AN: For this fic, I'm going to assume that Kenny has had a lot of off-screen deaths. I know this directly conflicts some SP episodes, but I hope y'all will forgive me.

Chapter 6
Memento

The alarm clock on Kenny's phone went off. He hit the snooze button and closed his eyes. Lying never felt as good as when it was time to get up.

Kenny hit the snooze button three more times before finally rolling out of bed and putting on his orange snowsuit. He was just about to go to the bathroom to empty out and brush his teeth, when something caught his eye.

A note had been taped to his nightstand.

He crossed over to it and snatched it off. Recognizing his own handwriting he read:

Talk to Kyle about your problem. He just mite listen this time.

He couldn't remember writing the note and couldn't imagine why he would. Why did past Kenny have to be so cryptic? After rereading the line a couple of times, he crumpled the note in his hand and pocketed it. There was no reason not to follow his past self's instructions, and so he was resolved to do so, but when he arrived at the bus stop, Kyle wasn't there.

"Mrph Mrl?" he asked Stan.

"He just text me. Said he was sick."

"Wow. That's so unusual for Kyle," said Cartman with his usual sarcasm. "Hopefully it's not his kidney. I don't have any more spares."

Stan and Kenny ignored him.

Kenny pulled out his phone. It was a bottom-of-the-barrel, pay-as-you-go, flip-phone. It wasn't like he couldn't get his hands on a smart phone if he really wanted one, but he did not think he could foot the bill for the data plan. So he settled. His flip-phone might not have had a lot of fancy features, but it was at least indestructible.

He shot a message to Kyle just as the bus pulled up.

where u at?

Kenny barely participated in any conversation during the ride to school. This was in no way unusual, so no one noticed. What was unusual was the way he kept glancing at his phone. He knew that if Kyle replied, his phone would alert him. Hell, it would probably alert the whole bus with how loudly it vibrated, but Kenny couldn't help himself, and only put it away at Mr. Garrison's request.

"Alright, class, sit down and shut up. It's time for roll-call. Kenny, if I see that phone again, I'll snap you in half."

"Don't you mean snap it in half?" asked Stan.

Mr. Garrison shot him a placid look. "Yeah. Whatever."

Kenny didn't need telling twice. He dropped his phone into his open backpack, which he had propped up against his chair. Mr. Garrison started his lecture on the latest Duck Dynasty scandal. Kenny let his mind wander. Kyle's absence made talking to him seem that much more important, and when the bell finally rang for first break, he dove for the phone in his bag and rushed out of the classroom.

He read Kyle's reply, Out sick today.

He replied, fuck i wanted 2 talk 2 u

Then talk.

Kenny hesitated, thumbs hovering over the keypad of his phone. This didn't seem like something he should discuss over text. Then again, why not? Kyle would either believe him this time or he wouldn't. What did it really matter how he breached the subject?

Relying heavily on T9, Kenny pounded out his life story, and after a couple of rereads, hit "send."

ive died tons of times but i always come back usually i wake up back n my own bed. the worst prt is noone remembers my deaths. ican be decapitated in front of u 1 day and the next u will just ask me where I ran off 2

Kenny stared at the words smirking to himself. Seeing it written out like that, it did all seem rather ridiculous. Kyle would probably just remind him that they'd stopped playing superheroes months ago.

It was a long time before he got a reply.

Can you come over to my house after school so we can talk?

Kenny's heart raced. He knew he shouldn't get his hopes up, but Kyle wanted to talk. Actually talk. He wasn't being scoffed at or completely dismissed.

arent u sick?

Don't worry about it. Just come over after school.

ok

With that, Kenny pocketed his phone.

Upon waking up, Kyle rolled out of bed and sought out his mother. He told her everything he could. A lot of weird things had happened to Kyle throughout his life, but he just couldn't believe that dying and then waking up again in the morning as though nothing had happened was possible. He was clearly going insane. Hell, he probably did have a brain infection or something, just like Stan had suggested.

"You don't remember anything after recess?" his mother demanded after he had relayed everything to her, now in full-on interrogation mode.

"I dunno, Mom. It's like I said—what I remember is dying and going to hell and then waking up in bed. I know it's weird... but that's what I remember."

She stared at him, and Kyle could tell she wasn't sure if she should believe him or not, but he could also tell that she was concerned. Kyle just wasn't the sort to lie about something like that.

"But you were completely normal yesterday."

"Really?"

"Well, I didn't see much of you, but that's pretty normal if you ask me!"

Kyle rolled his eyes at that. Here he was (probably) dying of a brain tumor or something, and his mom still had the gumption to guilt-trip him.

"Well then," she continued. "I guess we better get to the hospital and have an MRI done. But Kyle, this better not be some elaborate lie."

Kyle agreed, and they were out the door within an hour. The trip there was about as bad as to be expected. His mom fussed the entire time, going back and forth between mercilessly interrogating him and worrying out loud. After arriving at the hospital, they signed in and took a seat in the waiting room. 20 minutes passed and Kyle realized he was bored, so he took out his phone.

To his slight surprise, he had a message from Kenny.

Where u at?

Out sick.

Kyle kept the reply vague. He didn't want to worry his friends just yet.

fuk i wanted 2 talk 2 u

Then talk.

The text Kenny sent next left Kyle flummoxed. It was almost too unreal to process.

You're probably just having another episode, he told himself. This didn't feel like an episode though. Then again, neither had the previous two. But how could he die and then just come back? That didn't make any sense. But here Kenny was, confirming it.

But what if this is just a psychotic episode?

Kyle shook his head. He'd been down the 'existentialism' road before and had no interest in going down it again. He sent Kenny his reply, and it was agreed they would meet up when Kenny got out of school.

The doctor asked the standard questions (What are your symptoms? How long have you had them? Are you experiencing any pain? Etc.) He did a standard physical and arranged to have an MRI done.

"As far as I can tell, you're fine," said the doctor. "But we won't know until the MRI results come back."

"But doctor," said Sheila, "what could be wrong with him?"

"Search me," said the doctor. "Could be a brain tumor; could be he ate a funny mushroom."

That pretty much concluded their visit. When they got home, Kyle went straight to his room and collapsed on his bed. Kenny wouldn't get there until after 3. He was thinking about the long wait he had ahead of him, when his phone dinged.

Looking at his phone, he saw another message from Kenny.

can i head ur way now?

Kyle replied, Dude, I don't think my mom will be cool with you ditching.

dont worry i'll clime n through ur window.. i'll b quiet

Sheila would not approve of him harboring a truant, but finding out what Kenny had to say was more important than how his mother might react. It seemed like the only thing that might relieve his anxiety, and he was happy Kenny was willing to ditch to talk to him earlier.

Okay, he replied.

Kyle sat up in bed and stared at his window, biting his nails.

After a little less than an hour, Kenny clambered into the bedroom, spilling out onto Kyle's floor. He sprang back up at once. He then undid the drawstrings of his jacket and pulled back his hood, which Kyle took as an indication that they were about to have a very serious conversation.

"Hey, Kyle."

"Hey, Kenny."

Formalities.

"How come you believe me now?" Kenny asked, not missing a beat.

"Kenny... I've died the past two days."

"What?"

"The day before yesterday a plane was shedding parts and I got crushed. Then yesterday I got stung by a bee and died of an allergic reaction."

Kenny's mouth dropped open. For a long while he stood, stock-still, looking dumbfounded. After a while though, he seemed to come to, and pulled out Kyle's desk chair and plopped into it.

"Kenny..." Kyle began, his voice hesitant, "I remember when we were playing superheroes..." He trailed.

"Yeah. I tried to tell you then."

"I'm sorry."

Kenny shook his head dismissively.

"Well, I'm all ears now. Tell me everything."

"Not much more to tell. I've always had the power of resurrection... if you want to call it that. But for some reason it makes it so I'm like a beacon for death. I die all the time, and no one can ever remember it."

"Wow. It's been like that forever?"

"Pretty much."

"And I've seen this?"

"Only like a hundred times."

"I can't believe that," said Kyle, surprised.

Kenny shrugged. "You never could."

"But why? And why is it happening to me now? There has to be a reason."

Kenny didn't reply, just stared at a blank bit of Kyle's wall. "Uh... earth to Kenny?" said Kyle once it became apparent he wasn't going to reply.

He seemed to give himself a little shake. "I don't know, Kyle," he admitted. "I've never been able to figure it out, and every time I thought I figured something out... I was wrong."

"Oh come on," said Kyle, "you have to know more than that. You've had this thing your whole life, right? Why is it on me now? Did something happen? Think."

"I don't know," Kenny admitted again. He felt useless. "I don't know much, to be honest. I sorta just decided to live with it and not ask questions."

Kyle looked disappointed, and maybe even a little annoyed. Kenny had to bite his tongue to keep from lashing out at him. Where did he get off passing judgment on him? He had died twice—a mere taste of Kenny's life. Instead, he said, "I wish I could be more help. This thing has tortured me my whole life... but there's no sense to it. No rules."

"No kidding," said Kyle. "I really feel like I'm going insane here."

"Yeah. I know the feeling."

"Listen, Kenny. I know you don't think you know anything, but you must have gotten some bits of information over the years. If you just tell me everything you know, we'll be able to muddle through it and get to the bottom of this. I mean... there has to be a reason."

"Kyle, I pretty much told you everything I know."

"Dude, we have to approach this like detectives. Systematically organizing all the information we got, even details that may seem unimportant."

Kenny smiled. Trying to figure out their predicament by examining the 'details' would be like trying to figure out God by reading the Bible. "Well, I do have a lot written down..."

"You've kept some kind of record?" asked Kyle, perking up hopefully.

Kenny grimaced. "Sorta..." In actuality, he had just jotted down what he could remember one day during a brief moment of inspiration, hoping like Kyle, that he might be able to piece something together. This particular attempt at solving his problem had gotten him nothing but boredom and frustration. While better than the Earth-shattering disillusionment he experienced later, it was still not a project he was eager to return to. It was better to just give Kyle the papers, which were crumpled and neglected in the back of his bottom dresser drawer.

Kyle smiled. "You know what, Kenny? I think this might actually be a good thing. If we put our heads together, we might just be able to figure this thing out."

Kenny suppressed his doubt. "Sure, Kyle."