BlankSlate

I open my eyes to a blinding light. Everything is blurry. I see a box hanging on the wall displaying strange images, and someone on my right watching them. I look to my left and see this pole holding a bag attached to me. It hurts my arm, but unable to do anything about it. The stranger next to me looked amazed and started moving his mouth, but I couldn't understand them. Another man in white entered and looked at the box next to me. It kept beeping as he marked something. Women in blue came in and poked me, and I could feel everything, but I couldn't move. They all looked sad and ushered outside. I heard buzzing, but couldn't understand it.

Weeks went by. Only the women in blue came around now, but they are unpleasant. They raise, poke, and turn me every time. No one was coming around, even the man who used to watch the box on the wall. It was never turned on, but I did find something to look forward to. It was listening to the blue people. They were always moving their mouths, and they buzzed.

A lady came in and helped me talk some. She taught me words, and I started to understand her more and more. In our last visit, she brought men with her. She closed the door behind her and told me it was ok.

"These men need your help," she explained, "I'll be here if you need any help.

"Hello, Maisy," one of the men said, " I'm... and I need your help with something."

"I have to teach her... still."

"Ok, well let's move on," his hand went to his mouth. She stopped talking, and the other man spoke.

"Miss do you know any of these men," he grabbed a paper from his pocket and showed it to me. Faces were all over it, and I recognized a man.

"Yes."

"Who do you recognize?"

"She can't move her body yet."

"That one. He was in my room the day I woke up."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

They looked at each other worried. They talked about adding "security" to my room. Things are still so confusing. I thought all night about it, so I couldn't sleep.

I was visited by another new person after a few weeks. They wanted to try helping me move around. It wasn't going well, but I was starting to move my hands more. I was encouraged to get up many times, but I couldn't move well enough. I heard them outside my room whispering about how slow I was and that I should be tested to ensure I can do anything in the future. It was annoying how useless they made me out to be, but I knew they were right. I was just a body that could say a few words. I was useless.

I thought that way for a long time until I met that man again. I woke up and he was there looking at me. He seemed to shake that I awakened, but even more so when I started to talk. Maybe it’s because I didn’t speak the last time we meet.

“You’re here again,” I questioned looking his way.

“Yes,” he seemed to be keeping his voice down and glancing at the door periodically.

“Who are you?”

“Someone who knew you before… this happened.”

“Can you tell me what happened to me?”

“I’ll tell you another time. Get some rest.”

He grabbed my hand and waited for me to sleep. I was suddenly so out of energy I couldn’t speak much more. It was probably just because of what happened to me, but I don’t even know what happened to me. I decided to ask my speech helper the next day, but she didn’t come. No one came for so long I was trying to do things on my own. I moved my hands around, tried to learn new words on my own, and even tried moving other parts of my body. I didn’t accomplish anything other than prove them right. I couldn’t do anything on my own and I couldn’t learn anything new. I probably created words that don’t exist and my hands felt numb.

When they came back to see me I was already far gone. I gave up on moving and speaking it’d been so long. Even talking to myself didn’t help. I was back to square one again, and I hated it. I was just so lost. My speech and physical teachers quiet, so I had no one again. It took many freezing nights before he came back.

“Are you cold,” The man asked.

“Yes,” I said weakly.

“Here’s another blanket.”

“Thank you. What’s your name?”

“Curious?”

“I’ve only seen you twice since I’ve woken up, yet you’re so familiar to me.”

“Myles”

I drifted to sleep hearing his name. A seemingly real dream came to me, and a feeling of guilt settled. Myles was there, and he was smiling with me on the beach. I felt the open breeze, but then the beauty stopped. It was dark and I heard screaming. It was like an outta body experience because I could see myself, but I wasn’t looking in the mirror. I watched as he held me and cried. Blood was everywhere and he was the only one around. Lights began flashing and people yelling, and he just left me. He ran away and left me there to die. Something inside me said I was wrong, and I was overwhelmed. Beeping became faster and louder in my room, but I didn’t care. I wanted to find the truth.

I woke up again while the noise levels seemed to dial down a little. People looked worried, but I don’t know why. I was only sleeping after all. I did do something strange though. I talked in a clear as day voice unlike ever before.

I simply said, “What?”

Everyone got bug-eyed and some left the room in terror. It was like a switch flicked, and I was happy it did. I was so hungry and freezing in the old hospital, but once I began talking they were good to me. I got my meals and extra blankets for the cold nights. When the days got warmer they’d take them away. I’d go through the exercises given by a new physical doctor, and had check-ups like never before. I keep having those dreams too and found out that before my accident I wasn’t a person you’d appreciate. I was in a gang and so was Myles.

“Hi,” he said one night.

“Are we going?”

“What do you mean?”

“I remember Myles. Oh wait isn’t your name Marcus.”

“You remember me!”

“Let’s go I’m done with hospitals and their security measures.”

“Is it ok? You’re not cleared physically yet.”

“Once I’m cleared they’re going to realize I have my memories back and arrest me.”

“That’s true, but-”

“I said let’s go!”

I remember being a higher rank than him, so I could order him around, but rumors went around he’s the new leader of the group. He did let me leave, so my adventures ended and my simple life in the woods began. I even left a nice little note for the doctors:

Dear Doc.

It was great fun with you guys. You sure know how to treat a criminal don’t ya?

I’ve decided playing sick isn’t for me, so I’m leaving these shackles and chains.

I hope you don’t mind the mess I’ve caused, but I wanted to send my gratitude.

This run down place needed something extra to it anyways.

Author Notes: I had a class and did this since fantasy writing wasn't allowed.

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