Grey Walls (Discontinued)

Introduction

Ethan remembered his past life when he was three, learning how to ride a bike down a small hill at the edge of his neighbourhood. He had rode the bike into a tree, ankle getting caught in the chain and snapping. 

As Ethan laying on the ground writhing in pain and grabbing his ankle, his mind was on the life that happened before this one. He remembered everything at once: Mark, Tyler, Amy, Kat, LA, Youtube, death. 

By the time the last memory had circled by, a neighbour had called an ambulance and he was sitting in a the white room of an emergency room. He remembered being Ethan Nestor, a 28 year old with a successful Youtube career. He remembered the life he had left behind in death and craved it again.

When his mother had come to pick him up, taking his hand in her's and walking him to the car, he kept tilting his head to look at her as she smiled at his through her hazel hair. He had only been living this life for three years, but he was sure that the woman who was strapping him into his car seat was not the person who had raised him. He was also sure that bringing up the sudden wave of memories and experience was not the best idea. 

When Ethan was five, he had come to two conclusions. One was that no one else seemed to remember who they were in a past life. Two was that he would like to pursue gymnastics again. he had asked his Mom in his lisping voice if she could sign him up. She had put down the bowl of cookie dough she had been mixing and looked hims straight in the eye. He had felt sure she would have said no until she had smiled, showing off her straight teeth. She had commented on how Ethan's eyes were changing colours and asked if her would like to try the cookie dough. 

When Ethan was eight, he developed a dairy allergy. A cruel twist of fate. He could enjoy peanuts if he wanted to, but decided they brought back too many memories. He was sent to the hospital in the middle of the night after a sleepover at his friend's house. He was tested a week later. Positive. Ethan's mother had cooed over him endlessly for weeks before she finally accepted it. 

When Ethan was ten, he saw his father for the first time since he was five. He had come back from the war that had taken place in both of the Koreas. He payed the price of a hand and a deadly sickness for America's victory. Ethan wasn't allowed to touch him until he passed away on Thanksgiving. Ethan found he was unable to cry until after the funeral where he locked himself in his room and perfected the talent of crying silently into a pillow. 

When Ethan was twelve, he saw his mother for the first time since he was ten. She had disappeared behind a wave of grief and had not emerged for two years. Ethan felt so alone during that time. He grieved alone until, one day, his mother had come out of her room with a smile for the first time in years. She and Ethan had cuddled on the couch sipping hot chocolate like nothing had changing in those years they had spent alone. 

When Ethan was thirteen, he won the State Championship for the first time. A personal coach had approached him and told him to call him. Ethan recognized him from the pages of Sports Illustrated. Richard Clouse was printed on the card. Ethan was directed to call him Rich after Ethan's first practice as he lay on the ground panting hard.

When Ethan was fourteen, he died his hair blue. He smiled for his mother as her camera lens snapped over and over. The hairstylist asked him why he chose blue. He said he thought it looked cool. No one could understand.

A week before he turned sixteen, Ethan flew to Washington DC for the national championship. He said he wanted to go early for practice and sightseeing. He wanted to see if he recognized anyone. He met the other competitors and laughed with them as they went sightseeing. He wondered if he was crazy. He wondered if all the memories were fake. He found Mark's channel online. He found his channel. He knew he was okay for now. 

A day before Ethan turned sixteen, the government collapsed.