Shattered

2019

Mason opened his eyes and looked around. He slowly sat up, confused as to what had happened. He looked around and paused, then his mind went blank, and he screamed. A woman in the bed with him jerked awake and quickly wrapped her arms around him. "What's going on? Where am I? Who are you?" Mason stammered, looking around. "Shh, it's okay, Mason. It's okay. Don't worry." The woman quickly jumped up and ran over to the bedside table, then came back and handed Mason a few pills. "What are these? Who are you?" Mason asked. "Those are your pills. You don't remember, but you have memory damage. It happens sometimes. Take those pills. It'll all come back to you in a moment," the woman said. 

Mason paused, then looked down at the pills. Finally, he shoved them into his mouth and swallowed them. "What do you remember? Do you recognize my face?" the woman asked. Mason shook his head. "Okay... Mason, my name is Julia. I'm your wife." Mason paused, confused. "You got hit by a car when you were a kid. Do you remember that?" Julia asked. Mason slowly nodded his head. "Okay. What else do you remember?" she asked. A tear rolled down Mason's cheek. "Nothing..." Julia sighed and pulled a letter from the bedside drawer. "In case you don't believe me, here. This is a note you wrote for yourself in case this happened again." Mason grabbed the note and examined it. It was definitely his hand writing. 

"You are sure you don't remember anything?" Julia asked. Liam! Mason paused, then closed his eyes. This isn't you! Mason began to sweat as he tried to concentrate. You're real, I know it! I'll prove it. No matter what it takes. Mason opened his eyes and looked at Julia. "I remember a promise," he said. "A promise? That's new. What kind of promise? Does it have something to do with Liam?" she asked. Mason looked at Julia hard. "You know about Liam?" "You talk about him a lot, although they still have never found any evidence of him," Julia speaks. "No, he's real. I know it," Mason argued, rubbing his head. He turned and pulled his legs from the bed, standing up and walking over to the closet. He swung the door open, then realized it was a hallway. He tried the other door, and finally he found the closet.

"Where are you going?" Julia asked. "I think... I think there's something I have to do," Mason said, pulling out a T-shirt and jeans from the closet. "Where's my mother?" Mason asked. "Mason... your mom and you had an argument a year ago," Julia spoke. "You haven't spoken since because she didn't believe you about Liam." Mason paused, then turned to Julia. "What?" "Look, I know this is hard, but we have gone through this before. Although you are acting very different," Julia said, standing up.  

Mason looked up and noticed a mirror in the closet. He could see himself. A short beard, deep brown eyes, an older face. He looked so different. "I made a promise. I have to keep it," Mason said, sliding in a belt. "To your mother?" Julia asked. "No. To Liam." Mason turned to Julia and sighed. "Look, I'm really sorry that I don't remember you, but there is something that I have to do," Mason said. "Do we have a gun?" "A gun? Mason, you're scaring me. Normally your memory is back by now," Julia said slowly. Mason paused. "Do we have a gun?" he repeated. Julia sighed.

"In the shoebox in the closet. Glock 19, I think," she answered. Mason bent down and slid out a small black pistol that he had never seen before. "Everything looks so different. Feels different..." Mason muttered to himself. "Are you okay?" Julia asked. "No, I'm not okay!" Mason shouted. Julia paused, surprised. Mason gasped, then took a step toward Julia. "I- I'm sorry..." he spoke. "It's just... I feel like I've lost my entire life. I don't remember anything. Except him. And the promise. What year is it?" he asked. Julia sighed. "2019," he said. Mason paused, struggling to breathe. "Twenty...? Twenty years?" Mason gasped, struggling to stand.

"What is this promise you keep talking about?" Julia asked, grabbing Mason by the shoulders. "I... I told him I'd save him," Mason whispered. "Mason, there is no Liam. He doesn't exist..." Julia assured him. Mason pushed her hands off his shoulders and took a step back. "No, he's real, I know it! I'll prove it to you. I'll prove it to all of you!" Before Julia could stop him, Mason turned and disappeared down the hallway. Without stopping he looked around for the very few items he could remember. The photo, his tape recorder, his book bag, and he searched around frantically for his things. He didn't find his bag, but he did find the photo in the living room and the tape recorder in a kitchen drawer. It didn't have the old tape, but it was close enough.

He also found a small keyring flashlight in the kitchen. He was about to leave, brushing right past Julia when he stopped and noticed something on the counter. Small and metal, but definitely useful. "I know what I have to do," he said, realizing his plan. He quickly grabbed the item, along with a drink and left the house. He looked around, hoping he wasn't too far away from the old house, and then he was off... 

...

Mason slowly approached the bend and passed it, looking at the dead house ahead. The paint had peeled away, the steppingstones were now just indents in the grass, and the mailbox had been completely replaced. He took a deep breath and approached the door, raising his fist and knocking. "One moment!" a voice called out. Soon the door opened, and a tall older woman stood there. "Hello, dear. Can I help you?" the lady asked. "Yes ma'am. I used to live here as a kid and was hoping I could see the place one last time," Mason spoke. "I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone lived here." 

"Oh, come on in," the lady said with a smile. She stepped aside and Mason stepped inside. "What's your name, hon?" the lady asked. "Uh, Mason," Mason said, taking a quick sip of his drink. "That's what I thought..." the woman spoke. Mason paused, then quickly turned around to see Liam shut the door. "Why did you come back?" Liam asked. "You are all I can remember. I know a way to save you," Mason said, folding his arms. "You aren't afraid?" Liam asked. Mason shook his head. "Not anymore. After leading, or... losing the life I've lost, nothing scares me anymore. That's why I know what to do," Mason said, sitting on the floor. "Sit down."  

Liam paused, then slowly sat down across from Mason, intrigued. "I told you, there's no way to save me." Liam laughed. "What are you drinking?" Mason paused, then looked at the bottle. "Tequila. It was in my house when I woke up. It's absolutely disgusting, but it helps my mind for what I'm about to do," Mason explained. He reached behind him and pulled out the pistol from his belt, then sat it on the ground. "What do you expect to do with that? Shoot me?" Liam laughed. Mason sighed, then looked at Liam. "Not you," he said. Liam's smile quickly faded. "I'm not spending an eternity here. So, if there's no way else to escape, this is it. My backup plan," Mason explained.

"What exactly is this plan?" Liam asked. Mason reached down and pulled the tape recorder from his pocket, then the photo of Mason underneath the tree. Finally, he pulled out the small metal object. A lighter. "To let go of my past. To let go of you," Mason said, igniting the lighter and sticking the photo in the flame. The photograph burst into flames and Liam gasped, leaning forward in pain. It's working, Mason thought. "No!" Liam thrust out his hand and sent Mason flying backwards into the wall, suspending him in the air. While Mason was pinned his liquor bottle dropped to the floor and rolled to the side. He looked down at his gun and tape recorder on the floor.

"I'm not letting you take him. Liam is mine, not yours!" Liam cursed, squeezing Mason tightly against the wall. The lighter finally dropped to the floor, and Liam stared at Mason with deep, evil eyes. "You can't see that all this is your doing. You can't see that all you have to do is accept the present instead of running from the past." "I... I don't understand what you mean," Mason growled. Liam frowned and closed his fist, then everything went dark...