Black. Every thing has always been black. Or at least I think it has been. I can only remember black. Nothing more. Who am I even? I have to think about that. I don't know. All I know is that I only see black, I only smell salt and I can only feel sand. I guess it is sand. Feeling and smelling salt is new. How do I know what they are? Everything has been black until now. I don't remember thinking or talking or moving. Just black. So why has it changed? Why is everything so bright that I can't see anything. I couldn't see anything before, why is it weird that I can't now?

Slowly my eyes begin to adjust. As far as I can tell I have never used them before. A beach scene is appearing before me. There are soldiers, countless soldiers running up the beach. I see three of them turn around. One on the is short, the other has afro like hair and the third reminds me of someone. Who? They all do actually, like I have know them in another life. Never mind that. Why did they stop. There are bullets falling like hail around them. Then I see a fourth man. With round glasses and dark gelled back hair. I recognise him as well. He starts running forwards to join them then stops. I watch as bullets run him down. I start to run towards him not knowing if this were a dream and reality.

Sound. Sound is returning. I hear gunshot, waves and screams.
"Mikey! Mikey!" I hear someone screaming. I turn around and see the short man and the guy with the afro pinning the third man down. I could see how much effort it was taking. The third man kept trying to launch himself forward. Trying to save Mikey. Too late. Mikey has died. I found myself next to him screaming. Why? I don't know him do I?

I feel a hand on my back.
"It's okay Gerard." I hear a soft voice say. I turn around scared. I am facing Mikey though this time his hair is longer and blonde. Also he has no glasses.
"Who's Gerard?" I ask. Then it comes to me. I am Gerard. And Mikey is my baby brother. "Where am I? What is happening? How can you be here? I just saw you die." I ask.
"It's okay Gerard." is the reply I get. What is happening to me? Why didn't I recognise Mikey on the beach. The beach. I look around and it has gone. I am now standing under a lone tree on top of a hill. How did I get here? I look around again and see Mikey fading away.
"Wait! Don't go!" I shout at this fading ghost. "Where am I? What am I doing?"
"Saying goodbye, Gee, goodbye." Was the answer.
"Goodbye? Goodbye to who?" I shout but the ghost had faded away. I stumble back against the tree.

What is happening to me? I only have one memory and it is fuzzy. Watching my baby brother get shot to death on a beach. How could I let that happen? I should have looked after him not left him and run on with the others. Who are the others? I can't remember that. It comes to me. I must be asleep. Asleep or dead.

"Wake up Gee. Please." Who said that? I am alone on top of a hill... Wait not any more. I am standing beside a hospital bed. This time I recognise myself right way. It is my bed. I am a sleep. Why am I there? Surely I shouldn't be able to see myself? I must be dead and I am now a ghost. But no. There is sound. The constant beating of a heart rate monitor. I still have a heart beat. I feel someone hold my hand. I turn and see the short man. Who is he? Why can I feel his hand? He is holding the hand of the bed me. What is happening to me?
"Gee, please wake up. Mikey is awake now. It's just you now." I hear the short man say. What? I just saw Mikey die. How can he be alive?
"Give it up Frank. He can't hear you." The afro man said.

Frank! Of course! Who could I forget? He is my Frankie! Memories flash back. Drinking with him at the bar. Singing karaoke. My best friend. But no memories on why I am hear or who the afro guy is. He must be important or else why would I always be seeing him?
"I don't care Ray. It was my fault. I was driving." Frank started to cry.
"It was not your fault Frank. It was the fault of the lorry driver." Ray comforted him.

More memories came back. Night out in town. Frank was the designated driver. He wasn't drunk, I was though. I had way too drunk. They we were in the car. Then a bright light. A lorry swerved. A sharp searing pain in my side under my right shoulder. My legs trapped bye twisted steel. Then black. I felt a sudden pain behind my eyes. I doubled over, closed my eyes and almost fainted. When I opened my eyes again everything was blurry. I was lying down. There were tubes in my arms, Things stuck to my chest. What was happening?

"Ray! Ray get Mikey! Gee's waking up." Came a faint distant voice. My eyes focused slowly and then I saw him. My best friend's face was literally 5 cm away from mine. He was smiling. I tried to smile back. The he hugged me. This sent pain rocketing through my body. I screamed out.
"Sorry! Sorry!" Frank exclaimed stepping back. I look around, my neck I slightly stiff. I am in a side ward at a hospital. There are three chairs around my bed.
"Mikey? Where's Mikey? Is he okay?" I ask worried
"Yeah. Mikey is fine." Frank answers
"Really?"
"Really! Why?" Frank confirmed.
"I saw him die. On a beach. It must have just been a dream or something."
"A beach? Oh that was a memory. Don't you remember? When we were extras on the World war 2 film. Mikey had to die." Frank explained.
"What? When did we do that? It was all so real"
"A few years back, and I am definitely alive." Came Mikey's voice through the doorway. The next thing I know my brother and two best mates were sitting around me. For the first time in ages I knew I was where I belonged.