Chapter One: Lost Fragments

I have been shrouded in silence, a suffocating fear that gripped me, steering my every move. But secrets, like restless ghosts, have a way of clawing their way to the surface, demanding answers.

Those answers, they're buried deep within me, locked away in the labyrinth of my mind. They taunt me like a forbidden Pandora's box, daring me to open it. Yet, I can't help but wonder: will I find solace within or be greeted by an onslaught of more questions?

"Please, wake up."

Confusion clutches at me, its sharp claws sinking deep into my bewildered state. I struggle to grasp the reality of the situation, but it feels distressingly real. I'm here, but lost. Sounds echo through my ears, yet my surroundings remain an enigma. Droplets of water brush against my skin, leaving a phantom sensation.

Everything feels jumbled, a chaotic haze imprisoning my desires to move, to speak, while I remain trapped in this fog of uncertainty.

"We miss you, Son."

The voice reverberates, and I strain to locate its origin. It sounds so absurd, so out of place. I battle to make sense of it all. It's a man, I can discern the sound of his sniffling, the weightiness that clings to his words.

My mind swirls with fragmented pieces, thoughts that refuse to align. I'm lost, utterly adrift in a sea of confusion.

"Lucas..."

In that fleeting moment, flickers of images dance before my eyes. They are memories, or at least they should be. But they appear foreign, like a language I can no longer comprehend.

"Lucas?"

A blinding light intensifies, and I cautiously pry open my eyes. At first, everything is a hazy blur, gradually sharpening into focus, revealing a figure before me. Yet, their face eludes me, obscured by an indiscernible veil.

"You're awake, Son!" The words burst forth, echoing in the hollow abyss inside me. Confusion etches itself deeply upon my face. "Can you speak? Can you move?" My gaze adjusts, fixing upon the man. His countenance reveals a mixture of elation and tears.

Struggling, I find my voice.

"W-Who are you?" I manage to stammer, my trembling voice betraying my unease.

My eyes wander, frantically searching the room. It feels as if I have emerged from a prolonged slumber, my nerves tingling, yet I cannot grasp what has transpired.

"L-Lucas, it's me... Luis, your father," he responds. I narrow my eyes, skepticism etching its mark upon my expression.

It may seem surreal, awakening to a man who claims to be your father, a man whose presence I cannot recall.

My eyes freeze, desperately seeking any flicker of recognition, but the void within me remains resolute. My thoughts, once familiar companions, now elude me entirely.

"Hold on, I have to call the doctor." His voice maintains a veneer of calmness, though worry subtly tinges his features as he hastens out of the room.

In an instant, reality crashes upon me like a relentless wave.

I find myself clad in a sterile hospital gown, confined to a sterile bed. The scent of antiseptic lingers in the air, permeating my senses. Tubes intertwine with my being—protruding from my mouth, encircling my wrist, extending into my head, my body. Monitors punctuate the room with an incessant symphony of beeps, unsettling my fragile equilibrium.

The first question, like an involuntary reflex, surges through my mind: Am I on the brink of death?

Suddenly, a flurry of figures adorned in surgical garb inundates the room, their hurried movements disorienting me further.

"Don't you remember the accident?"

....

Chapter 1: Lost Fragments

Lucas Carter's POV

They say life isn't measured by what you have or how long you live, but by the impact you leave behind. But what if there's nothing left? What if you're completely drained?

Imagine waking up to a void like this. Others can reminisce about their first day of school, their first fall from a bike, or their first taste of love. Those experiences shape them. At least they have something to hold on to...

While I'm here, grappling with absolute nothingness.

I inspect my hands, searching for any signs of an accident—bruises, scars, scratches. I still can't believe what the doctor told me.

"Lucas, I know you're confused, but we have to be patient," the man claiming to be my father says. I can't be sure if he's telling the truth. In fact, I'm unsure about everything. I feel like a newborn, a blank slate, unsure of what to believe.

I clear my throat and meet his gaze.

"Are you really... my father?" I ask. He lets out a sigh, appearing uneasy, and I'm on edge.

"Unfortunately, you've been in a coma for a month and woke up like this," he mutters, averting his eyes.

A coma for a month? I'm not even sure what that means. But the question remains: What happened to me?

He stands up, coming closer to me, and gently pats my head while forcing a smile.

"I am your father. Rest now, the doctor said your memories will eventually return," he reassures me, his breath slightly ragged.

Eventually... if he's trying to ease me, he's doing it wrong. I wish he could give me a precise date. I want to know everything.

How long do I have to wait?

"Father!" a guy suddenly bursts into the room.

He looks a year or two older than me—tall, with dark hair and pale skin that stands out. As his eyes meet mine, his jaw drops and his gaze widens.

"Lucas, he's your older brother," my father stumbles, furrowing my brow. I try to recognize the guy, but I can't. It feels like searching for money in an empty pocket. I've never heard that name before, yet it feels strangely familiar.

"It's alright, brother. Don't stress too much," the guy says. I feel like I've heard his voice before, but I can't put my finger on it.

A surge of frustration wells up within me. It's frustrating. I don't even recognize my own brother.

BZZ!! BZZ!!

My father takes out his phone.

"Just a moment," he says before leaving me alone with my brother in the room, which strikes me as odd.

I bow my head, trying to make sense of it all. How did I end up here? What brought me here? What happened to me? Who am I, really? Why can't I recognize my own family? It's all as dry as dust.

"Brother, it's been a while," I raise my head slowly. My brother takes a seat beside my bed, and I'm at a loss for what to do.

I don't know who he is, but there's something deep inside telling me that he truly is my brother. It's a feeling I can't ignore.

"Don't you really remember anything?" he asks. I swallow the lump in my throat, looking away, hoping to trigger some kind of memory. But I come up empty. What am I supposed to do? I close my eyes as a headache begins to form. "Brother, don't force it. It's alright."

"What happened to me?" I ponder, brushing off his words. I need my memories back. How can I come to terms with having a mind that feels like an empty void? What exactly happened to me?

He meets my gaze for a few moments before sighing and averting his eyes.

"You had an accident," he replies, furrowing my brow. That's what the doctor said. I'm not surprised, but I don't know what to feel. I just want to shed light on everything. "I think that's enough. Don't stress yourself. I missed you, brother," he says, patting my shoulder.

I can't find the words to respond. It feels warm, a slight twinge in my chest. I simply glance at him and force a smile. I may not know him, but I can sense the familial connection.

I lay back in bed and gaze at the ceiling, attempting to find some semblance of peace. But the unease won't dissipate. Am I dreaming? I don't know what to hold on to. I feel that something out of the ordinary is happening...

As if something worse is yet to come.

"Lucas."

My body tenses as I hear a strange voice to my right, yet there's no one there.

It sends shivers down my spine. Where did it come from? It wasn't my brother. It sounded like a woman.

"Brother, are you alright?"

I turn my gaze to him, and he seems clueless. I study his eyes for a moment, and he appears genuinely perplexed.

"Was that you?" I ask anyway, referring to the voice I just heard. I expect him to nod, but instead, he looks puzzled.

"Me? What?"

"Someone spoke. Did you hear it?" I shudder, obviously on edge. If it wasn't him, then who?

Maybe he's playing a prank on me. Someone mentioned my name! I don't know who, but I'm sure I heard it!

"Lucas, there's no one else here. I didn't hear anything," he stammers. I want to believe he's messing with me, but he seems sincere. He truly has no idea.

I divert my gaze from him and close my eyes. It must have been my imagination, a hallucination.

"Lucas!"

It's hard to put into words, but suddenly, everything spirals out of control. It's like standing at your own funeral, physically present but emotionally absent. You can observe, listen, but you can't speak.

There's this guy rushing out of the house, jumping into a car. He's trembling, sweating, in a frantic hurry, as if someone's going after him.

He starts the car, gripping the steering wheel tightly, reaching for his phone. He accelerates, paying no mind to anything around him.

"D-Dad..." he groans into the phone. His jaw trembles, sweat dripping down his face, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Hello, Lucas?"

Tears stream down his cheeks.

"Lucas? Are you alright?"

"D-Dad, I-I'm s-sorry... I'm s-so sorry..." he stutters. He pays no attention to the road. I don't know where he's going; he's driving recklessly.

"Where are you? What's happening? Tell me!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" he cries out. "I don't want to die, I-I don't..."

"Please, calm down and tell me where you are!"

"I told you, I don't know, Dad!"

"Son, please, tell me where you are."

His voice drips with desperation as he tries to take a moment to assess his surroundings, but he seems disoriented. He can't seem to grasp his location, and neither can I.

"AHHHHHH!!!" he screams, throwing his phone onto the backseat. I'm on edge, my heart racing.

"Brother?" I snap my eyes open, my body jolting with adrenaline. Everything feels like it's spiraling out of control.

"AHHHHH!!!" Fear takes hold of me in that moment. It's as if a lightning bolt has struck my mind, blinding me. I can't make sense of anything. "GET AWAY FROM ME! LET ME GO!"

"Son, calm down!" Dad grabs my hands, desperately trying to pull me back onto the bed.

"LET ME GO, LET ME GO!" I shout, my eyes locked on him, attempting to break free from his grasp. I'm not thinking clearly; I just want to escape, to disappear.

Suddenly, my body goes rigid, sweat pouring down my face, and I struggle to catch my breath.

"Brother, what's happening to you?" My brother's voice snaps me back into consciousness. He and Dad stand by my side, their expressions filled with deep concern.

I blink rapidly, scanning the room. Somehow, I've returned to reality, but I can't comprehend how it happened.

"Son, it was just a dream, okay?" Dad tries to soothe my frayed nerves.

I look at them for a few seconds, then take a deep breath. My heart pounds in my chest, and everything slowly fades away, like a droplet evaporating into thin air. My brother places a comforting hand on my back, and Dad offers me a glass of water.

"I... I'm sorry." I gulp, taking slow sips of water, gradually regaining my composure.

"It's okay, are you alright?" My brother asks, and I nod in response.

What was that? My mind struggles to process everything I witnessed. But there's something inside me, an inkling that my body is desperately trying to communicate. I don't know why.

It wasn't just a dream; it felt like something more.

...