Artificial Memory (DISCONT'D BUT WILL UPLOAD UNEDITED CHAPTERS)

Chapter 4: Distance Beats the Shit Out Of Me

When I finally woke up, I realized I was on the couch and that it was getting dark outside. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, before remembering the events prior to my loss of consciousness.

I remembered being in an epic brawl with a shit ton of guys, then being saved by some guy who looked like me, but also not like me. He said something, and I passed out with one hell of a migraine.

The last ghostly pains of it were still haunting me.

I soon noticed the deep red trench coat laid over my body. This could mean one of three things.

1. Someone thought I was dead and was respectfully covering my body to prepare for some ritual
2. Someone was being incredibly nice and used their coat to give me a blanket whilst unconscious
3. Someone was being incredibly lazy and used their coat to give me a blanket whilst unconscious to avoid going into the basement because of the effort of walking up and down stairs.

Yet a strange scent wafted up from the red coat over my body. One that was heart-wrenchingly familiar, despite me not ever knowing this scent before...unless my old self had known the owner of the coat. The same scent was coming from the dining room, where three indistinct voices murmured.

I stood up on my own, folding the coat neatly and carrying it into the dining room. Shark, Distance and the strange guy who'd saved us this morning were sitting around the table, sipping drinks and chatting. Distance's violet eyes flicked upward and he looked at me with a crooked smile.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty."

He teased.

"Thanks...you ok?"

I yawned.

"I'm fine, and so is this guy. You were a bit beat up, but you healed well enough on the way here."

He responded.

The young man turned in his seat to meet my eyes. Once again, it was oddly like looking at an older version of myself. We both had a green eye, messy black hair, and olive skin. His eye was a bit more of a pale green than mine, but my original statement stands. His left eye was concealed by a smoky grey eyepatch, but that was the only oddity other than his left arm, which was completely made of steel.

"Uh, hi."

I greeted awkwardly.

When I met his eyes again, I saw that this tough-looking guy...was crying. I didn't think I was awkward enough to make anyone cry, but in my surprise and shock, I exclaimed,

"Ah, I'm sorry! I guess I should thank you for saving us-"

"I don't care if you thank me or not!"

He interrupted, silencing me.

I really didn't know what to say. I was tactless and clumsy, but this time I didn't know what I'd done wrong...so I decided to ask.

"I'm sorry if I did something to make you upset. I can leave if I'm the reason...I do look strange, don't I?"

I stammered while motioning to my two-toned hair and face, which had healed completely by this time from all the bruises and scuff marks of the fight.

To my surprise, he stood bolt upright, knocking his chair over in the process. The bang the chair made against the floor made me jump and I took a couple steps backward.

"Uhh.."

The strange man sniffled, now looking a lot more childish than even me, but then he lunged forward at me with his arms wide. I wanted to raise my fist and knock him away from me with a bone-crushing punch, but as I raised it, it felt as if some strange person had grabbed my arm from behind and prevented me from hitting this guy. I couldn't do it.