Synthetic Heart

27 - Start Anew

A man wobbles on his feet as he walked on burned pieces of wood while approaching the ambulance. "Help—" he winced before falling on his knees. The cops turned to see a wounded man that matched their records—Jason.

Lewis immediately grabbed the man, calling for help to put him on a stretcher. "He's wounded! Help!" But the man refuses and sits in the ambulance instead.

Lewis handed him a bottle of water and the young man chugged it all. Then, he paused before saying, "Oh that's fucking better."

"Where did you come from?" Lewis asked him while looking over the man seated at the back of the ambulance.

"The explosion. Thank God you're all still here. You have no idea how hard it was to drag myself all the way here." 

"You're Jason, right?" Lewis's eyes widened and the side of his lips quirk up, anticipating a good answer.

The young man's blue, translucent eyes looked up at him, "Yeah."

"The killer, he's dead?"

The man shook his head and sneered, "The fucking killer doll's dead. I know it sounds unbelievable but the doll beat me up."

Lewis smirked. It's time he gets direct answers from the victim himself.

***

An hour later,  the man is patched up and all has been said. Lewis is still doubtful about the killer doll and thinks that Jason had been drugged. Jason agrees, and seems to go with that story as well, knowing that the cops wouldn't believe him.

After a while, Lewis spoke. "Your friend's been worried sick."

"My friend?"

"Megan." Lewis said. "She was here all night. She was traumatized by the incident. I think you should go see her once this discussion is over."

"I will," Jason said while looking away. "Where did you say she went?"

"Well she said she was headed home, but I know she's going to the town's bar. She said she'll be grabbing a drink. Don't know where, but you should catch up with her before she gets drunk...but I think you need more than simple treatment."

The man lifted his arms, showing the bandages, gesturing that he's perfectly fine and started to walk. "I'll go to her," he said while fixing his tie.

"Need a ride?" He asked, "You're pretty beat up."

"I can walk," he said and hurriedly walked away.

"Rejected. Twice," he mumbled to himself and clambered inside his car.

* * *

"One tequila shot, please." I said to the bartender. He gave me a long stare before walking to the other side of the bar to prepare my drink. I stared at my reflection at the mirror on the wall then put my face in my hands. I wiped the tears off my face using my sleeve. The bartender returned with my drink but I don't take it just yet.

I stared at the tequila. I don't really drink, but they say this drink stings and it might help me get through the night. I've tried it once and after that night, I got a massive hangover. Definitely works.

Before taking the shot, I suddenly see a slight reflection of a man behind me. Shit, I thought. I think I know who.

I returned my gaze down at the shot glass and stayed silent.

"I thought you didn't drink?" the voice sounded familiar, but the tone was different. It's like a completely different person.

"I thought you were dead, Jason," I mumbled and I think I heard him sneer.