10 years ago

*Hello, we're not available now. Please leave your name and phone number after the beep. We will return your call.*

*beep*

…

"Where the hell are you?

It's been seven hours since you told me that you, Max, and PJ were on your way back.

What the hell happened to them?

I'm losing my mind because of this! If anything bad happened just tell me!

You haven't called me in seven hours, I need to know what the hell is going on?

Please, tell me you guys are alright.

I've been trying to call you twenty times.

Twenty times!

I've been calling everyone for you!

Where are you?!

Please, pick up the phone and tell me you guys are alright!

Please tell me where they are at Bobby you son of a-...

I just want my son home…

*end of message*

That last message kept echoing into thin air

-z-

Bobby woke up with a sudden gasp. Everything was white, with nothing to be seen here. He wanted to get up but unfortunately, he couldn't move. But the area shined so brightly he thought, this was heaven.

Soon after, the brightness began to fade away, revealing its furniture around the area. His eyes traced everywhere, wondering, "where am I?" All he saw was just a table and a chair. This isn't his home. It doesn't feel like home. Everything is silent. Peaceful. So peaceful, that Bobby just wanted to go back to sleep, but thanks to whatever he had that woke him up very frighteningly, he couldn't. Now the numbness started to go away, and started to feel everything. It's painful, and it's a struggle for him to move around. That's when he heard a little "click" right beside him. He froze for a second, while the door knob was shaking and clicking, until the door finally opened, revealing its figure, which was more likely to be a doctor. Of course, it is the doctor.

The doctor whistled his way towards Bobby, just to check up on him. As he approached, he could see his eyes wide open and moving a bit. That's when Bobby's eyes caught the doctor's. She was in shock that's he's awake as her jaw dropped a bit astonishingly.

"Oh, you're up finally," said the female doctor, with much of an exciting expression. With Bobby just laying there without a word to say, she continued.

"You must be Bobby aren't you? Bobby… Please forgive me if I pronounce your name wrong. Is it… Zimmeruski?" She said it perfectly clear. But something doesn't feel right for him. 'Is that my name?' He thought about that. Everything felt so empty and contrasting that he's filled with simple questions that shouldn't even be asked.

Where is he at? Why is at some kind of "peachy" area? Who is this person right in front of him? What happened to him? Where is everybody? Who am I?...

He wanted to ask the female doctor how did he get here in the first place but with him all demented and speechless, he couldn't get a word out, as he laid there on a bed that's not even his own bed. Uncomfortable, is all he felt.

The female doctor walked towards Bobby, laying her hand on his temple, just for a little check-up, to see if he is feeling alright, after what happened that he desperately wants to know. He couldn't help it. It's been crawling all in his head that he had to say something.

"W-What happened…" It was all he could ask her. Confidently, she spoke.

"Well, it seems you were in a terrible accident and was laid unconscious for about 5 days."

"Accident… w-what kind of accident?" Bobby questioned once again.

"An automobile accident."

"O-oh…"

Bobby's right hand touched the right side of his forehead, as he trailed down, he feel his scar, which kind of itches beneath the skin. With an akward silence, the doctor spoke, something that gave him one atrocious chill on his whole body.

"Two people were also involved in this accident along yourself," She gracefully said, before she slowly gave a little frown.

"T-Two people you say?" Bobby hesitated.

Two people were involved? That could've mean something. A car accident. That's must've meant something. Now this question came up from him.

"W-What happened to them?"

The female doctor hesitated for a second before she spoke. Seems like she knows about this.

"Unfortunately, I cannot tell you about them. All I'm going to say is everything is going to be alright," She fully stated.

'Everything is going to be alright? I mean what could've possibly mean?' Bobby thought. Are they okay? That what he really want to know. What if they were killed? One big question then came up.

Who were they?

"I need to know about this." Bobby couldn't take it anymore. The akward silence, not knowing what's going on.

"Again, I can't tell you about th-"

"You tell me what happened to them right now! Are they alright?!" He started to get furiously worried.

Of course, he doesn't know 'who they were' but at least he wants to know if they're alright. I mean, could they possibly be dead? The female doctor just sighed and spoke.

"Look, it may sound devastaing, but

I just can't tell y-" Once again she was interrupted by Bobby heated tone.

"What do you mean you don't want to tel- oh fuck!" Bobby tried to sit up as he was telling at her but he felt a hard sting that made him hiss and wrapped his hand around his arm. The doctor quickly rushed toward him.

"Careful, you're going to open up your stitches!"

"Agh- it hurts!" He groaned as the doctor gently pushed him back to bed and she called for more nurse.

As more nurse came in, the room filled with tons of medical activity. Feels like he was trapped inside a cave, that he started to lose consciousness. But before he passed out, some strange individual behind a nurse. A small individual, a sad little boy. He didn't say nothing but just turn around and walked away.

Moments passed and Bobby regained consciousness, realizing once again, the place felt empty and quiet. His eyes traveled, only to see three individuals talking in a mumbled tone in the corner. He tried to fade in on what they're talking about while he was lying there. He could hear someone crying. With the voice that sounded quivering and the sniffs that was heard every 5 seconds, he wondered, who could this be about? So, he listened.

"After all, he will be fine. But trying to help him regain his lost tracks may seem very strenuous. It might take a very long time for him to remember, especially after suffering a severe head injury," One person said.

After all the information and updates about his mental cause, he could hear them talking about something about him, since he heard his name being called.

"It's like we lost our son, honey. I'm scared about this." One person said, while once again, sniffing almost every 5 seconds.

"It's okay. We didn't lose him, and we're not going to. Once again, the doc said he's fine. Just let him wear himself out. That's it." Another person said, very deeply.

"But you don't understand, hun. Robert doesn't remember anything at all. Not even his own…" Bobby couldn't hear the last statement because its voice lowered. "Baby, what if he forgets about us?"

"Look, I'm no ordinary doctor, but that's probably not how brain trauma or what the doc calls it "amnesia" works."

"I know. It's just that…"

"You're afraid. I get it."

"But he just can't be Bobby if he doesn't remember anything. Not even himself. It's just not the same."

"Well, doctor said he'll remember. Very soon."

"But what if he doesn't remember?"

"Then it's up to us to help him regain back his memories. Just like the beginning."

First thing Bobby could hear was "our son," so he basically knew it was his parents. Second thing he heard amnesia and this question banged up on his head, what the hell is actually amnesia?

The person which seems to be his mother slowly walked towards Bobby, who pretended to still be unconscious. She took a breath before looking back at the other one which seems to be his father, and whispered, "What about his own friends? I mean… how can we explain this to him about what happened to them?"

His father calmly touched her shoulder and gently rubbed it up and down, "Listen, don't tell him about it. I'm not sure if he's ready for that conversation."

The mother blinked as tears streamed down her cheek, "Are you sure… this is a good idea?"

"We'll see, hun… We'll see."

She finally nodded her head and wrapped her arms around him while his father gently touched Bobby's head, "We'll work this all out."

After much whining, complaints, and begging, a few days later, Bobby was finally released from the hospital. He was bored out of his mind and felt irritated being stuck in the empty, cold room. His mother was very anxious to even let him walk on his own to relax his legs. Luckiky, his father would push her away to rest herself or go and get food so he could have time to walk around, or on some occasions, walk to the garden of the hospital. His father knew and understood the needs for him to walk on his own pace, but the problem is that he stumbles almost every bit he walks. Still, he doesn't remember anything after the accident. It irritates him but according to his father and the doctors, his memories will come back, occasionally.

"Well son, here we are. Home like never before," his father stated, opening the door.

Bobby looked around the house. Looks familiar, felt familiar. As he took a deep breath in and out, he whispered, "home."

"Alright, c'mon. Put your stuff in your room."

As Bobby followed his father, he paused at the middle of the hallway. His eyes starts to widened as he stares at it. His father stops and turned back to him, "Something's wrong? You're just standing there clueless like a frog."

"N-Na. I'm alright… Just wanna see my room," He met his father's occurrence.

His father gave a quick nod and continued the journey to his room with his son's bag swinging on his hand. Bobby's feet traced his father's steps as he follows him. His legs still hurt a bit but it's minor. He could hear echoes and thumping noises.

Found ya!

…

You can't keep running away from me!

When he finally reached to his room, he could feel his heart beat rapidly and hysterically. He swore he saw a couple of shadows moving beside him. Two blurs moving at a faster speed, with playful laughter flowing across his ear.

His father would then stuck his head out of his room, "Robert?"

"I'm fine… dad," he quickly replied as he walked towards his father. He stood at the closed door across his room. He had the sudden urge to open the door.

"That used to be you and your brother's playroom. Now it's a storage room. Nothing but junk and all types of shit. Just didn't have the time to clean it all up, y'know," his father said, giving out a little chuckled that sounded stressful.

"I'll help you clean it up."

"Well… I mean what for?"

Bobby shrugged, "I don't know, we might use it as a guest room or something."

His father then gave a little chuckle but this time, it sounded delightful. He patted him in the shoulder and while holding it, he gently steered him toward his room, waiting anxiously for his reaction.

Bobby looked around his room. Seems familiar but still seems… off. The room was a bit empty since most of the stuff was at his college dorm room, but there was still some stuff he left behind. Such as some posters of movies and skaters, about 7 books above his two-tier shelf which it was in front of his desk beside the Windows covered with navy green curtains. He walked towards to bookshelf and noticed that these books were mystery and crime genres, also one horror genre novel, while there were a few textbooks that he somehow kept during his high school years and a magazine. He saw his bed, without any blankets or sheets since he also took those to his dorm. Then he saw a couple of cups that were filled with a few pens and pencils. His old desk was scribbled with dark colour pencils, kind of look like coded messages. He nfused his fingers on them.

"I've seen them every time. What does that even mean? I mean you said it was some type of "special message" that only you and your… y'know… knew about." His father said as looked at the drawing board on the wall that was at the size of a chess board.

Bobby walked towards the drawing and pivoted the details. Somehow impressed, he asked, "I did that?"

"Mm-hm. Well you and… y'know… made that."

"What?"

"Nothing. So… I'm just gonna go and help your mother out in the kitchen. Rest yourself while I'm at it. I'll call up when dinner is ready."

He gave his father a quick nod and continued staring at the drawing, which represents a bear. His father paused and turned around, staring at his son for a couple of seconds before he left. Bobby then stopped looking at it and laid into his bed with only his mattress, he lied down on his back. He sighed deeply. Something doesn't feel right. Something is wrong.

He got up, wincing at the sting on his side when the stitches pulled again. He clutched it while he walked out of his room. He look to his left, then to his right, then at the door right in front him. He approached to the door of the "storage" room, and was quickly disappointed knowing that the door was locked. He then went to the bathroom right next to the storage room. He splashed cold water on his face, feeling relaxed how freshening the water felt.

He looked up into the mirror and weird feelings quickly washed over him as he stares at his own reflection. He'd seem this reflection before, even when he was at the hospital, but it was from glass surfaces, it was never a mirror. Trying to identify himself, he tilted his head to the side to get the better look at the large gaping cut on the right side of his head. He brushed his buzz-cutted hair with his hand.

Okay, at least I have the better looks than you.

For the last time Bobby, you're not- you know what, forget it. It's your own words, man.

I know. It's because I do. Admit it!

Blah! Blah! Blah!

Bobby hissed as he felt the pain on his temple. His palm pressed it as it began to throb. He breathed roughly through his nose and everything suddenly became loud. Gigges and laughter were echoing around him, follwed by the talking, whispers, screaming, shouting, and his name getting called.

Bobby?

Robert!

Hey, Bobby.

You okay, Bobby?

Yo, Bobby!

Bobby Boy!

C'mon Bobby!

Bobby, look out!

Bobby!

Bobby, where are you?!

B-Bobby?

BOBBY?!

"Bobby. Son, dinner's ready."

As his eyes were opened, it was all silent, just like how it was at the hospital. He then realized he was leaning low against the counter of the bathroom. He also realized that the sink had droplets of blood, as it was pouring from his mouth. He opened it, realizing his mouth was bleeding, which he doesn't know how that happened. He noticed tears were coming out of his eyes, as it streamed down on his cheeks. He heard the door open. Turning around, it's the view of his father in the doorway. His eyes widened and rushed to his son's side very swiftly. His hands were on his trembling shoulders.

"Son. Son, what happened? What's wrong?!"

He stopped trembling and blinked, turning his head to his father. His soft voice shudders,

"W-Who am I?"