Chapter 1: Memories From Within

I wander the street for a while. I couldn't figure out where to go. It's not like I had any goal in mind but, I do feel the need to find shelter. A word I learned a while ago as soon as I looked at something that helped me trigger the information. The zombies that wandered towards the store earlier where we met those humans are still there. They never left and hovered around the store as if they were guardians of the place. It's been quite some time since then and I already understood a lot from these random bits and pieces of sudden infromation that appears in my mind. As I walk through the city, different items or structures will trigger these sudden knowledge. I'm still confused as it is, but it's easier to accept and comprehend what's going on.

I do wish I remember my name or able to utter a few words. I tried speaking earlier but the words I want to express turns into a different volume of groans. Even when I know what it sound's like, the minute I try to say it, my mind goes blank and my jaws lock in place only enabling me to produce a war cry of death. I take out a twinkie from my pocket and open the wrapper. At first, I didn't know if it was something edible or not but after looking at it for a few minutes, the information flooded my mind and I was able to recognize it. I slowly open the wrapper and as soon as I can, I take the first bite. It wasn't delicious but it wasn't bad. It's just, normal. I guess my taste is gone since this twinkie almost tastes the same as the one I ate earlier called instant noodles.

But, it was enough to satisfy my hunger for a brief moment. At least, my stomach doesn't grumble as much as before. Making me groan less. If it starts rumbling again, I'll just groan to mask the feeling. I kept wandering the streets and looking around made me feel a bit of joy yet, it was hard to create an expression for it. I just didn't know how to do it. I know what joy feels like internally but externally, everything was difficult express. Having frozen a poker face wasn't bothering me so I just kept wandering ignoring my still expression.

After a bit of dragging my feet, I found a building that lookes different from the rest of hte surrounding buildings.

Fancy? Just like before, the information will flood my mind making me understand the word. It was a weird feeling every time it comes. It's as if I was learning something for the first time yet I feel like I already experienced it enough to have a history associated with it. It's kind of hard to explain. I drag myself in the building and it wasn't a surprise that there were zombies everywhere. Some were just standing around while the rest wandered in a random direction. As usual, they ignore my existence but do react to the slightest sound within proximity. I walked towards a shiny metal wall and another piece of information floods my mind as I got close to it.

Elevator. This is an elevator. Knowing how to operate it, I press the button but nothing. It figures. Looking at a few wall mechanisms called light switches and outlets, basic information about electricity and its usage came into my brain. As of now, from what I know now, the city has no electricity. Yes, you heard me, this is a city. To be exact, a place called New York City. I found out after looking at a piece of folded shiny paper called the tour guide. I wasn't able to read anything but the familiarity of the paper was enough for me to know its a tour guide.

I also learned all about the earth when I found something called a map and travel brochures that I found near the travel guide. Even though this is new information, I get a feeling that I knew all of these before and I'm just remembering it slowly.

Remember? Memories? These are memories. My memories! My head felt like it was about to explode. I stopped in place and waited for the feeling to go away instantly but it didn't. It took a while till it disippated into a faint beating. From what I just learned, these bits of pieces of information are called memories. These are my memories that I'm slowly remembering them.

I have memories? Everything was so confusing. I'm remembering things that I have no recollection of ever experiencing yet my body is reacting as if I already have gone through it before. Yet, I still don't know anything about myself or this place I'm in. Not even myself.

Name? Identification. More words appear and now I know what I'm missing. I'm missing my name. Remembering what the guy named Mark said before, he called me weird-ass. I guess my name is weird-ass. I kept moving forward and walked inside the fancy building.

Looking around, I see a huge sign on the wall. I couldn't figure out what it is so I ignore it and wander towards a door. I know how to open a door, I push the door and it lead to another weird area.

Stairs. Staircase. More information came flooding in. I drag myself near the staircase but I didn't know how to use them. The informatio that came in my head seems to be incomplete. I know what it's called but I have no idea of it's purpose and how to use it. It was intimidating to look at as it seems to go on forever towards the top. I wander back out and I see a red thing surrounding something. The minute I approach it, another memory appeared.

This is a coffee table and those are couches. Even if it was weird, I feel happy learning. I just wish I can express it. My face remains the same no matter what I'm feeling inside. I sat on the couch and the feeling made me remember the word comfort.

Comfort? Comfortable. It felt amazing to touch. Well, except the spots where there are dried up red stains. Looking a bit closer to it, I remember another word.

Blood. This is blood. All of a sudden, my head felt like it was going to split apart and everything turned black.

...

"Honey, come eat before the food gets cold!" A voice echoes in the darkness and I look around but I couldn't find it. Slowly, the darkness turned into a room. there was a table and what seems to be food steaming on top of a white circular object. I approach it to try and touch it but my hand just went through. I look at my hands and it wasn't pale anymore. The black veins were gone and my nails weren't black. I clamp it shut and I feel warm from within.

A lady walked out of a doorway and I couldn't see her face as it was covered in black yet I could hear her voice which sounds too familiar. After a few seconds, a small human came running from another door and sat on one of the chairs. I couldn't see her face but I know she's called a child. Another one came running in and he's a bit bigger than the child. He quickly took some metal tools and started eating the food using those tools. The lady then sat across the table and I can see her mouth arch upwards. I didn't look creepy. It gave me a warm feeling making me remember the word happiness. It was an enjoyable sight. It feels familiar but I couldn't figure it out. From the same door that the child came out from, three girls came in and sat at the remaining chairs. They also picked up the metal tools and started eating with them.

I felt something drip down my cheeks and as soon as I touch it, it was wet. I didn't know what it is but I felt like I was choking yet I was able to breathe. I couldn't take my eyes off them as they ate and while making small yet fun conversation with each other.

Mother? Sisters? My head started recollecting memories and as soon as the word came in, the room started drifting away. I tried chasing it but the more I do, the further and further it drifts away up until I was back to darkness.

...

I woke up and my vision slowly focuses on the ground. I push myself up and seeing my hand, it was still pale with black veins. I clamp both hands tightly but there wasn't any warmth from within my palms. I look around and I was back in the fancy building I found earlier.

Sleep? Dream? Another batch of knowledge enters my mind. This time it was incomplete form. I knew what sleeping means and what are dreams but I feel like something is missing. I got back in the same position and closed my eyes to see if I can watch that scene again in my dream but even when I lay there in an awkward position for a while, I couldn't fall asleep. I sat up and leaning my back against the couch. It felt weird that I couldn't see it again but my face doesn't show it. I probably have the same expression ever since I found myself in the middle of the street earlier. I turn to my left and notice the blue sky have turned dark. And the yellow sun has become a pearl-white.

Moon? Night? Ah, it's night-time and that's the moon. I watch the moon as it calms my mind. to get a better look, I stand up and sit on the floor near the entrance leaning my back against the wall outside. The moon was relaxing to look at which I did for what seems to be a long time.

Time? Hours. Reminiscing the concept of time I learned on my way here. I found a giant circular object near the road with a bunch of lines inside. Then the concept of time and hours entered my mind and I knew the object I was looking at was something called a clock. A clock helps keep track of a lot of things. Connecting it with the other information, I'm slowly figuring out that time is connected to night-time and day-time. Certain hours will represent night and certain hours will represent the day. I just don't know what those hours are since my memory of it is incomplete. But, I do know that certain amounts of minutes represent an hour. I just don't know how many minutes and how many hours there are in total.

I watch the moon without worrying. When I felt hungry, I go back out to look for food and go back to sit in the same spot and watch the moon. But soon, it slowly sank past beyond the tall buildings and the sky started changing color to how it was before. The grumble in my stomach starts acting up again. The food I was eating wasn't enough and I need to find more.

All of a sudden, I hear a melodic sound from a distance. It was different than what the zombies made. It was similar to what I heard earlier and it was quite close. It was enchanting causing me to go into a trance for a bit. I decide to follow it wondering what is making such beautiful melodies. Maybe I'll find food again or even better, those beings called humans. I don't know why but, remembering those four was making me drool.