Façade (DISCONTINUED. Revised and redone as a webcomic)

Chapter 13: Highs and Lows

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Day 006 7:30am
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The alarm clock began its disgustingly loud tirade at 7:30 the morning after Memory and I had gone out together. Groaning and rubbing my eyes, I sat up and slammed my fist down on its surface, missing the off button. With a muttered curse, I tried a second time and successfully silenced the digital screams of the damned. I hauled myself out of bed, then paused as the memories of what happened last night flooded back to me.

No, nothing sexy happened.

Jeez, what's wrong with you dirty-minded people?

What I remembered most clearly was kissing Memory and telling him I loved him...then his startling and amazing reply. I let out a loud groan and slammed my forehead into the wall intentionally as I headed for my bedroom door. I just stopped there, the vague pain from slamming my head into the wall beginning to blossom outward.

However, as I began to think about that more, I realized that he wouldn't have let me kiss him if I hadn't contracted the virus. Probably because he would've given me the wolf virus if we had. So if I hadn't gotten the Chimera virus, I probably wouldn't have ever been able to kiss him.

He wouldn't have let me.

"Idiot."

I muttered to myself with a smile.

I didn't know whether it was directed at Memory or at myself, but it didn't necessarily matter.

I then stood upright again and headed out into the hall. As I did, I had to pass Memory's room. His door was cracked and I could see his shoulders and arms, since they weren't concealed by blankets. His sides rose and fell slowly as he breathed and I could hear his soft exhale.

I smiled, continuing downstairs to get something to eat before getting dressed. Aspen and I were gonna walk to school together today, which would be a nice change compared to how many times I walked to school at eight in the morning alone since Memory was still sleeping at that time.

I nonchalantly placed two pieces of bread in the silver and black toaster sitting on the counter, then headed into the living room. I sat down on the couch and flicked on the tv while I waited for my toast, just as I always did on school mornings.

Mom must've been watching the news last night, because that's the channel that showed up on the screen as soon as I turned on the tv. With a shrug, I decided to see what kind of drama was going on in the city. I didn't necessarily care, I just wanted to see the seven-day weather forecast.

A female newscaster with long red hair, pale eyes, and serious cleavage held a microphone to her face. Behind her was the main building in which major political and military decisions were made. It looked like an exact replica of the old White House, and had a podium out front as it did when the American president would speak to the masses. However, this podium had a tall, slender boy about my age standing behind it. On either side of him stood a dozen heavily armed CEL soldiers.

I grew interested in the situation being discussed and turned up the volume a bit.

"...the death of President Garrett Pine two days ago. As he had no next of kin, his second in command, General Edge Stanford, will be taking control of Lost Echo's political and military dealings. We're here now to hear his first plan of action in response to the sudden spike in numbers of Chimera and Adlet attacks over the past month."

I wrinkled my nose, furrowing my brow.

"Bullshit. There's only been about three."

I muttered.

Standing and turning up the volume so that I could hear the tv from the kitchen, I went to put butter on my toast. I didn't really care for jam, since I wasn't a fan of sweet things. I usually only had butter or peanut butter on it. I opened the fridge, listening intently as the boy began his speech in a voice like ice.