Nothing but a Faceless Memory
rating: +23+x

The Wanderer had roamed the dark pit of this Level for far too long, silently cursing himself for ending up here in the first place.

He was in such a hurry to get away from whatever that thing was that he jumped into the elevator and slammed the singular button that supposedly led to Level 401 immediately. It was only halfway down the ride that he noticed the small screen above the door, "I'm different" emblazoned on it in glowing green. It didn't matter how much he pried at the door, he'd already selected a Level.

He wasn't exactly sure where he was at that moment, the elevator simply dumped him into a dark and cramped tunnel. He could make wild guesses at it until he died of dehydration, but it seemed like a better use of his time to look for an exit, any exit and get to some safer ground.

He strained his eyes into the darkness, and spotted a shape further down the tunnel. It was facing away from him, and it looked like another human. Another Wanderer if he was lucky, but he'd read more than enough about Entities that masquerade as human to lure in prey. He considered turning around and running in the other direction, but then again… he could trust… He could… trust…

He decided to approach the shape cautiously, as he walked towards it, he silently pulled the knife from his pocket, and held it in his hands. He was near enough now to make out the silhouette, and is that… is… that… You can trust…. Trust… your sister? he…. You….

You remember when you had just gotten that shiny new phone? You were so excited to try it out on the way back from the store! You were so eager that you pulled it out of its box while we were walking over that bridge near our house, just to hold it in your hand! You're holding it in your hand. You're holding it in your hand and you were so excited that you just let it slip from between your fingers and into the water! It makes a clanking sound when it hits the water.

You remember when it was your first day of 6th grade? You were so nervous getting off the school bus that I thought you'd faint! Remember taking those first steps towards the doors? It was something you didn't want to do, but you did it anyways. You took those first few steps towards the doors. You're taking them. One. Two. Three. Four.

You remember when your sister came back home after college? I was happy to see you, too. You were standing anxiously at the door, waiting for me to round the corner of the gate and-

That was the last time I saw you…

You need to stop dwelling on that. I'm here now, aren't I?

Yeah, I guess you are…?

Remember what you did when you saw me for the first time in all those years? You ran straight into my arms, didn't you? You're running towards me now. Come closer, you're about to-

I remember when I saw… when I saw that lucky penny on the ground.

That didn't happen.

Yes it did. It's one of my most treasured memories. I saw it on the ground and decided to walk over to it. I'm walking over to it

Stop it, that's not what's happening.

It's one of my most treasured memories. The penny was shining on the ground, I walked over to it and picked it up. I'm picking it up. I was careful when I picked the penny up so I didn't cut myself on it.

You're lying. None of that ever happened. You know none of that happened. Stop making things up.

I held the penny close to me… It's one of my most treasured memories…

You've always been a liar, you're a terrible brother.

You're coming around the corner of the gate. I'm running to you.

You're already dead. Stop trying.

It's been… such a long time… won't you have… this lucky penny..?

Get away from me.

Stop it.

Please.

PLEASE STOP

Treasured… memory…

The Wanderer pulled his knife from the chest of the faceless creature as he slumped on the ground. He looked around at his surroundings, but the familiar childhood visions had already melted away into dark wet concrete. He knew that it would be best for him to keep walking, but all the energy he had had long since been drained. As he laid down on the ground and succumbed to his exhaustion, a strange thought entered his mind.

He couldn't remember his sisters face.

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