Blurred Childhood

A Rude Awakening

I woke up in a bed, in a room, with a killer headache. Someone was talking nearby. I sat up, but I was so dizzy I had to lay back down. I didn't know where I was. I didn't know WHO I was. I tried to sit up again, but a lot more slowly. I got to a point where I was leaning against the bed's headboard; it was all I could handle at the moment. I looked down and saw that I was wearing a grey T-Shirt with some print on it, and a pair of dark blue sweatpants.

I inched my way into a better sitting position, and glanced around the room. There were a lot of toys. A robot, a plastic purple telephone, a headless plush of some sort in the open closet, and off in the corner, a purple rabbit, a chicken, (or duck, I couldn't tell) and a bear.

I managed to stand up after a few minutes of struggling, and made my way over to the stuffed animals. I picked up the bear. It's fur was matted, and it's eyes were black and dull. I stood up again, (which was much easier this time) and looked towards the bed. Next to it was a nightstand with a picture on top. I walked over and picked up the frame. There were five people in it. Possibly a family. The father; he was tall, had a dark complexion, long brown hair and harsh brown eyes. The mother; she had red hair that was so orange it almost looked unnatural. Her eyes were soft and bright green. Her pale skin was dotted with freckles. The older brother; his black hair seemingly outcasted him from the rest of the family, but his eyes were also dark brown and he was incredibly tanned. Like he spent too much time outside. Another boy; he also had brown eyes, brown hair, and was very pale. And last, a young girl; she had red hair, green eyes, and pale skin sprinkled with freckles. And there was a caption.

Aftons, '82

Was this... my family? Is this my house?

I heard the door open behind me. I turned.

"Michael! You're awake!" It was the father. From the picture. "Do you feel okay?"

I looked back at the picture.

"I... who are you?" I asked. A look of near terror spread across the man's face. But it subsided as quickly as it arrived. This worried me.

"Oh, you must have forgotten," He said, in a calm and unsettling tone. "Michael, I'm your father."

"I'm... Michael?" I asked.

"Yes!" My father surprisingly spurt out. "Ahem. So... what do you have there?" I showed him the picture. He took it from me, looked at it for a moment, looked at me, and mumbled something. "Close enough..."

"I'm sorry?"

"Don't worry about it," Dad said, turning and looking at the picture closer.

"Can I have that back?" I asked. "Maybe it will help jog my memory-"

"Yeah, hold on..." Dad said, leaving the room. He closed the door. Okay? I was alone again. Maybe there was something else around here...

"Can you hear me?"

I turned at the sound of the young female voice. There was no one behind me. But I heard someone...

"Don't trust him. He hurt you. You're not you."

"Better question," I responded, continuing to look around the room. "Who are you?" I waited. No response. "Hello? Are you still here?" Still nothing. I left my room to go find Dad. I got another dizzy spell and had to hold onto the door, but just then, someone else came into my sight.

It was the brother from the picture. My brother?

"Hey!" I called. He turned.

"Y-you... you're..." His face was filled with so much shock and he couldn't seem to get words out. "You're awake." He turned a little calmer. "Are you okay?"