Only Me

Only Me | Chapter 1

I stare out of the window of this room I'm in. The staring out in the void that sparkles with red now and then. It's mesmerising; the sparkles dance with organised chaos.

You can't hear anything in here. The only sound you can hear is my soft breathing and the equally soft breathing of the girl in front of me. The girl who I don't recollect who she was.

Why am I in this room with her? I don't know.

How long have I been here? I don't know.

Is this some sort of purgatory for some sin I made long ago? Probably. But I don't know if this is real or if this is a dream. Heck! Am I alive or not?

I broke my stare and faced the girl in front of me. She also seems to be zoned out. Her blue eyes looked out into the identical set of windows behind me.

Separating us was a chessboard. All the set pieces were neatly placed on the board except for one pawn on her side has moved up a space. The white pieces were on my side. I think I've played with her before, but I can't recall that I have moved or even touched a single piece on the board.

I looked back up at her to find her eyes on mine. She looks seemingly confused as I am. She looks down towards the board longingly.

I too looked back at the board. I was surprised when one of my pawns had moved. Her side had another pawn moved.

Since when did it move? I was sure that both my hands were on my lap, and they still are.

Suddenly I heard giggling coming across from me. I looked back up and saw her smiling at me. Her smile looked so genuine but fake at the same time. But before I could think more about it she spoke.

"Gray, it's your turn," she said through her childish giggling.

I stared at her, dumbfounded. Confusion ran through my whole body. I wanted to say something but the words didn't seem to come out.

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Don't tell me you forgot how to play already Gray," she said, her voice echoing in the room.

The room started to spin and I fell dizzier and dizzier. I looked around but all I see the white walls of the room. The windows to the outside. A door flashed briefly on one of the empty walls. My breathing became laboured and my heart thundered.

"Charlie!" she called out. When she did, the room stopped spinning, my head stopped getting dizzy, my breathing stabilised and my heartbeat normally.

Her previously smile plastered face was replaced with a worried look. "That tumour is getting worse, huh?" she sighed.

"T-tumour?" I found myself asking.

She looks taken aback by my question. She looks down back at the board. "It's just a tumour in his head, Kayla. He's just forgetting things because of it." she muttered to herself.

Kayla? Something in me seems to recognise that name. Something seems to ache when I think about that name. Where have I heard of that name before? I brought my hand up to my head to scratch it.

She muttered some more stuff that I can't make out, then looked back up towards me with a weak smile. "Charlie... Do you still remember me?" she asked averting her gaze from me.

I racked my brain for anything. But I don't have a single memory. All I remember is being in this room. With nothing to say, I shook my head.

She pursed her lips like she was trying to hold something in. She looks back down at the board. I could see tears forming in her eyes.

I turned to one of the windows behind her and looked out into the void. The beautiful void. The view which I find sort of relaxing and numbing. I could stare out for eternity and not get bored of it.

I heard her take a deep breath in and out. I looked back at her. She looked up again with that weak smile.

My hand itches and, like it had a mind of its own, moved to the board and picked up a pawn. A small smile made its way to my lips when my hand placed the pawn back down onto the board one tile forward. It's like I don't have control over my own body.

That smile turned into a confused frown. I pulled my hand away, barely hitting the king in the process.

"I knew you can do it," Kayla said. She looks at the board like she's planning her next move. Her hand hovers over another pawn but hesitates taking it. Instead, she intertwines her fingers and propping her head on them.  She took a glance at me and stares back at the board.

My eyes wandered again behind her. But before it reaches the window her voice pulls it back to her face.

"Remember how we first met?"