Archer stared at the front door as if waiting for a guest, his dull blue and green eyes dancing along the lines on the frame. Swirl, sun, moon, star, swirl. He sighed, lost in his own thoughts. His hat hung on the doorknob, his coat on the rack. The grandfather clock ticked, filling the once silent room with an abnormal ticking sound that disturbed Archer deeply.
Grunting softly, his eyes moving to the clock with a huff. He pulled himself off of the cushioned couch, the buttons on his jacket producing a clicking noise. It wasn't even cold. Why was he wearing his jacket again? He swore it was just on its hook. He took it off, and put it on the rack beside the coat, his mind wandering once more.
Stumbling to the clock, he turned it off, before starting to absently clean. Picking up plates, throwing away trash, wiping the dust away. It felt oddly calming. He frowned. Why was he just now doing this? He should have cleaned ages ago. Right when he first came to the secluded house amidst the woodlands.
The simple thought of the surrounding greenery brought a subtle smile to the young man's face. Trees, animals, water, clouds, and the sun. It all made him so happy. How long had he been in the house? It was concerning that he couldn't recall the simple detail.
"I should go outside." He mumbled to himself, wandering to the nearby bathroom the freshen himself up. Maybe the sun would help him. Maybe it could clear his mind. Going to the bathroom, he tried to grab the lock, only for his hand to meet thin air. He huffed, frowning. The knob was gone. God, why was this so much trouble, just to go outside.
Kicking the door open, he went to the mirror. God, was he a mess. He grabbed the brush and ran in through his hair, the grabbed the razor and messily shaved. He still had stubble, but it didn't bother him like normal. Once he was finished, he wandered to his room, pulling out a fresh pair of clothing, and changing. Finally, that seemingly daunting task was over.
He sighed. He did feel a little better. What was next? Right. Food. Making his way to the kitchen, and fumbled through the fridge, getting out a few seemingly edible food items. Quietly eating, his mind wandered to the sound of the ticking clock. Why was it back on? He unplugged it earlier.
Finishing his food, he went and unplugged the clock once more. Next task? His shoes and coat. He lazily slipped on his shoes, and grabbed his coat and cap, putting both on. So close. But, everything was telling him to give up. Go back to bed. Your tired. You want to sleep. He shuddered, a frown on his face. He walked to the door. Slowly. Why was he going so slow? Why was he doing this again? He didn't want to go outside. Outside was awful.
The chime of the doorbell dragged Archer from his thoughts, causing him to look up. Who would be at his house, of all places? Taking his cap off, he hung it up and went to the door. He clicked open the lock, and opened the door, coming face to face with Michael. Michael....that was his brother. His big brother. He looked up at the other, and huffed. Why couldn't he remember what Michael looked like? The other was right in front of him, but he was all blurry!
