Perception House

Chapter 1

It's silent.

The harsh winds blow my wavy brown hair across my face.

The crisp air makes me shiver and creates goosebumbs throughout my body.

The house is the only thing in sight, dead grass the only other thing surrounding me.

The paint-chipped mansion stands directly in front of me, a cracked concrete path leading up to the tattered porch.

My mind is screaming at me not to go near, but it is the only thing around.

The house is filled, while everything else is empty.

Including me.

I don't want to be empty anymore.

I walk up to the porch, the wind pulling me back, begging me to turn around.

I open the door.

. . .

I wake up screaming.

One women and one man in white lab coats rush towards me, holding my arms down and gently shushing me.

I stop screaming but they don't let go, like they are afraid of what I might do unrestrained.

Another woman in identical clothing approaches me and stops at the foot of bed.

"Thank you. You can leave now." she said to the other two.

They look at each other uncertainty, then let go of my arms and shuffle out of the room.

I scan the room, feeling the eyes of the intrigued woman on me as I take in my surroundings.

It's a small white hospital room with machines hooked up to my arms, head, and fingers. The narrow bed I'm laying in is complete with thin blue sheets matching my hospital gown, and a narrow window next to the bed providing the only light in the room. Luxurious.

I observe the woman next. She looks to be in her early twenties, probably only a few years older than me. Her long blonde hair frames her narrow face. I don't know her, but she seems like one of those people you can trust, but I don't know why. She sits on the foot of the bed and smiles.

"Ledger, do you remember what happened before you came in here?" she asked gently.

"No, not really. . ."

I grip the sides of the bed in panic. How can I not remember anything? Some simple things come to mind, like how my last name is Rune and that I live in New York City. Everything else is hazy.

"Who are you?" I demanded. "Why am I here?"

She sighed. "My name is Nurse Clary Altruist, but you can call me Clary. I hate to be the one to tell you this Ledger. . ."

"What."

" You fainted when you found out that. . . your parents died in a car accident yesterday. Since then, we have to do more tests, but I have reason to believe that your mind is blocking out the bad memories from your past."

I can't breathe. My head is spinning.

My parents are dead.

The more I try, the more I can remember things like family dinners and our Florida vacations.

Simple, I know, but when those are the only memories of the most important people in your life, they are the most important memories no matter what they are.

I don't realize I'm crying until I see the drops grouped together on the sheets.

"How." I whispered.

" They swerved into a tree after a black Toyota drove straight towards them. Most likely a drunk driver. We are still looking for the perpetrator."

I stayed silent, waiting for the tears to stop coming, but they never did.

"Someone is here that wants to see you." Clary said after a few minutes. "Do you remember anyone named Jace Covert?"

I shook my head.

"Follow me." she said.

Clary led me outside the door to a bland hallway with similar white painted walls and black-and-white checkered flooring.

Clary handed me my stuff. "Change in the bathroom, and Jace will take you to where you are staying."

I thanked her, and went to change.

I came out in jeans, a black sweater, and white converse. Looking down the hallway, I see a figure at the end of the hallway near the stairs.

He's lean, and as he comes closer I could see how muscular he is.

"Ledger? Are you okay?"

He stands in front of me so I can see his perfectly tanned skin and black eyes. They were so dark, like pits filled with memories of the dreadful things he has had to witness. He runs his hand through his dark brown hair, and I notice the streaks of blonde in it.

"Hey, Ledge. Jace, remember? They said you might not remember anything so I just wanna make sure. . . can you actually not remember anything?"

"No. I'm sorry Jace. Nurse Clary told me you would be here. I just w-wish I could remember you. I'm sorry." I said, putting my shaking hand over my mouth.

Jace hugged me as I buried my head in his chest.

We stayed like that for awhile. He released his grip and held me by the shoulders, looking into my eyes with intensity.

"We are going to get your memories back, Ledger. You will remember me, I promise. Whatever it takes."

We quickly hug again, and he leads me down the stairwell to the car.

As I look at him from the passengers seat, my mind wanders back to the house.

"Hey Jace, there is one memory that's pretty clear."

"Yeah?" he looks at me with interest before turning his head back towards the road.

"Yeah, it's like, of this really shitty looking house with nothing else around it and a path leading up to it. Oh and it's sorta cold-ish there, but that's it. All I remember is walking up to it and opening the door."

He still kept his eyes on the road, but I could see the pity in them.

"I don't know Ledge, it doesn't ring a bell, you never told me about it and we told each other everything. But if it's the only thing you remember then it must be important, right?" Even he didn't look convinced. "Maybe it's a false memory, because walking up to a run-down house and opening the door doesn't seem very concrete."

It made sense what he was saying, but it's not just the memory of that place, it's the perceptiveness of it. I feel somehow more. . . complete there.

I look at Jace again.

He is there too. I can feel him waiting for me.