The Past Revived

Revival

Steve Burnside

A name no one alive from his time would remember. That cursed island filled with rotten and filthy corpses that plagued his nostrils was gone. The creatures he killed there would still linger within his mind. Inescapable they became as his thoughts lingered on them for too long. His dreamlike state was the only thing any form of consciousness within him could be described. His body couldn't move on the outside, but only within. He stayed in his own head for 23 years within his time as a lab rat. His thoughts lingered to Claire and his family. In his world his mother and father still lived. His father was compassionate towards his son while his mother radiated joy whenever she saw him everyday. Claire beside him never once leaving. She soon became his everything after they escaped. Chris returned to continue his investigations and Claire couldn't bear to be apart from Steve after he saved her life countless times. Never again would she purposely return to her dangerous searches or dive deeper into Umbrellas mysteries without her companion. The machines keeping his body preserved did their part as well as unintentionally feed him nutrients to revive his systems. Many of the researchers never noticed his proteins returning or new ones formed when taking samples of his blood for virus enhancements. The shipments to Javier were the only important focus for Wesker than the boy himself. Into turn for keeping watch of Steve's body Wesker had to arrange a meeting with this figure known as Mother Miranda to secure a location. Prior to the arranged meeting Steve reflected to a memory of his creation where his mother consistently teased him about Claire. Gathered around the dinner table there was the familiar smell of chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, and a mixture of steamed vegetables. Steve's mother took a bite of her corn before turning to Claire moving her fork as she talked.

"Oh Claire I haven't gotten the faintest clue as to how you fell in love with my rascal of a child." Steve's mother joked. "Much less, him finding such a wonderful daughter-in-law."

"Mom!" Steve said.

Claire giggled in response before answering.

"He was capable of handling himself and protecting me all the while so I assumed he would be perfect despite his few flaws." She winked at Steve causing him to look aside defeated.

"Great. A team up is just what I need to deal with." He slumped back in his seat. "It's embarrassing." He mumbled.

"Come now son. It's just playful fun. It ain't gonna hurt you to be teased now would it?" His father leaned on his side facing Steve.

"Oh come on. Who's side are you on huh?" Steve took a bite of his food.

His father rolled his eyes with a smile before turning his attention to Claire.

"So Claire. I have to ask you something."

"Ask away sir." Claire took a drink.

"When can I expect grandchildren?"

There was a clang of Steve's fork hitting the plate as he placed his elbow onto the table with his arm against his head. His eyes wide open and his face reeked of irritation. Claire almost choked on the drink before laughing it off.

"Oh now now that's too soon to be talking about that dear. Show some respect to them." Steve's mother had a small scowl across her face. "That's an impolite thing to ask especially with him only being 18."

Steve gave Claire a glance as his parents bickered with each other. Claire enjoying every second of this much to Steve's dismay.

Dinner progressed nicely and everyone cleared their plates. Steve's father sat on the couch to read along with his wife on the other side leaving Claire and Steve to clean the dishes. The sounds of the radio on the counter was broadcasting at a low volume, but just loud enough to hear.

"Good evening all. The special annual fair will be coming to the fairgrounds this weekend. Bring the kids, bring the girl, or bring the dog for crying out loud. This event will be taking place the 3rd of August-"

"Hey you know that actually sounds like a neat thing we can go check out Steve." Claire beamed.

"Yeah. I didn't think you would be interested in going to the fair." Steve said washing his plate. "Much less given how uptight you come across as sometimes."

Claire feigned a look of fake shock.

"I am not uptight. I don't know where you got that from buster."

"-and now onto the music. This one is a classic and from my personal collective catalog. "Don't be Cruel" by the one, the only, Elvis Presley."

"Seems like that guy plays a lot of old shit lately." Steve put away his plate. "I mean I'm not usually into it, but some of his stuff ain't bad that he picks out."

"Well I quite like it." Claire lightly bumped Steve with her side before laughing.

Steve felt time slow as the music began to fade out through his ears and the only sound he could hear was Claire's laugh and her singing along with the lyrics of the song. He could only be captivated by her beauty and hardly believe he was able to spend such a beautiful evening with the best woman in his life. To hear her laughter and see her happy, when the first time they met was filled with skepticism and fear was a grand feeling that stirred his heart. Now, now he felt like he was in Heaven.

"I love you Claire." He spoke on impulse.

Claire stopped singing and flashed him a smile making his heart skip a beat.

"I know you do."

He leaned closer to her and she did the same. Their lips almost about to touch before Steve felt his body lunge itself back into a dark void. His screams of confusion filled the void as he braced for an impact. Instead of hitting against something, his eyes opened for the first time in 23 years. They widened upon discovery he was inside a large case with machines covering his mouth and nose. He heard muffled voices and saw blurry spots of black and gray. The glass cracked and soon shattered spilling out the heavy liquid with Steve falling out landing on the ground. He took slow deep breaths and felt his eyes sting at the sunlight and from the liquid that got on his irises. The voices still muffled in his ears as they got louder. A figure he couldn't see clearly lightly touched his face checking his features before setting his face down gently. Steve's voice was hoarse as he spoke.

"...he..s alive...we...how....about that.." A feminine voice said. Her speech fading in and out.

"Who a-are you." He coughed after speaking.

The ringing in his ears stopped and he could hear the voice crisp and clear. It was a man that spoke and his voice sounded with concerned.

"My name is (F/N) (L/N). I'm amazed you're the only living thing in here Steve." He rubbed his head. "Sorry I had to disturb your sleep, but I couldn't leave you in there when I can feel a heartbeat."