Amnesiac swimmer

Chapter 7: Liam Smith

- Bet on me -

01:43 ━━━━●───── 03:50

I think what makes life interesting is the people we encounter with. We're all different, right? Different emotions for different reactions. I like to hang out a lot alone or with someone because that's the best to meet others. We never know when we will create a core memory with strangers.

Somehow in those crazy encounters, I had the chance to meet the group. And, strangely I would choose them over the rest of my friend. Being with them is creating a core memory everyday.

'Marie' as her own reaction. Her electric gaze when she stares at someone. The way she lowers her voice when she tries to respect James's recommendation. But the one I like the most is how she immediately goes back to her native language when there's too many people around her. That's what I like about her. I know she is the complete opposite of me but somehow, the same way I was attracted to the group, I am to her. We're meant to be friends.

" L-iam can you let go-? Whisper 'Marie'. I can't breathe."

" I don't think I want to," I respond.

Behind me, James coughs.

"It's been ten minutes, Liam. I think you can let go. "

"Yeah, I had the time to get some bandage for her knee," sigh Lucie.

I sigh and let go. 'Marie' takes a step back as she thanks me. James asks her to sit so Lucie can treat her wounded knee and arm. Silver finds us some towel so we don't stay wet. Lucie pours the liquid on a cotton and starts to pass it on her leg.

"Does it hurt?" She ask.

"No at all. Is it supposed too?"

Lucie shuffles a laugh and continues her work. In the next ten minutes, James often called 'Marie' name and she excused. Sometimes she seems to be somewhere else, she fixed a point where there was nothing but the pool.

Soon the coach and the doctor we saw earlier joined us. They're accompanied by two nurses. Doctor Myers practically jumped on 'Marie'.

"Are you out of mind, young lady? Running away in your state?!"

'Marie' kept her stoic gaze. She wasn't going to stay here.

"I'm not sick, doctor."

"And my grandma ants dead! Seriously, 'Marie', you have no memory, you know nothing of the town. What were you thinking of?"

"I just wanted to swim a little."

They exchanges look. .

"'Marie' stop being so stubborn. It's only one week."

When 'Marie' hears those words, she gives the doctor the most horrific stare I have ever seen. If she says she is the devil herself, I'd believe her. But the doctor Myers tries to hide his fear and maintain her stare.

"It went up, again. Two days to a week. I knew you would do this, that's why I came here."

Doctor Myers sighs and cleans his glasses. He's trying to keep his calm.

"Alright, alright. I'll do my best to keep you only two days. Is it okay?"

'Marie' looks at him trying to see if he's lying but her eyes are caught by something behind him. There's nothing. It's like earlier she's staring at the pool. James is talking with the coach maybe I can try.

"'Marie'," I say.

She looks at me and apologizes. She reports her attention to the man before her and accepts their deal. Now that I'm thinking about it. She's starring at nothing and when we found her she was talking to the wind. I walk to her.

"'Marie', who were you talking too earlier? Before diving in the pool, you were conversing alone."

Doctor Myers stops whatever he was doing and looks at her.

"'Marie'...did you forget about this too?" he asks

She sighs and tries to ignore him. But he came back.

"'Marie' be honest. Were you talking with marie?"

What? 'Marie' talking to herself? I don't understand neither does the rest of the group, actually. She looks at the doctor and nods. At least they seem to understand each other.

"She never left, whispers 'Marie'. She was bragging about the usual stuff and how her life is ruined."

"Thank you for telling me that. Tomorrow, let's call the doctor Vidal together. You know so we can talk about her."

She nods but I see her eyes looking at the pool. She grimace. I get it. There's two Marie. The one in front of me and the other one that only she can see. When she looks lost like that it's because marie is talking to her. James calls her name so she reconnects with reality. So if I'm not wrong, if I walk...here. I should be just in front of the other marie!

"Sorry, 'Marie' apologies."

" I was right. Eh don't worry, 'Marie', that's what friends are made for."

I sit next to her. She slightly smiled and looked at the doctor.

"A friend? That's so unlikely of you."

He laughed soon joined by James and the two nurses. 'Marie' gives them a more gentle stare but her smile didn't disappear. The rest of the night was a lot more calm. After looking at Lucie's work on 'Marie's' leg, the doctor talked to the coach. My new friend explained to me who was marie. It's like the spirit of her memories. She has been haunted since the day she woke up. She named her marie because she looks exactly like her. This is crazy.

Soon the doctor takes 'Marie' back to the hospital. The coach sent us back to our occupation so we all went to James's house. There we took our stuff and went home. When my mom came to pick me up, I told her about my new friend. Even if she was tired she seemed happy for me. I love to discover other universes and 'Marie' is such an interesting character. It makes me even more curious.