Stay Away

Chapter 9 - His Face

Stephanie had gotten into the woods, crying to no end. She ran through the woods, before tripping over a rock and landing on her face. Right in front of her face, was a foot. She looked up to meet the owner of the foot.

"Not you..."  She growled angrily.

The man held his hand out to her, offering to help her up. "You're a figment of my imagination. I can't take your hand."

"Well, you can see me right?" He asked, a smile on strangely youthful face.

"Yes..."

"Then I'm here." He held his hand out to her again. Hesitating slightly, she took his hand as he helped her up.

Stephanie sat down on a fallen tree, before being joined by her hallucination. "Why were you crying?" He asked.

She wiped a few remaining tears from her eyes. "How could you care? You're not actually real. Alex thinks I'm insane for talking to you."

"I may not be real, but you can still talk to me. I mean, you are the one who 'created' me." He shrugged. "Well, if you don't want to talk, then let me. How did it go with that guy Thomas knows?"

"It was pointless. He was angry that I orchestrated his abduction, so... He wants to kill me now." She looked away, holding back more tears.

"I'm so sorry..." The man said.

"You can't be! You're not real!" She yelled at him angrily.

"I know, you've told me, but..." He took her hand. "Maybe... If I was real, I would be."

You... Would care? She thought. Then it hit her. "Why you?" She asked him.

"What?" The man looked confused.

"Why do I see you? Why do I see you, instead of anyone else?" She asked him.

"Think about it. You don't need memories to know that you're smart." He said.

But Steph already knew. She just wanted confirmation. But what good is confirmation from someone that knows no more than her? She sighed. "I knew you, didn't I? Before I got amnesia."

He didn't say anything. Just smiled.

"Who... Who are you?" She asked.

"I don't know." He grabbed her other hand and got her to look at him. "But if you can even slightly remember what I look like, you can remember my name too. Even if it takes a while."

"But I can't wait a while." She said.

"Just be patient. Don't do anything stupid or risky. Let it come to you. Don't chase it." He said.

"Just... Promise me one thing." She said. "Don't leave. Not for good."

He smiled as he started to fade away a little. "I can't. Like you said, I'm a figment of your imagination. I can't leave unless you want me to."