Left with a Memory

Chapter 3- Something lingers

Marvin felt streams of energy and power swirl around his core. He felt like he was floating in clouds. He recognized this feeling. He kept his eyes closed, hoping if he did, he would just go back to sleep. But that feeling kept poking at him constantly.

Wake up Marvin. Wake up.

It called over and over, it's alluring voice whispered in his ear. He heard the sounds of waves crashing in the background. He tried just focusing on that and maybe his mind would wander away into a dream, but it seemed he was here to stay until he opened his eyes. He was tired, he just wanted to go to sleep and have normal dreams. It was never that simple though.

Finally, the magician opened his eyes, the sun blinding him temporarily. He looked around. He was sitting on a bench at one of the piers in Brighton. It was a place he would sometimes perform at. He was sitting alone, looking out at the waves crashing into the shore. It was a pleasant day. Not many people, a nice breeze was blowing through his hair.

Suddenly a figure was standing next to the bench. Marvin looked up, and for a second was left speechless. "Here," Chase offered him an ice cream cone. "I got you one too," Marvin took the ice cream as Chase sat next to him.

The two looked out into the horizon, eating the frozen treat. Marvin thought it tasted like nothing. He let out a heavy sigh, letting the cone fall from his hand. "I really wish I could just pretend that I was having a pleasant dream about hanging out with my best friend who I haven't seen in months," He looked up at the fake Chase. "But you know I can see past all that."

The other sighed, all the sound disappeared and it was like they were completely alone now. "Do you know who I am Marvin?" It asked.

Marvin huffed rolling his eyes. "You're not anything. You're the manifestation of whatever this thing in my forehead is."

Chase shrugged. "Fair enough. Guess that makes this a lot less awkward," He leaned against the back of the bench, acting more casual now. "You know I've been trying for months now to talk to you. That's why you've been having headaches. You keep blocking me out."

"Marvin shook his head. "Stop saying "me" like you're an actual person."

"Well what would you prefer?" It inquired. "Look Marvin this will be easier if you just listen for once."

The magician sat back in his spot, arms crossed and not looking at whatever was pretending to be his best friend. "What do you want," He said, finally giving in.

"I want you to trust this," It said. "You keep trying to reject you third eye abilities Marvin, when they can give you so much power."

"I don't want power!" Marvin yelled. Everything froze. "All I ever wanted was to be a magician, but everyone else seems to think that that's a ridiculous idea and that I should do more. I don't want anything more! You know what I really want! I want my friends to be safe!"

"Then accept what you've been given!" the entity spat back. "You can protect them if you just try! If you had just let your powers fester more then you could have saved that doctor! You could have prevented him," It gestured to the form he'd taken. "From leaving in the first place."

Marvin felt a strong breeze come in from the shore. The sky began to go grey. "I'm done thinking about everything that could have been. I'm trying to be happy and all this stupid power has done is hurt me. So stop telling me what I could have done."

The wind began picking up, lightning was flashing in the sea. The entity suddenly stood, looking out into the water, seeming to sense something. "Did you hear that?"

Marvin, still shaking with anger, couldn't hear anything. "You are a part of me. Nothing more than a parasite. I control you, not the other way around. I decide how much of my power I use."

The entity turned towards him. "Marvin something is wrong. Don't you hear that?"

Marvin took a second and looked out to the ocean. All he could hear was the wind and storm rolling in. "What are you playing at? I don't hear anything."

The creature that looked like Chase went to speak, but suddenly keeled over in pain. The creature began to blur. "Something's wrong. Marvin, you're in trouble!"

Suddenly, Marvin felt a sharp pain in his neck. He needed to wake up.

The magician opened his eyes, his mouth was being covered by something, and there was a pinch in his neck. He looked over and saw a dark figure standing over him. Marvin tried to fight them, but suddenly felt too weak to even move. He released the person and they pulled back. Marvin saw the glint of a syringe in the moonlight before everything went black.