False Life

Chapter 1 - Here we go again.

"...So I've died."

Joseph Hernández looked down to his lap, crestfallen at the words he'd just uttered. The fact had yet to settle in, and yet he couldn't help but stare into space, trying to understand it.

Death never became easier to comprehend.

To believe that everything simply...stops. To know that once you've died, you're gone forever. Joseph had believed that, but to find himself now, sitting at a table with this fact being presented to him, he needed time to understand.

"It's kinda fishy," said the boy in front of him. "I could swear there's been some kid like you before, but no one's ever lost their memory before, ya see." He rubbed his chin and shrugged. "Ay, don't you mind. You'll be fine, ya hear?"

Joseph smiled weakly, looking up at his companion. "Of course... Thank you - er, Monkey, was it?"

"The one and only, ya hear?"

"Right..." Joseph sat up straight. "Well, I appreciate everything you've done for me so far, but you really don't have to treat me like a patient... I don't have amnesia, I just... can't seem to recall how I've died, everything else is fine."

He said all this with relative ease, more confused by how much Monkey seemed to worry over it. With a smile, he changed the subject.

"Say, more importantly, what's there to do around here? It is Paradise, and who better to show me around than the building's supervisor himself?"

Monkey raised his hand in the universal stop motion and said, "No can do, pal. I can't skip on my duties, ya see? Gotta check up on some troubled kids, butー" He snapped his fingersー "I bet my girl's at the front desk right now to get her babysittin' schedule, she'd show you around."

"...You have a girlfriend?"

"She's still in denial but it's totes real," he said without missing a beat. "She'll look real shady and rude, but for real? She's the real gold piece."

Joseph stared at him for a moment.

"Huh... Well, okay then. Sure, I'll go. I like children, anyway, it'll be fun." He got up before asking: "Um, what's her name, again?"

"Antoinette," said Monkey.

A minute later, Joseph stood at receptionist, where he saw Greg's familiar face talking to a girl who looked like she'd rather be anywhere else. Joseph watched them quietly, focusing especially on the girl. Was she the one Monkey mentioned? Hazel colored hair which looked lazily tied up into a bun, dressed in wrinkled blue overalls and a short sleeved t-shirt, Joseph thought of a farmer.

She scoffed at Greg and swiped a paper out of his hands, snapping Joseph back to attention.

"Ah, hello, Miss?" he called out to her, hurrying over. The girl looked at him skeptically, but stopped in her tracks. "Are you... Antoinette?"

The girl stared, and then frowned. "Who's asking? I'm busy right now."

"Oh, of course. I'm a friend of Monkey, my name is Joseph Hernández."

Her eyes widened abruptly, staring directly at Joseph.

She was quiet a moment, and then furrowed her eyebrows. "...Hernández?" A strong skepticism could be heard in her voice, one that ended up surprising Joseph. Such a name... felt familiar. Not just the name, but that face...

He blinked. Had he done something wrong?

"Um... yes. I-I'm sorry, are you alright? You seem... off."

She seemed to snap back at his voice.

"Huh? Oh, sure." She shook her head quickly. "Yeah, I'm Antoinette. What's it to you?"