The Poseidon Project

1. Amnesic with a Brownie Disorder

The feeling of being pulled underneath, out of where you were supposed to stand, being placed lower than that. It's like drowning, blackness covering everything, the water in your lungs ironically making them burn.

You're not supposed to be here, you're either above them all or below them. You have to be better than best because 100% just isn't good enough.

.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.

A voice could be heard, muddled to sound like an undertrained orchestra.
It wasn't the first time I was hearing anything like this; my ears were pounding and my head was throbbing to it. The pain and sounds were so familiar.

I squinted at the brightness the sky has been shining down on me via Sun. I couldn't speak, my throat was dry and was too busy gasping for air.
"Ar...u..."

I tried to make out the voice of the person closest to me but I couldn't grasp the words.
I slid my finger down besides me and I could feel grains underneath me, they were warm and wet like...sand.

The words were repeating themselves and I could finally make out the question.

"Are...u...k?"
"Are...y..u...kay?

"Are you okay?"

"What," I finally responded.
I heard a slight laugh. "I said, for the tenth and hopefully the final time 'are you okay?'"

I propped myself on my elbows and tried to get up but my legs wouldn't budge. They felt numb and heavy like steel. "I can't move them."

"Move what?"
I looked over at the guy sitting next to me. His brown hair was damp and his green eyes were bold beside his tan skin. His shirt and shorts were wet too.
"I can't move my legs."

"Well, when you must've gotten hit by a pretty hard wave then."
Wave, like from the ocean wave?
I looked over into the distance and the sand went for miles, the ocean along side it doing the same.

"Why am I at the beach?"
"How do I know, Hun? I just found you drowning."
Okay, I know for sure my name is not hun.
"Hun is not my name."

"Ah, so it's Cari Lynn then, huh?"
"That's oddly specific."
"Well your tattoo is oddly specific."
"What tattoo?"
He gestured at my shoulder and I looked down at it. It read Cari Lynn in bold, cursive letters.

"I dont know where I'm supposed to be right now."
"Are you a runaway?"
I rose an eyebrow at him. "Did you run away from home?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "I don't even remember where home is."
"Amnesia?"
"Maybe. Hey, I never caught your name."

The boy grinned. "Adrian. I trust you won't give my name out like drug dealers giving out cocaine to kids."
"I dont even know what cocaine is."

"Ah, too innocent." He got up and folded his arms. "You can stay at my place if you want. If you have amnesia, you have no intention to hurt me."

I frowned at him. "I can't walk."
"Then climb on my back."
"I feel like that's a bad idea," I commented as he bent down so I can hatch onto him.
"Fine, I'll climb you like a vine."

I placed my hands on either of his shoulders and pulled myself up. He held onto my thighs and hoisted me up so I wouldn't fall.
I'm trusting my life with this guy. He'll probably murder me in my sleep if I let my guard down though.