holographic {stories}

association (au)

// this is based on the word association game?? Like someone says a word and you say the first thing that comes to mind

-this may mention a new character or two

Also this ended up going a completely different direction than I intended oops

I might try again with this at another time
---

"All right, Lewis. I want you to tell me the first thing you think of when you hear each word, okay?" The woman spoke quietly, and Lewis nodded, curling up in his chair to get comfortable. Well, as comfortable as possible, because this room held bad memories for him.

"Okay. We'll start with an easy one. Cat."

"Boy. He's my cat-- or he was, before all of this," Lewis explained, making wide gestures with his hands, or as wide as he could with the handcuffs around his wrists. "He was really pretty, you know. Had gorgeous yellow eyes and a glossy black coat."

The woman scribbled down notes on her clipboard. "How about adventure?"

"My friends. We would do little things and call them grand adventures, even if it was a trip to Walmart at midnight or a walk to the graveyard or--"

"Blue."

"My friend Joshua's eyes."

"Hm, no story to go along with that one? How about brother?"

"Scott. My little half-brother."

"You're going to have to give me more information with your answers, Lewis. You know what happens when you don't cooperate."

Lewis shuddered, but nodded. "Excuse me, but could you uncuff me? These are uncomfortable."

The woman ignored his request, simply giving him another word. "Family."

"My friends. Joshua, Logan, Mari, Chase, Seth... and there's a few more. I-- I can't remember."

"Love."

"Well, that reminds me of all the times that Mari or Chase would hug me, or how Logan and Joshua always let me stay with them, or back a long time ago when I dated someone."

"Safe."

"Logan. He made me feel safe when-- when my thoughts said otherwise."

"Gun."

"My dad kept a gun by the front door when I was little."

"Is there a more recent event that has to do with guns?"

"A few years ago--"

"Think about earlier this year."

"I don't want to."

"Lewis. I'm giving you one more chance."

"Fine. Earlier this year, I had my friends and my brother over at my house, and we were just messing around in the front yard. This guy drove by-- Ma'am, please, I don't wanna talk about it!" By then, he had his hands over his eyes the best that he could. "You already know all of this!"

"You're almost done. Finish what you were saying, then you have one more word. After that, you can go back to your... room."

"The stupid guy with a gun drove by and shot my friends. All of them. They're dead." He glared directly at the woman, tears welling up in his eyes. "Are you happy now?"

"Revenge."

"I figured out where that bastard lived and shot him. With his own gun."

The woman stood up and signaled for the guard right outside the door to come in. "Take him back to his cell."