Distant Memories (1)

His eyes fluttered open as the sun's gentle warmth reached him, waking him up softly.

The pleasant smell of flowers and nature surrounded him, a welcome experience upon awakening. His nose twitched at the pleasant smell of the flowers.

Beneath him, he felt the thorny yet tender green grass, a soothing sensation against his limbs as he stirred from sleep. 

He ruffled the grass with his fingers, enjoying its texture and the coolness beneath the surface.

The gentle wind brushed against his skin as he lay in a white robe, allowing him to feel its touch against his bare skin.

He rose from the ground, realizing he had been lying on a hill beneath a giant oak tree. Shielded by the tree's shadow, the sunlight couldn't rouse him earlier.

He took a moment to look around, taking in the sprawling meadow filled with wildflowers of every color. 

The sight was vibrant, almost surreal in its beauty, with butterflies flitting from bloom to bloom.

Rubbing his eyes, he noticed other children a bit farther back, playing together. They were about his age, all wearing the same white robe as him. 

Laughter filled the air, a sound that made him smile despite his grogginess.

As he began to walk toward them, he felt a hand touch his shoulder.

"You're finally up. We didn't want to wake you, but it's not as fun to play tag with Zeph as it is with you," said a cheerful boy who appeared behind him, waiting on the other side of the large oak tree.

Turning, he saw the boy's face framed by a shock of white hair, reminiscent of an old man's, something he had always teased him about. 

But he couldn't help but smile the moment he saw him. In the world, this boy was his best friend.

"You're just slower than Zeph, Aur, even I'm not as fast as her," he laughed, his cheerful laughter drawing another young child around their age to them.

A young girl with green hair and green eyes approached, her face lighting up when she saw him.

"Hi, wanna play tag with us?" asked Zeph the moment she saw he was up, almost ignoring Aur's presence.

"He's so boring to play tag with. Aur is just too slow," she whined, starting to run circles around the two boys. Her speed was staggering, unlike any child's, yet he could still follow her movements.

"But Aur is stronger, so don't be like that, or he's going to throw me into the pond again," he said, laughing. Aur had the strength to casually pick him up and toss him into the pond—something that had happened way too many times now.

The three children were happily laughing as they began to play tag. Aur was the first to start running, fleeing from the speed monsters.

The boy was "it," and with electricity crackling across his body, he sprinted with staggering speed, chasing after Zeph.

"You can't catch me!" shouted Zeph as she ran across the fields, the sun high in the sky. Her green hair streamed behind her like a banner as she darted effortlessly through the meadow.

While they played without a care in the world, they were being watched from afar, from a window they could never see. 

Inside the window, several monitors and computers could be seen, manned by doctors in white robes. They were all monitoring the playing children while typing away on their computers.

This little warmth, these small moments of pure happiness, they were all artificial, but this did not matter to them as they did not know.

"You can't run for long!" he shouted while his speed was still staggering, though not quite matching Zeph, who moved like she was one with the wind.

Her speed was unmatched, even by him, who was fast like lightning yet still lacking compared to her. The meadow echoed with their laughter and shouts.

"Can I join as well?"

A young boy stopped them, the same age as the others. His skin was deathly pale, his hair black, and his posture ragged, as if exhausted just from walking up to them, he wore a white mask as well.

"Get lost, Noah. You can't even play tag with us. Stop bothering us," hushed Zeph, waving him away.

The boy wanted to protest but couldn't while he watched Noah walk away with tears welling in his eyes.

He tried to reach out.

He tried to call Noah.

His head was spinning.

His heart ached.

The tranquil scene, the beautiful greenery, the pleasant fragrances—all of them began to slowly fade. 

***

Jin jolted awake, drenched in cold sweat.

The room around him was stark and sterile, a sharp contrast to the vibrant meadow of his dream. 

Harsh fluorescent lights buzzed above, casting a cold, artificial glow over the bare white walls and floor.

He sat up in his narrow bed, the thin blanket tangled around his legs. His breath came in ragged gasps, and he shivered despite the stifling warmth of the room.

The air felt heavy and stale, devoid of the sweet scents of nature.

A small, barred window high on the wall allowed a sliver of moonlight to pierce the darkness, highlighting the sparse furniture: a metal chair, a small desk cluttered with papers, and a wardrobe with its door slightly ajar.

Jin wiped the sweat from his brow, his heart still racing. 

"Fuck." 

Cursing under his breath, Jin's head pulsated with pain, the relentless headaches showing no signs of stopping. He tried to open his nightstand, his eyes barely seeing through the haze of agony.

Despite his impaired vision, Jin still tried to reach for the painkillers, but without his sight, he could barely locate them.

"Got it," he muttered, finding the bottle after a few moments that felt like an eternity due to the mind-numbing pain.

Wasting no time, he opened the bottle and took his medicine with shaking hands. As soon as he did, he couldn't do anything but freeze up and wait for the meds to take effect.

After about ten minutes, the pain started to subside, the pulsating ache becoming weaker and less distracting. Jin didn't even wait for it to fully take effect; the fact that the pain had lessened was enough for him.

With his head still aching, he began to rise from his bed and put on his clothes.

"That dream again…" he muttered, tired not just physically but mentally as well. This recurring dream had been plaguing his mind for years now.

Putting on his white coat hanging from the door, he opened it and left his empty room, only to find Thirteen still awake in the middle of the night.

"Jin, why are you awake?" asked Thirteen, his eyes shifting from his countless monitors to Jin, only to see his partner with the same pale complexion as his.

"Sorry, Thirteen… I just need to get some fresh air, as fresh as I can get in Dust City," answered Jin, opening the door of their apartment. He left with a wave of his hand, peering out into the dimly lit corridor.