Artificial Memory (DISCONT'D BUT WILL UPLOAD UNEDITED CHAPTERS)

Chapter 3: The Genderqueer Tumblr Shitposter In My Head Is Actually Useful

He mumbled around the peach in his mouth.

I shrugged.

"I had a weird dream too, but I feel fine."

I admitted.

His gaze flicked briefly up towards me before he squeezed the shrinking peach one last time and stopped, just holding the empty skin around the pit.

"Crazy."

He yawned.

He shook the peach skin and pit thoughtfully before laughing,

"I guess having the fangs of an Undead comes in handy, eh?"

I sighed with a nod before standing up and heading upstairs.

As I left, he called,

"Where you going?"

"I'm going to take a shower. You can go do something until I'm done, then I wanna go longboarding."

I responded, annoyance in my voice.

"I'll go with you then. For longboarding, I mean."

He said.

"Yeah, I'd prefer to longboard with you than to shower with you."

I remarked sarcastically, glancing over my shoulder as I heard him heading towards the garbage to throw out the remains of the peach. I nearly choked on the last bite of toast in my mouth as I caught sight of something startling.

His shadow, cast out against the wall, was shaped like a wolf or dog.

With the thrill of apprehension in my heart came the realization that his powers were resurfacing.

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I coasted around the block on my longboard, chewing a stick of fruity gum. As I waited for Distance to meet me, I mulled over that weird dream that I'd experienced last night.

The odd thing was, the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to ring with truth. I had given up on trying to forget it, because that obviously wasn't working.

Then there was the phenomenon of Distance sharing a weird dream the same night I'd experienced it. On top of all that, there was the weird look he'd given me before going to shower, followed by the question of,

"Can you change form?"

Of course not! I couldn't use any of my powers, so that wasn't possible.

I nearly faceplanted into the ground as I lost momentum and bumped into a pebble on the road, leaping forward off the board and staggering forward a few steps. Once I'd regained my balance, I groaned in exasperation, turning around and straightening my board out with my foot.

As I did so, I heard the other me's voice in my head,

"How long has it been?"

I stopped, right foot pressed against the ground and brow furrowed.

"You're still here?"

I thought to myself.

"I've always been here, I just never bothered to interact with you."

He sighed, then continued,

"Will you take my word seriously now and check on Distance? I share your emotions so even though I don't know him, I get worried as you would. I don't like the feeling I'm getting, anyways..."

At that comment, I glanced at my phone's screen, widening my eyes when I saw that a full hour had passed since I'd left the house. Distance sure took his sweet time.