tried to think of a response. "What really is wrong with this place? Other than it being a shithole I mean. What do you think it's trying to get you to fix?"
I pause... What was it trying to get me to fix? Why did it think I was the person for the job? There was a lot of things wrong with this place: The corrupted government, the broken systems, the trials... The acceptance that death could be at your door at any moment; not to mention the eerily off putting déjà vu I'd feel on a daily basis for such little things, but I could never pinpoint why they felt so familiar. "I don't know... but I'm starting to feel like it might be important if this dream keeps recurring like this. Almost like my mind is being messed with or something."
"I wouldn't put it past this place; it's almost like it's designed to mess with your brain. I mean, the fuzzy memories? The feelings of familiarity? They can't all be just some figment of my muddled brain. Whatever it is, it seems that maybe subconsciously it might be important to you. Even if you don't want to admit it."
That answer didn't feel satisfying, "The man though, I feel like I know him, but if you asked me to pick him out in a line up I'd be at a loss. It felt like I knew him from somewhere, but I think about it and I've never seen him before. He also has this strange look like he knows more than he's leading onto like... Like he's apologizing for what will happen next."

Silence filled the alley as Rune had tried to think of a good response to my dilemma. "Our minds do weird things sometimes. Maybe you feel like you know him because you do. I mean, that's what I assume when I see those ol' Crows. Getting a bad feeling around them makes me think that maybe I know more about them than what they're showing, but any time I try to remember it's just all fuzzy."
"... Maybe."
He was right though, my brain would get fuzzy when I tried to remember anything about this man in my dreams, maybe it was just the normal déjà vu playing tricks on me again. Maybe this man was someone who was real. "I should get going." I say as I stand up. "Thanks for listening Rune, you really help me figure stuff out."
The zombie simply smiled before he put his mask back up. "No problem, tell me if you figure out anything about these dreams of yours."
With an agreeing nod I head back off down the road. Where was I going? I don't know. I just needed a walk to think.

Walking was always a good way to clear my head, and I really needed to clear my head. That man wouldn't leave my mind, and the things Rune said both make sense and don't. How do I know him? Where did I meet him? Will I ever see him again? The more I tried to ignore it the more these questions would show up. It felt like at this rate I was going to go mad. "Hm? Oh! Deene! Hello!"
A voice spoke and as I looked up I saw Primrose standing at the street as always waiting for her taxi to show up to take her to her next show. Primrose was a living mannequin who had gotten very popular in modeling a couple years or so back, despite this though she lives in the Moonlit Motel with the rest of us. I guess she always seemed to enjoy the company of our neighbors and occasionally would even talk to me just to have a chat before she had to head on to the stage. "How are you doing? You seem to be thinking a lot."
"Yea I... I have a lot on my mind."
Prim showed some concern before she spoke again, "Is something wrong? Do you want to talk about it?"
"Ah- No I- I already talked to Rune about it, and I'm not sure I need to talk about it again."
Primrose smiled when she heard me talk about actually socializing with someone. She seemed to just know I never did it often. "How is Rune? Is he doing okay too? I haven't really seen him on my walks recently."
"He's okay, we just ate so he'll probably be fine for a while."
She nodded and opened her mouth to continue to talk but stopped when she noticed that a taxi was pulling over for her, she sighed a bit disappointed. "Well, I guess I have to go." She gave me one more grateful smile, "It was nice talking to you Deene."
"Yea, you too." I watched as she got in the taxi and drove off. I was back to being alone.

With a sigh I tried to think of what to do next, but before I could even take a step I heard someone calling out to me. My eyes widening, I realized... I know that voice. It was a voice that filled me with... relief? I turned to see who it was, but I honestly had never seen him before. Pale skin, black hair, large black bird-like wings folded behind him, and a cigarette in his mouth... No, not a cigarette. V.O.I.D. He approached me with this posture that both screamed that he was glad to see me, but also hesitant like he really didn't want to be here. "You should come with me, the boss needs to have a word with you."