DO NOT READ AT NIGHT! ║⋄Completed⋄║

Did You Remember?

As a single mother afflicted with short-term memory loss, life was pretty difficult, especially with having to juggle taking care of my son, Thomas, and having to remember to take my medicine on time. At the age of 15, Thomas was offered a football scholarship to study in an overseas university, one that he had desperately wanted to go to ever since he was eight years old. It was hard for me to let him go. But he promised me that he would always talk to me on Skype everyday.

Waiting for his Skype became a daily highlight of my life. I would literally sit in front of my laptop for hours at a time. Finally, at around 4PM, I heard the familiar ding of the Skype notification.

"Hi, Mom," Thomas's face appeared onto my screen. He didn't seem happy, which was strange. He should be having a great time at his university right now.

"Hey, Thomas, why do you look so sad?" I asked gently.

"I don't know, I'm not feeling too good...' He sighed and clutched his head in his arms. "I've had this awful headache for the entire day."

"Did you take any medicine? Oh, Tommy, if your headache gets really bad you should really try to see a doctor. Do you know if there is a doctor on the campus? Do you have his number? You should give him a call, see if he'll visit your room." I kept asking several worried questions, like any other good mother would do. "Do you have a fever? Is your roommate with you?"

"Mom...." His voice sounded urgent.

"Thomas, dear, call your roommate, tell him to-"

"Mom.... Did you take your medicine?" Thomas glanced up at the screen, looking slightly upset.

"Thomas, honestly, we should be more worried about your headache. Where's your medicine?"

"Mom, you have to take your pills. Don't you remember?" Thomas sighed softly. He looked up at me, smiling sadly. "Don't you remember, Mom?"

Baffled, I blinked at him stupidly. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"Don't you remember? I'm dead."

"What?! Don't say that, Thomas!" Shocked, I frowned at Thomas and shook my head furiously. "Don't you ever say that!"

"You have to take your pills. You have to remember." Thomas was begging. I stared at him as a stream of blood trickled down from the corners of his eyes. Frozen from fear, I watched in terror as my son's eyes rolled to the back of his head, and blood poured from his ears.

"Remember, Mommy." His voice was a rasp. His body slid from my laptop's view.

"Thomas!" I screeched and leaped out of my seat, sending my computer crashing to the floor. Crying out wildly for Thomas, I quickly picked up my laptop, only to realize that the screen was pitch black.

My laptop wasn't even switched on.

I was in panic mode right now, screaming and yelling in my living room when I tripped over a pile of newspapers. Sobbing furiously, I kicked at the newspapers when one of the articles caught my eye.

Rubbing my tears away, I grabbed the newpaper article, which was crumbled and folded in several areas.

"15-YEAR OLD BOY FOUND DEAD IN WORLD-CLASS UNIVERSITY", the headline read, with a large, black and white photo of Thomas, my poor baby, lying in a large puddle of blood on the stairs with his head cracked open.

The article was dated about 3 years ago.

Sobbing, I tossed the article aside and climbed to my feet.

I have to take my pills.

I can't do this anymore.

I have to remember.

I have to.

As I staggered to the medicine cabinet, I glanced up to the clock and sighed in relief.

My face cracked into a wide grin and turned back to my laptop.

It was just a little over 4PM.

Thomas should be calling soon.