Chapter One:

  Momma, I’m coming home.

  “Born a worm Spins a cocoon

  Goes to sleep

  Wakes up a butterfly

  Oh what the fuck is that about?

  What the fuck is that about?”

  - Dan Reeder

  Rank: Zero, NPC - Nobody Person Classification. *Ultra-Rare

  An American human was revived, renewed and released. A sloppy smile waved to the world as their mind kept a singular drugged soupy purpose: burger.

  Ralph? Is that feeling, that word, who I am?

  Ralph. He questioned for a moment.

  Before reality rushed back in a delirious brain-freeze waving wash.

  They stood, on a curved driveway in front of the tall standing Central Tower, a three story castle-like structure which stood guard of the abandoned insane asylum that was the Fergie Falls State Hospital.

  Ralph stared forward, away from the hospital and towards a park whose ground was painted in the reds and oranges of fall.

  Feeling a soreness they found their head was shaved at the sides. It revealed temples that were bruised with red veins that laced through blackish-purple clouds. Right where they had been electrocuted.

  Lips parted, Ralph twitched and drooled, their jaw hinging for a moment as their eye lids lilted.

  Drool, thick and slow fell smooth like Tom Cruise. Falling and finally landing gracefully upon the yellowing hospital gown, leaving a wet trail of spit.

  The gown was classically split and a little small, revealing a naked back and tattoo, an American flag with a large eagle in the foreground, talons holding a tattered cloth banner with the quote “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

  Ralph wore pants, an expensive pair of vintage bell-bottom jeans, sun bleached and worn.

  They weren't Ralph’s pants and the drooling confused person wasn’t aware of that fact nor any facts, or even their history. Ralph was just a baby now. Nothing clouded him any longer, nor did any voices that may have spoken inside his head. For the time being, in this moment, Ralph knew only silence. Like wind through one ear and out the other. Ham. Burger.

  Stomach rumbling, he began to stumble forward. Ahead was a sidewalk leading through two large topiaries into another driveway. He continued into the park. Ralph, knew only hunger and his body had decided to just move forward and he let it.

  While he walked through the park, Ralph saw a few squirrels rushing about their business. At one point a women in a wondrous sweat-suit ran by with a small heavy breathing dog at her heel. She stopped in her tracks upon seeing Ralph so he stopped as well, putting on their best toothy-est smile with a limp handed, but excited wave. She ran away. So Ralph continued forward.

  Outside the park sat a dead Casey’s gas station. A high schooler hidden in long hair, and black baggy clothing stood outside vaping chunky clouds.

  Abshir watched as the dazed person came from the park, stumbling.

  Besides the shaved sides, Ralph’s hair was long and looked like a DIY Mohawk-mullet.

  They walked towards the gas station, their head heavy in the back as they stared up at the sky with wonder and a frequency that said they were afraid to miss anything.

  Abshir kept vaping and watching until finally Ralph stopped in front of him, smiling huge.

  “Nice costume, Frankenstein. Can I help you?”

  “Hamburger?” Ralph asked.

  “I mean, yeah. But it’s gonna be that shitty pre-packaged stuff. But I have a pizza in the oven bro, It’ll be just a few minutes.” Abshir pocketed the weighty vape and began to walk inside, holding the door open for Ralph.

  “Pizza?” Asked Ralph, his brain restarting. Images of wavy red plastic cups, grease, and the sour delicious smell of shaking white powder. Their mouth watered.

  “Yeah! You not from around here? Casey’s Pizza is like famous. Shit’s good! What kind of pizza do you like, man?” Abshir asked him as he walked inside.

  Ralph stopped at the precipice. Looked down at dirty bare feet and remembered some saying no shirt, no shoes… But they hadn’t said anything so Ralph quickly jumped inside as Abshir looked back for an answer. To which Ralph raised his hand and mimed a shaker.

  “Umm white, cheese...stuff…” Ralph pieced together in charade.

  “Parmesan!” Abshir partnered. “I think we got some of those. Hold on let me grab the oven.” He left Ralph and headed to the small kitchen build only for pizza. Grabbing a paddle he went to work on the first pie, readying it for the rotating display while periodically looking thorough the small window out to Ralph.

  “I got a pepperoni that’s hot and fresh. You like pepperoni?”

  “Yes!...I like pepperoni.” Ralph said absentmindedly while examining the tattoos that covered their arms. Now that they were in the presence of another person their bodily perception was starting to return. These tattoos didn’t feel or look at all familiar but tracing them with gentle fingers felt good and right.

  “I’m Abshir, by the way.” said Abshir as he returned with a slice of pizza inside it’s own cardboard holder.

  “Abshir.” repeated Ralph.

  “Here you are friend. First one’s on me. Please, enjoy.” Ralph eyed Abshir cautiously before taking the slice of pizza and going for a bite.

  “Careful, it’s hot.” Abshir told Ralph as he began to shovel the pizza into his mouth groaning with pleasure as hot salty grease pooled around his tongue.

  “What’s you’re name?” Abshir asked as Ralph took another large bite, revealing a grotesque mouthful of half chewed food as he tried to allow cool air onto his burning tongue.

  “Ralph! Ralph!” Ralph barked at Abshir before smiling and taking another bite. Abshir was taken aback at what seemed to him like two yelping dog barks.

  “What’s your name again?” he asked, and only got a quieter Rulff! In between bites that reached the edges of the crust

  “What is that? Ruff? Rough? I don’t understand. That a nickname?” asked Abshir.

  Ralph thought about this as he chewed the doughy crust. With bits of food in their stomach digesting, a bit of pleasure came back alongside the creeping and uncomfortable. Ralph wasn’t their name. What was is it again? Where were they? What happened?… Who the fuck were they?

  Panic and stress finally caught up and socked ‘Ralph’ or whoever this was, square in the face.

  They stared at Abshir, hoping for help but saw the air around them shimmer as their own head began to feel hot and humming.

  Temples burned with pain. They put hands to it and all of their hair raised on end with goosebumps.

  A window suddenly appeared overtaking part of their vision.

  A stark blue boarder read Description and in the corner was the computer symbols to minimize, maximize, and close. Inside the box read…

  Abshir Jenkins

  He/Him, Rank: 1

  Level 3

  American Teenage consumer *Common

  Followers: 3,683 a.a.p.

  Strengths: Doodling, Customer service skills, Fortnite

  Weaknesses: Popcorn lung, High schooler, Gluten-sensitivity

  Bio: Abshir Ahmed, son of Hani and Rick Jenkins. A senior enrolled at Fergie Falls High; Home of The Otters. Failing both Math and Biology, while excelling at English and Art. A recent rise in followers due to posting edgy political doodles and being escorted to the office by police during a large assembly.

  ***Error— New Achievement! - Collateral Damage.

  You’ve got a dangerous tail and just put a young man in danger.

  *Reward: Nightmares and sleepless nights. You’ve received +2 Guilt. -15% to Charisma, Wisdom, and Constitution when you are near anyone you’ve wronged.

  Ralph or whatever, read through the screen, taking in the info faster than expected, before it closed itself and he felt a wetness dripping from his nose. Abshir was staring at them, smile fading, about to point out the bloody nose until his head exploded. With a quick balloon, Pop! The gas station was covered in brains and blood.

  ?——————??★??——————?

  R- stood frozen but vibrating. Head buzzing. their eyes fluttering, moving rapidly beneath the thin skin. before shutting down, body falling limp to the floor.

  ?——————??★??——————?

  I woke up my head still feeling crazy.

  I flicked my tongue back and played between molars without thinking, found a bit of pizza that was stuck. Ohh, still tastes so good! Even that the little morsel. Fun to chew as well. Mouthfeel that’s what it’s was called. Words kept coming back like… like riding a bike.

  Ugh but I can’t remember shit about shit. God, what was my name? Ralph? No, no that was just a noise, a feeling. R seems right. Maybe it was Reed. Like that superhero. Stretchy.

  Parent’s? Probably have them, but no images or names are coming to mind. Home? I can see a kitchen...no a book...shelf..no. Maybe it’s a smell I’m remembering.

  Shit. What was that screen? It was like a video game? The stats and followers? Strange.

  Abshir! God! No. Did I do that?…

  The hospital. Was I sick?

  Who?

  What!?

  ?——————??★??——————?

  The hood was removed from the restrained Reed, was that it?

  Reed, maybe, blinked rapidly at three dark figures that seemed to jump back at Reed’s own erratic movements. It took a moment before the blobs came into focus and Reed could finally see.

  They wore pastel coveralls. A Large bald Muscular Man wearing a wolves mask stood center. He wore dusty pink with a patch on the right lapel with a fist.

  A tinglingly-familiar frame with long chestnut curls, a goat mask. Stood to the right, the color they wore was duck egg, and the patch had a smartphone.

  On the left was a short stout woman. Her coveralls were African Violet and the patch showed a clowns face frowning. Her mask was like a porcelain baby doll.

  The woman cleared her throat, The Large man took a step forward, than back. And finally duck egg spoke.

  “Rachel…” Holy shit. “...Did you really think we would forget? You stupid...stupid, bitch!” It was Rachel!

  Reed, believed duck egg. It was they who were wrong, indeed a stupid bitch am I. Rachel. Always have and always have been. Right! Right?

  Reed, became Rachel. Clear?

  Rachel was tied to a chair in the middle of a white interrogation room. It had the classic mirror, definitely two-sided. No table, just three various sized figures in colorful jumpsuits and Halloween masks.

  The rough twine cut into Rachel’s wrists finally breaking skin and letting blood drip down to their palms and finger tips. They still wore Jeans, which sitting they realized had a fat wallet.

  The gas station blood was gone.

  Rachel glanced around, catching up after getting lost in thought.

  “Who are you again?” she asked, nonchalant.

  SLAP! A large meaty back hand came flying from the big man.

  Rachel’s head whipped to the side. Clown patch gasped.

  Rachel paused looking in the mirror, staring at herself. Cheek turning from pink to red. Damn my hair looks sick, she thought before turning back to face the group, a toothy smile, they seemed to be holding their breath, like they were waiting for me to do something.

  Rachel jumped up a few inches lightning fast and they all flinched.

  “Okay. What the fuck is going on? Where am I?” Rachel asked.

  Dusty Pink whispered into Duck Egg’s ear while African Violet continued to stare at Rachel.

  Dusty Pink Fist nodded. Then he put two big mitts around Rachel’s knees. Encompassing. With the grip and her hands tied, it felt like such loss of control and It was the first time that fear really took hold of them, again.

  He leaned in close. The sharp plastic edge of his wolves mask shaving the peach fuzz of Rachel’s burning red cheek as he brought his lips closer to her ear.

  He whispered so softly as if it was below the air.

  “I am the muffin. Flushed. The shore is shaken with a bevy of blonde. There’s a riot going on so burst into dust.”

  Dusty Pink moved back in slow motion. His head nodding in approval. Rachel watched with dread as the masks began to crack in places, the lips moving upward.

  Now all three had wide smiles. The Wolf, The Goat, The Doll, but the clown still frowned.

  The three of them nodded as the light began to flash.

  In the darkness, when the three disappeared. Rachel could see into the mirror. She saw who watched and taped on their cassettes. A dream, they thought staring at the three cats perched on stools. Two with headphones, the hairless had a shirt collar accompanied with a tie.

  The lights stopped flashing. The mirror, just a mirror for now. The three were gone, the room smaller.

  ?——————??★??——————?

  This has to be a dream. None of it makes sense. I passed out at the gas station, that has to be the truth; nothing else would make sense. Abshir’s alive, I only fainted and soon I’ll wake up back at the hospital.

  I forced a deep breath. It was shaky at first. click. I needed to really calm myself and think clear but these racing thoughts keep running. click. Zen, first. Then, thoughts. Close my eyes, shake it out. Ow fuck my hands, it’s really tied tight. click. No. Stop. Concentrate. click. Normal breath. Okay, now deeper and slow, hot. click. Breath in. click. Slower, Breath out. Click….

  Click….

  “What is that?” I said aloud twisting further in my chair, hands burning, stretched with my sore back and neck muscles. Get a good look behind me and...Oh fuck.

  ?——————??★??——————?

  Rachel, I’m pretty sure. Finally noticed the large pile of explosives behind her. In the moment between heartbeats before the meditation and deep breathing had been ripped into chaos with adrenaline. Rachel focused in on the explosives causing a black box with green text to appear inside their vision. It had the heading of New Message and read…

  Magic Item

  Astral Bomb-Pile

  Time to Detonation: 00:13

  Description: If it ticks like a bomb, looks like a bomb, explodes like a bomb? Will it feel like a bomb? Which wire will you cut?

  Damage type: Psychic

  Warning!! Damage Fatal.

  “FFUUUUCCCCKKK!!!” I went feral, flexing with everything while at the same time squatting up and to the side, crashing the chair towards the ground. Fuck! I misjudged the distance, my head hit hard against the…

  ?——————??★??——————?

  “****! ****! Fuck babe, how much did you drink?” a memory. long chestnut curls.

  “I’m fine.” I Told it, smiling.

  ?——————??★??——————?

  I woke up to blood pooling. My Head throbbing even worse than before. My hands were free though, so were my legs. They had pushed up from under me breaking the chair in the process. click.

  “Shit.” I stood. Blood in my eyes, half blind, rushed to the bomb. I barely saw the long wires and pulled the bluish, duck egg. The timer stopped at 00:02.

  I wiped my brow, and looked to the mirror.

  Abshir! He looked back at me! I waved.

  He looked pained, like he was shitting. My head really, really hurts…

  ?——————??★??——————?

  Suddenly I woke in a swamp, I..yeah it was a fruity, kinda pleasant incense. But it was covering garbage smells.

  Touching my forehead I found the blood was gone. I rubbed junk from eyes and then found myself in a small apartment. click. It was cluttered. I had appeared in the dining/kitchen section.

  Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Abshir was in front of me on the couch with a headset around his neck. Fortnite on the TV. A bomb between us. click.

  “Dude!” I pointed to the bomb. He raised his hands in confused surrender. I ran. Searched for duck egg. pause.

  “Did you see three guys in jumpsuits?” I asked Abshir. He nodded.

  “Yeah. They came knocking on my door. Asking for papers.” click.

  I glanced at the timer 00:30. A fart slipped.

  “What did you say?” I asked

  “I gave them my passport. I’m a citizen.” He said laughing. “They asked about you, I said I didn’t know anything. Just having met and all. They also asked a little about my parents but nothing else.”

  “Did one have brown hair!”

  “I think so, maybe?” He got excited. “ But one kinda looked like my girlfriend!”

  “What color was she wearing?”

  “Purple.” He said. Smiling.

  “hot.” he added. “Clown mask.”

  “I’m into that.” he continued. I had gone to the bomb. His wires were more tangled for me, and purple was buried.

  “What’s taking so long dummy?”

  Then I found it and pulled. African Violet

  I looked at Abshir, smiling huge and toothy.

  “We did it!” I said. hands raised in celebration. A screen appeared.

  Error** Error**

  New Achievement - Better Help!

  Congrats: You’ve dismantled two (?ASTRAL BOMB-PILES?).

  Reward: Solving you’re own mental problems are one thing but helping others that’s something special.

  ***

  YOU'VE R..Error** You have unopened: S-TIER Psychonaut blind-box.

  ***Please use your designated prayer-box for receipt***

  ****Note: No Prayer box? See a PRIEST!*****

  “huh” I said. The window disappeared. I looked to Abshir hands still in the air. He looked concerned.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah! We won.” I said shaking in a dance.

  “You’re bleeding.”

  ?——————??★??——————?

  Falling. Darkness. A Storm.

  Fade to Black.

  Meanwhile

  …That a nickname?” I asked, watching the weird stranger thoughtfully chew pizza, contemplating as if I had just asked them what the meaning of life was.

  Then they went still, jaw fell loose and open. I had to look away as food stuffs and drool began to drip from their mouth.

  After a moment, I heard a groan and looked back. Their eye’s were now clouded over and they stared deeply at or maybe right through me, it was so surreal. It looked as if the 20 something had aged decades and now went all cataracts to shit, like Steve (My mom’s cat).

  “You okay man?” I asked and touched their shoulder. Which apparently was the wrong thing to do.

  The touch of a shoulder became the slow-motion effect of a punch as Frankenstein, or Ruff or whatever, took it and slowly fell back until gravity and totally muscle loss caused them to fall hard onto the ground.

  They immediately began convulsing and foaming at the mouth, eye’s wide, a crazed almost smile but mostly grimace plastered on their face, doll like if not for the shaking body. It was the scariest thing I’ve ever seen. The foam was so thick and white.

  “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck fuck.” I fucking panicked.

  Didn’t know what to do. Thought about CPR class for half a second, remembered NARCAN was a thing like allergy nose spray. Do tongues get swallowed this way? That myth? Ahh!

  I realized I was on my knees, spiraling possibly about to watch someone violently die.

  My stomach turned and I threw up behind me on the gas station floor.

  I pulled my phone from my pocket. Woah… Head rush… More vomit coming no. no.

  I had to close my eyes and swallow as everything swam around. Everything was quiet except for the flappy slaps of skin hitting tile floor and the occasional chocking cough, becoming further and further apart as Ruff died. And I couldn’t handle it. I can’t fucking handle this, I can’t do this, I can’t do this… I can’t do this.

  Relax… breath…. Breath, love… Breath me…

  A women’s voice spoke in mind. I went to open my eyes again but immediately was told not to by the voice. Strange how they knew.

  Stay with me. Please. Keep you eye’s closed and I’ll help clear your mind, to free you.

  The voice was Sabrina Carpenter, Billie Eilish. It was every crush’s voice I’d ever had. All wrapped into a warm tea that tastes like Sweettarts in your ear. Calling me cute, melting on my tongue, creeping into my mind.

  Abshir, love of the world. Hear me and be warned. I have frozen the devil that lies before you so I may talk to you as the angels do. Can you feel me Abshir? Can you feel me…

  I could. Like a warm blanket that took away my fears. I felt like I would never be alone again as the warm arms wrapped around me.

  I need you to be strong for me. Can you be strong for me Abshir? Strong, I need your strength so we can be together. Holy light’s as one. Can you be my hero, Abshir?

  “Yes” I coughed. “Anything.”

  My voice felt like not mine, but it was it was right. I would do anything for this…

  When the Devil wakes, take him to your ‘Uncle’ follow the path that opens before you. Follow this Devil, whose real name must not be uttered as if you were his servant, but serve him in only deed… ‘“Spy and learn.” another voice.’ Only in deed.

  Who does the soul of Abshir serve?

  “I…” I felt a tug away.

  It was something dark. Doubt. I wondered if I deserved this love. Why me? What good am I? How could I help? Wait, this makes no…

  Who does the soul of Abshir serve?

  The words pierced through every thought like thunder bringing a rain storm, a static.

  “You.” I said. “I worship…

  Static, my own voice lost in the singing rain. But it was good. Warm, the rain was only a sound, a calming one. The love still was there. It never left. Right?

  “When can I see you?… Feel you again?” My voice sounded despite and I hated myself for it.

  Soon, my hero. First…Do as your told.

  ?——————??★??——————?

  Abshir woke up and saw the ‘Devil’ he was supposed to help, on their back, mouth full of vomit, and still as the dead.

  Abshir quickly pushed the body to it’s side. He shook the head and tilted it further, even scooping a quick finger to try and get everything out of their mouth.

  They then returned the body to it’s back and began CPR compressions. 1..2..3..4 please be okay 7..8..9

  Soon Rachel awoke coughing heavy deep coughs. Then violently vomiting for a bit.

  Abshir waited looking away until it slowed down, then they rubbed Rachel’s back as they caught their breath feeling absolutely defeated and disgusting.

  “Sorry, can you stop touching me? Sorry” Rachel asked and Abshir did. They sat quiet for a moment.

  “Sorry, ugh, holy fuck. What happened? Do you remember being in your apartment?”

  “What? No, no. You must have had a seizure or something. I might be able to help you, my Uncle has like medicines and stuff for that.” Abshir told them

  “Oh… really? Okay, Thanks…Hey, do you got a bathroom?”

  “Shit yeah, it’s through the kitchen. You either find it or find the closet.” At that Rachel stood and awkwardly walked to the bathroom.

  Alone, Abshir looked around at the piles of vomit in the gas station. Felt an emptiness and decided today was the day he’d quit his job. He boxed up the rest of the pizzas, while waiting for Rachel.

  Once Rachel came out. He was ready to go.

  “Hey, so I’m serious. I think my, ugh, uncle could you really help you out. He’s been selling this stuff for years that cures seizures like that. And I’m almost positive that’s what happened. He lives in the city and I’m heading that way. Wanna tag along?” Abshir quickly asked. Holding all their belongings with purpose and certainty.

  Rachel stood with no belongings, no past, and no where to go. She felt hot. Sweaty. They realized that spicy onion scent was coming from them. She wondered about that collateral damage achievement they had seen, then all the bombs, and general high strangeness vibes. Was it some kind of vision then, if it wasn’t actually happening. Did they have a tail? Are they going to get one?

  “I don’t know…” Rachel said.

  Abshir felt words that weren’t his, slip into his lips like kisses as he spoke.

  “I know you’re afraid, that was a lot to go through and you seem like maybe you’re a little confused. I know you’d be putting a lot of trust into me, to come to a strangers house and all, but I tell you he sells the best all natural products with amazing healing benefits. I think these seizures may be contributing to your confusion and memory trouble. I think my Uncle has what you need to clear your essence, I mean your head. I really want to help you. Will you let me?”

  Rachel zoned a bit at the speech but didn’t see any better options. That and she smelt another whiff of pizza coming off the boxes he held.

  “Alright yeah, you’ve convinced me. I’ll go with you.” She sniffed hard and spat at the ground.

  Abshir led them outside. Both stepping over the puke on the floor, Rachel’s bare feet still getting the wet feeling. Abshir locked the front doors.

  The sun was just beginning to set.

  “Does your uncle have a shower I can use?” asked Rachel as they scrapped their feet on the concrete watching Abshir.

  “Yeah, definitely!” Abshir tossed the Caseys’ gas station keys into the ice freezer. Then went towards the back, “My car is this way.”

  ?——————??★??——————?

  “Can I have another slice of pizza?” Rachel asked as Abshir drove them down the highway in his beat up Chevy.

  “Really?! Even after all that?” Abshir asked.

  “Yeah, I’m so hungry. Why wouldn’t I?”

  “Go right ahead.” Abshir shrugged. Rachel leaned into the backseat from shotgun, opened one of the three boxes and found an aged sausage pizza. She peeled a semi-warm slice from the box and took a bite.

  Mmm, Rachel shrugged. Not as good at the first but still, food is good.

  “Oh!” Rachel shouted in between bites. “I forgot to tell you, I think I remember my name. It wasn’t Ralph…” They paused taking a bite.

  Abshir went cold as he remembered the voice. ‘whose real name must not be uttered’ Shit. He didn’t want to hear it, in case he accidentally said it. His mind raced on how to stop them.

  “Rachel.” They said mouth full. “I think it’s Rachel…” Swallow. “…or at least that’s what they called me when I passed out. It was super weird, there were these three people and you were there with this bomb, but you didn’t seem to care about it?”

  “HAHA Can I call you Frankenstein? Like a fun nickname, since we’re friends and all.” Abshir forced.

  “Yeah sure, whatever. But are you listening? Did you ever have a dream like that? Or I guess it was a seizure, are those different then falling asleep to dream? A vision maybe?”

  “ I don’t know. Maybe. I guess when I think seizures, I think of, like a being moving through you. A demon…or an angel, a ghost. But that’s just movies popping into my head.”

  Abshir suddenly thought back to a moment as a child with his Uncle.

  ?——————??★??——————?

  “Now we’re not going to tell you’re parent’s about this, right?” asked a large bearded man with a floral vacation button-up made formal with a tan suit jacket and matching pants.

  A young Abshir wearing an itchy polo and school pants looked up at the man smiling.

  “Uncle Ricky! Are we going to a circus?”

  “Hahaha No, no Abshir, little buddy. We’re here to get you into heaven, since you’re parents won’t do it.” Uncle Ricky was funny thought Abshir. He said things that didn’t make sense but in a way that was kinda silly. Serious sometimes, but he always spoke to Abshir like he spoke to anyone else, adults or children.

  Abshir looked up at the big colorful tent.

  “I want to see a clown, Uncle Ricky.” Abshir tugged on his jacket sleeve as a crowd tightened around them. The sun became blocked by tall bodies, cramped and closing in. Pushing towards the entrance of the tent.

  “Hahaha shhhh, Abshir, the only clowns here are the poor bastards that think they can just walk up to a holy man and ask for forgiveness. Hehe you’re lucky to have an Uncle that understands the world, understands that you need to grease palms to get inside to that juicy truth, it’s work Abshir. I’ll teach you one day, but today, today is on me, an early Christmas present.” Abshir heard only bits as his concentration and vision became clouded by the crowd.

  Soon He found him self sitting near the front. A wooden stage, a step high. A man wearing a black shirt with a thick white collar. Women in flowing whites surrounding him, listening to every word. The cheers, the crying and intense emotion. When Abshir looked to his Uncle he only saw sparkling enraptured eyes and wide smiles as he watched the preacher.

  Abshir watched his Uncle watching the show, until Uncle Ricky looked to him, expecting. Abshir looked around and found the preachers attention now focused on him too. It seemed the whole crowd watched him, waiting.

  ?——————??★??——————?

  “Hmm I don’t feel like I was possessed.” Rachel said. Bringing Abshir back to the present.

  “Yeah, I mean that would be crazy.” Abshir said.

  “How much farther until we get to you’re uncle’s?”

  “Not terribly long now, once we exit it’ll be just a couple blocks. He isn’t expecting me and can be weird about strangers. He can be a little paranoid with new people, but if your with me it should be cool just… just try not to get into any arguments with him. If your agreeable so is he, understand?”“Yeah, I’ll let you take the lead.”

  “Perfect, I may lie a bit too so just roll with me; okay?”

  “No Problem.” Rachel stretched in her seat before resting their eyes. Abshir hit on the gas speeding up, while they thought of what to say to their uncle.

  Uncle Ricky, lived in Northeast Minneapolis. Inside the basement of his 90 year old ‘friend’s’ house. The place was dark as they pulled up. Rachel woke up as Abshir parked on the street.

  Immediately Rachel opened her door, stretching legs on the curb, reaching fingers to toes.

  Abshir grabbed his door handle, pausing.

  “Fuck.” He said aloud, “I should have called him first. I haven’t been thinking straight.” He looked to Rachel who was now watching him.

  “Need a minute?” they asked.

  “Yeah. It’s fine, it’ll be fine. Just a gimme a sec.” Abshir grabbed their phone from the center console, having used it for directions.

  “I’m going to get some air and, give you some space. I’ll be close.”

  “Thanks, I should call my parents too… and text my boss.” They groaned rubbing their head as the reality was setting into this.

  “Sounds good!” Rachel smiled toothy at Abshir before jumping out of the car.

  Rachel walked up onto the sidewalk and stared at the two story colonial, that descriptor seemed to just pop into their mind and felt like a perfect fit, though they barely knew the meaning behind the words. Did stories include the basement? They remembered an unfinished basement, a chair, bodies standing next to each other, like cattle, another saying came to them. But then they also remembered when it was cold and lonely. Not finished, but once with a mattress.

  Rachel remembered having a blanket and could smell it for a second. A dirty book, and another clean but which leaves less of me. A story, a fiction…or was it truth.

  Rachel began to walk down the sidewalk, The house was two away from the block’s end and Rachel walked to where a crossroads laid. They paused, waiting for a walking light in darkness that didn’t give permission.

  Rachel thought about thinking really hard. Memories. They said inside. Memories come to me. Think. Think hard, harder. Thoughts, memories. Memories activate.

  ?——————??★??——————?

  There I was pushing like my head would pop. Memories activate. I told my brain and then I thought nothing and just held my breath pushing. My head started buzzing and I could feel my hair stand. I hoped for a memory and I did get one, but something strange happened. First, inside my darkened pressed eyes another window appeared.

  Memory Cut-Scene Unlocked #1348.

  POV: Abshir, aged 4.

  Description: Uncle Ricky takes Abshir to be baptized at a revival tent.

  Note: Memories may contain false information and may cause confusion due to past, present, and remembered inconsistencies.

  Suddenly I was small and surrounded by a burning warm crowd. Just like in a movie there people were fanning themselves. I looked down and… I was a child, wearing uncomfortable clothes that fit the crowd’s eerie, vibes.

  I felt myself look over, a comfort reflex. There was a bearded man watching the stage, Uncle Ricky, I suddenly knew, like water.

  In the corner of my eye I saw a women in all white catch my attention. Her fabrics blew in the cool breeze. I felt a wave of pleasure. Like my body could levitate out of this child’s.

  I turned to look at her as she took place in front of a standing keyboard.

  She seemed strangely familiar, this women.

  She smiled big and toothy to the crowd while adjusting the microphone.

  ?——————??★??——————?

  Her expression changed to scared in a distorted blink, she looked to me in pain.

  ?——————??★??——————?

  I jumped scared, a voice, a maddening thought all but dust.

  But then the women was smiling, and looking into the crowd. No. It was nothing. I was mistaken, wrong. It was…someone…no. It was nothing.

  I watched the women in a white blouse begin to play the keyboard, as Abshire, I realized now. The sounds of an organ came filling the tent, the crowd held a inhale. And she sang.

  “There is a fountain, filled with blood

  Drawn from Immanuel’s veins

  And the sinners plunged beneath that flood.”

  Then the crowd joined

  “Lose all their Quilty Stains.”

  I remembered the gas station covered in blood.

  “Lose all their Quilty stains.”

  Collateral Damage.

  “Lose all their Quilty stains.”

  Maybe forgetting was good.

  A man whose face was hard to see wore a black shirt and a priest collar. He was thin, young and good looking. But his features escaped my sight.

  He stepped down from the stage and stood near the front row mere feet from me, living in Abshir’s memory, his body. Then he looked at us.

  He spoke to the congregation. No one could take their eyes off the man but I found it was like fighting Abshir’s memory to keep watching or to listen to what the man was saying.

  I felt a darkness come over come the tent, an evil blew in as finally I heard the priest shout for The Tub. I’m to be baptized, great. I felt my awareness kick into adrenaline as I noticed The crowd had turned into a drone of empty staring faces.

  Suddenly like a sickness I felt so small and powerless. I knew the darkness would over take everything as my vision went and the memory vanished, bringing me back.

  ?——————??★??——————?

  “No, I’m just visiting him for a minute then spending the night at a friends… I do too have friends in the city, you know I don’t like bringing them to our house….No nothing’s wrong with it, it’s just… uhhuh….yeah, I’m going right after work, please?” Abshir was on the phone in his car, lying to his Mom.

  “Yeah we’re just going to do some gaming, but I think it’ll be fun. Ahh yes! Thank you, Mom…mhmm, I promise. Love you too. Yup, got a customer so I gotta go... Yes. Yes love you.” He hung up with a sigh. He thought a moment before texting his boss: Just woke up in the hospital. Almost died, a customer who found me is here said he hid the key in the Ice freezer. Mentioned a mess, sorry. Getting tests done might be hard to reach for a few days.

  Abshir felt a knot in their stomach from all the lies he’d have to untangle later, but the relief of having put it off for now made it worth it.

  He got out of the the car, grabbed the pizzas from the back seat and then looked around.

  “Goddammit.” They cursed, “Where the fuck did they go.” Abshir went to the house’s front step to leave the pizzas and began walking down the sidewalk towards the crossroads where they had last seen Frankenstein headed. They didn’t see anyone around at all.

  “Frankenstien!” They yelled. “Yo Frankie! Where’d you go off too!”

  “Here.” Abshir heard a small boy’s voice. Their own. His voice, but smaller. Prepubescent.

  “What?” Abshir said aloud to themselves as they looked around.

  Nearby to the left was a small park with a slide and swings. Abshir breathed out, easing as he saw the figure of Frankenstein swinging and waving to him. Then he saw a boy swinging on a swing next to them. But in the darkness they seemed to change places. As If it was only one person swinging but they kept changing form. That’s when Frankie or Rachel jumped from the swing landing on the ground.

  To Rachel, they were as they had been.

  But Abshir watched as his 4 year old self walked up.

  “What the fuck are you.” He whispered.