City of eternal life
I hope you're all doing well,
I just finished another short horror story.
This one is a bit more sci-fi than most, but hey I enjoyed writing it:)
TW: Gore
Word count: 2197
A cold snowflake greets the warm skin of my face, melting immediately.
I ignore the sensation and look forward instead, just like the rest of my group.
āHoly shit! The legends did have some truth in them!ā Jess yells over the howling wind.
David shakes his head: āIāve been telling you this a thousand times! This is the whole reason for this expedition.ā He canāt contain his excitement.
I look at the snow-covered ruins.
The ice must have caused the whole city to have been frozen in time, so research should go smoothly.
I can hear my group rejoice.
I know I should too, but something about it is offā¦
Something about it makes my thoughts and words jumble together in a way Iāve never had happen before.
The buildings⦠Theyāre familiar to meā¦
My head fills itself with shapes and colours, not known,Ā no⦠I do knowā¦
āIām sorry maāam, it doesnāt seem like your child will remember.ā
Iām at the doctorsā and my mother embraces me tightly: āOh noā¦ā She whispers in a worried tone.
Every word spoken are the things I worried about, but also already knew the answer to.
Iām not like the people here.
Not like my mother.
Not like my friends.
Not even like my neighbour.
Iām an anomaly.
Perhaps disabled even in a world like this.
Thereās something everyone here but me has, something that makes my life so much more difficult.
I donāt remember my past life.
For centuries this city has survived this way.
Mistakes are something only made by the children who donāt remember and I guess me, an adult without memories.
There are no wars, no fights, just peaceful life in which everyone remembers and doesnāt have to learn anything anymore. The people are almost all knowing, having at times completely specialised at one thing or had enough time to try everything.
I guess the chances of me getting a proper job is almost zero now⦠And I already struggled to keep up with school.
Why? Just why me of all people?!
I try so hard to fit in, but Iām always on the outside, never able to be a part of anything.
The last bit of hope has melted and dried.
In complete silence we all leave the bright white building behind, I wave my mother goodbye and head towards my friend's house. Honestly I donāt really feel up to it, but I promised.
āHow did it go?ā My friend asks, without putting down the book heās reading.
I canāt help but sigh.
Rudy finally looks up: āThat doesnāt sound good.ā
I shake my head: āNope. I donāt think I will ever remember.ā
āDamnā¦ā
āYeah, say that. I tried everything, hypnosis, medical observations, operationsā¦ā
He puts down his book and walks over to me, I already know what that look on his face means.
I wave my arm: āI know, I know, youāre just going to repeat that again.ā
Still he continues: āWhat if itās a good thing, this city could use newer people, newer ideas, newer souls.ā
I shake my head: āNo! You know no one needs that here. New is dangerous! Iāll never be accepted.ā
āEnnis, youāre going to be fine.ā He puts a hand on my shoulder, but I push it away.
āYou just donāt get it!ā
I remember the day when he got his memories. I used to be friends with him before that time. When I first met him he was very outgoing and we would often play sports together, but then one day he turned completely quiet and suddenly knew everything. He had been a scholar in his past life and had started remembering.
Part of me was horrified by the transformation, but another part was so terribly jealous.
Due to his change, he lost most of his friends, all except me. Deep down he should still be that kid after all, he still cares for me and we still do things together, just not sports anymore.
We couldnāt go to the same school afterwards, he soon went to a high university and got really busy. Still he made time to hang out with me.
After him my other friends would quickly change, but none as drastic as Rudy.
āSorry, I didnāt mean to yell.ā I quickly respond.
Rudy smiles kindly āI know, would you still like to catch that lecture with me?ā
āYes, I do.ā
After the lecture I get home tired.
Thereās a girl much younger than me sitting on the couch knitting. Her hands are going fast and precise.
āHi, grandma.ā I wave at her.
āEnnis! Welcome back!ā She smiles brightly: āI heard about it from your motherā¦ā
āYeah, I know.ā
āItās really unfortunate.ā
āI know.ā
āSo, youāve really tried everything now, havenāt you?ā
I nod, keeping back my tears.
There hasnāt been any news about anyone like me, so I really am alone.
The next morning I feel terrible just sitting inside, so I decide to go visit Rudy again.
āHey, you busy?ā
Rudy welcomes me inside his house: āI still have a couple of hours to go until I have work, so please come in.ā
I drop myself onto the couch.
It really sucks, without memories I will be forced to continue living with my family.
āHey, Rudy?ā
āYes?ā He hands me a cup of tea.
āDo you think I might have been someone before?ā
My friend shrugs: āItās really not bad to not have a before.ā
āStill, at the moment I would even be okay with finding out I was a wanted criminal in my past life.ā
Rudy laughs: āLike Jasper? He still has twenty more years to go in jail for what he did three lives ago.ā
āAt least I wouldnāt be an anomaly then.ā
āEnnis, you simply couldnāt have done something like that. Youāre too kind, youāre a good person, with or without a past.ā
āSo what do you think is going to happen now?ā
āYou will remain your true authentic self.ā
Ugh⦠why does he always have to be like that?
I get up.
āLeaving already?ā
I nod: āSorry, I need to take a walk or something. Thanks for the tea.ā
Rudy stands up and slowly walks me to the door, but just before he stops me.
āEnnis⦠Itās out now, the knowledge of you. Many people know.ā
āYeah, obviously.ā I try to joke, but my friends' eyes look strange.Ā Is that⦠fear?
āNo, take this seriously. You will have to be much, much more careful from now on. Donāt trust others blindly and remain yourself.ā
Iām a little startled by his sudden change in attitude and canāt seem to form a proper answer.
āPromise me that you will be careful.ā Iāve never heard his voice sounding this stern.
āPromise me!ā He half whispers and half yells.
āYes, I promise.ā I quickly answer, luckily it seems to calm him down a little and he finally allows me to leave.
He then presses a small knife into my hands, but doesnāt allow me to ask any questions: āPlease, visit me again sometime.ā
āI always do.ā
āYou better.ā
I turn my back to him and take a walk through the city centre.
Past the stores much, much older than I will ever be.
Everyone is taking their time, a time I never had and never will have.
Thereās a group of kids passing by, all dressed in uniform and acting all proper. Itās almost like people start remembering earlier every year.
Why couldnāt I be one of them?
To them, what am I?
An alien?
No⦠I guess an insect, especially one who doesnāt live as long.
Iāve gotten used to stares, especially from people I know and who know about me.
I spot an elderly man call a child āmotherā and a teen so skilled in painting it must have taken centuries to master.
Finally I stop and take a seat by the fountain.
The sound of running water calms me down.
Two men dressed like bouncers or perhaps bodyguards approach me.
Did I do something wrong?
āAre you Ennis?ā
Iāve never gotten into too much trouble before. Yes, Iāve done dumb things as a child, but nothing illegal.
āAh, yes, thatās me⦠Is something wrong?ā
āYouāve been requested to visit the major.ā
Me? I guess as an anomalyā¦
They take me to a black car and allow me to sit in the back.
I know better than to question the reason, but Iām really worried for some reason.
We drive towards the tallest building and we take the elevator to the top.
The two guards open the doors to the main office.
Not many people see this place from the inside, even when they live multiple lives.
āGood day.ā An adolescence slightly younger than me greets me, signalling that I can take a seat opposite to him.
āG-good dayā¦ā I feel a hint of jealousy by his maturity. The man before me feels ageless.
āSo, youāre Ennis.ā
āYes, thatās me.ā I try to look brave, I bet heās already read me completely.
āDonāt worry, you did nothing wrong.ā
āThen why was I taken here?ā
āI simply wanted to meet you.ā
Meet me?
āI heard about you being unable to recall any past life.ā
āThatās true.ā
What am I? An animal in the zoo?
āYou also know that it is quite dangerous to keep you here this way.ā
I look away from his piercing gaze: āI know.ā
āDo you want to remain this way?ā
I shake my head in frustration: āNo, of course not. I canāt work, I canāt buy a house and I canāt even finish school.ā
He stands up: āGood, I think I can help you jog your memory.ā
Something in his monotone voice makes me feel cold.
āSir, I have already tried everything.ā
āNo, you havenāt. Thereās still one way, but please promise me that you will keep this between the two of us.ā
There is a way? Not just false hope again?
āPlease, come with me.ā
I follow him into another room.
Itās dark.
A light turns on, showing only a single chair.
āTake a seat.ā He bows his head a little.
Vigilant I make my way towards the piece of furniture.
Wait⦠are those⦠leather straps?
I feel nauseous and hesitant.
Just what have I gotten myself into?
āPlease, sit.ā
I take a step away: āYou know, maybe I-ā but Iām not allowed to continue as Iām hit from behind.
I fall down onto my knees and the world turns dark.
My head hurts like hell.
I immediately open my eyes only to find myself strapped to the chair.
The room is now fully lit.
Itās filled with computers.
My heart beats in my throatā¦
Is this the secret�
I look at some of the screens and see the truth before me.
My frozen hands have started tingling.
āY-youā¦ā I try to speak, but the words wonāt come out. I wildly shake my head, this⦠please donāt let this be trueā¦
āEnnis, are you scared?ā The major smiles at me: āYou should have known. This is the only way to make you better. Inserting a new brain implant⦠they would be grateful for your sacrifice.ā
Shitshitshitshitshitshit!!!
The major approaches me with something that looks like a gun with a huge needle.
Right, the knife!
I try to get myself loose, but itās all too tight. My hands are even turning red.
I curse loudly and the major just looks annoyed.
Suddenly the door opens.
My captor looks behind him: āOh hello professor, what can I help you with. I am a bit busy.ā
Someone steps into the light, someone I know really well.
Rudy.
ā¦
āI assume you wonāt let me do this?ā
The major smirks: āNo, I know you two are friends. And I also know that you are very loyal to those. After all, I've known you for centuries.ā
A smile appears on my friendās (?) face: āYou know me too well.ā
Then without another warning he pulls a gun and shoots the major point blank.
Blood and brains gush over the floor.
āRudy?ā
The face of the man whoās name Iām calling turns serious and he rushes towards me: āYou have to get out of here!ā He takes the knife out of my pocket and starts cutting the straps: āIf you think heās the only leader here trying to corrupt every new generation, youāre far from wrong!ā
āSo, itās true?ā I ask, meaning a lot moreā¦Ā this means⦠that everyone is dead.
When they ārememberā, their original self gets wiped in order to fit the new person.
āIām sorry Ennis.ā He avoids my gaze.
āHow did it come to this?ā
This means Rudy too is dead.
This person before me is not that once sociable and sporty kid.
But, I do believe that he is my friend, whoever he might be.
I donāt get a response to my question.
Iām loose and immediately I get out of the chair.
āNow, run!ā He orders and I run towards the doorway, but soldiers have already gathered there.
āOpen fire!ā
I canāt react fast enough, but my friend is and shields me.
Thereās so much blood.
Is it mine?
Is it his?
Is it the majors?
I donāt know what happened, but Iām up and running again.
My hands brush over a computer, the most important looking one and I throw it.
It breaks.
Shatters into a thousand pieces, almost as if it was made out of glass.
One by one the soldiers look as if they're having a shared headache.
Then thereās a loud āPlopā.
Someoneās head just exploded.
The others follow soon.
All falling lifelessly to the ground.
For a moment I just stare at the bizarre sight.
Then I too start feeling a growing pain in my head.
Why?! Why did all of that have to happen?! Why did they kill them all? Did I really have to end it completely?
āHey, you okay?ā Jess takes me out of my reminiscing: āYouāve been silent for a very long time.ā Looking around I find myself back in the cold, in the present, about 5 centuries after all that happened in that city.
Those machines should never be remade.
I have to make sure.
Slowly I turn to look at her and even though I want to cry, I smile: āDonāt worry, Iām fine.ā

















