chaosorc

I remember when they sold wrist watches.

Shut up, Quincy

She pulled the door open, after you. He kept his hands buried in the pockets of his jacket.

The street was noisy but once the door closed the place was strangely silent. He was examining the door and the glass wall at the front of the store when the woman called them forward, Lucy Quincy?

Lucy was already holding a clipboard with a pen attached by a string, listening attentively.

I can explain to him

I understand

The woman continued, once the form is completed and we have reviewed it we will call you back to record your Awakening Statement.

Sweet, she pushed her tongue piercing to the front of her mouth while she looked at the form, the woman continued.

Once the statement is accepted we will ask that you change out of your street clothes and you'll be here for about a week.

He perked up and looked at the woman and then Lucy then back at the woman's name tag.

Monica

Quincy

Is it possible to recover in less time?

We test every other day

That doesn't answer my question

I know, ask the doctor

When do I get to see him

After you sign the paperwork and agree to be here for at least a week.

Lucy looked at him and he was frowning as his eyes traced each line on the first page.

Do you need to hear it again?

No

Lucy walked to a leather cushion chair and sat with her legs crossed, began completing the paperwork.

Yes, Monica, he gave her his full attention as she recited the process, the risks, the need to be honest and maintain a the outlook as directed when recording the Awakening Statement.

Okay okay I heard this before

You did

Thank you, Monica

You're welcome, Quincy. Please, have a seat

He did

---

Lucy staring into the camera, jacket off, arms and legs visible, maximum body language captured in the camera sensor at the highest possible resolution in case it needed to be studied later in court.

The doctor said, talk to yourself and answer the questions on screen, then left the room.

She pressed the button on the desk and answered the prompts.

Why are you doing this?

If this wipes out everything he knows about me and I can give him some space maybe he will realize how much of him I am.

She pressed the button to stop and the next question appeared, what do you want to remember?

She pressed the button and continued,

I'm not sure I'll even forget. I mean, if I do then I want to remember the time we spent together, him and me and his phone. He is always on that thing, he misses important moments, it consumes him. That stupid game. The people he would rather text with than spend time with me. I want to remember how disinterested he was before we did this.

What do you want to forget?

She started to tear up when she saw the question. She put her head in her hand and when she looked up saw that there was a box of tissues mounted sideways under the lip of the table. She padded the corners of her eyes, checked her face in the rear facing camera on her phone, then pressed the button.

If I forget I hope it is everything.

She took a deep breath then let out a long sigh, her eyes red, tears continuing to appear, she pressed the button to stop.

What would you like to happen next?

When the recording began she was glaring.

I don't think it matters at this point, anything but this. Anything but the nights talking about the wedding or the joint account or having kids, then we have the same vanilla sex, listen to the same music, watch the same television shows again, go to the movie theater when it re releases his favorite films. And all the important things that should have happened, those need to happen next. And if you don't remember, if you let him do this to him again, she inhaled and her breath wavered because she was about to cry. If he does this to you again you deserve it.

She pressed the button hard, the television went dark, she pressed the other button and it lit up so the orderly would know she was ready.

•

Quincy staring into the camera, jacket on, maximum body language captured in the camera sensor.

Why are you doing this?

She made me. She won't take the next steps without it. I want to be with her forever but I want to be married, I want kids, I want to get a house and get out of the downtown life. Maybe buy a mini van.

He stared at the camera and bit his lower lip, phone in his hands, leg tapping nervously, curled forward.

What do you want to remember?

I love her so nothing, I don't want to remember any of it. It's going to be a relief, to have to learn about her all over again, our second first date.

He smiled but he was beginning to sweat, leg pumping, phone slipping slightly in his wet hands.

What do you want to forget?

All of it, especially the arguments, the missed anniversaries and birthdays, the vacations we didn't take. All the shit we planned but never did. I want to forget the disappointments, the letdowns, especially when it was me.

What would you like to happen next?

Fall in love again, get to do it over, but do it on a timeline. I'm sending this message to my future self, you have to get her to marry you within six months, then have the wedding ready to go. Paying off all the debt that is coming when you get the house, the kids, the car, it is going to be worth it when you are old and dying and your family is there so you are not alone.

He pressed the button to stop recording then scrolled his phone for a few minutes then pressed the button for the orderly and started another round of his game.