Zombies'n'S**t Ep. 52

The Scientific Method

A long silence filled the room as Sophia stared at us, challenging us to contest her.  The only sound was the rain outside pummeling the concrete.  Carl took the bait and I smiled ruefully, "It's not that simple."  Sophia focused her attention on him, "Why can't it be that simple?  The worst that can happen is some minor memory loss."  At that Carl rocked back on his heels and sputtered, "What?!"  Sophia pressed, "Earlier, John completely forgot me and started attacking me, but I was able to remind him and he returned to normal!  Or at least as normal as he can get."

"Hey!"  I protested, Sophia nudged me with her hip and smiled at me.  I joined in, against my better judgement I might add, "We don't know if that was the result of violating the rule or my own memory problems.  For all we know, something worse can still happen."

Sophia grabbed my shoulders, "But that's just it!  Don't you see?  What could possibly happen?  A comet striking us all dead?"

A bright flash of light illuminated us for a split second and a tremendous boom shook the building around us as lightning struck somewhere very close.  Everyone jumped.

Carl and I looked at each other, then both of us looked back at Sophia silently and pointed outside simultaneously.

Deep rumbling came from far above our tiny shelter as the storm unleashed it's fury against the world.  Water was starting to creep across the floor from shattered windows, broken doors and collapsed walls.

"Argh!"  Sophia ran her hands through her hair, flinging droplets of water everywhere.  "You," she pointed at me, "Are so freaking stubborn!  You don't know, because it could be nothing!  Nothing could happen!  How do you even know that stupid rule?  Who told you?"

Mustache, monocle and top hat.

Carl opened his mouth to speak, frowned and closed it again, puzzled.  I sat down and muttered, "We don't know.  We just seem to all know.  I don't think anyone knows where it started, but there is more going on than anyone can grasp."

We spent the next few hours arguing the subject and telling Carl all about my capture, escape and the following time until we ran into him.  Finally, Sophia stopped us and declared, "We can find out if the memory loss is a personal problem with John, or is you both suffer from it!  You lost your memory about 24 hours after you revealed your true self to me, right John?"  She was almost giddy with her solution.  "I think so," I hedged, not very happy with the path this conversation was taking.  Carl pipped up, "Wait, wait.  John can't remember his origins, but he has never had an episode like you described before.  So if it is the result of revealing ourselves to you, how do we make sure you can remind us so we can return to normal?"

We mused over that in silence for a few minutes.  Sophia looked at me again, "What snapped you out of it last time, John?"  I squirmed, uncomfortable.  "I dunno.  It was a combination of things not making sense.  You didn't run or attack me like most Normies.  You talked to me like you knew me."  I started sifting through the memory.  Sophia added "But that didn't stop you.  What triggered the return to normal?"  I focused on the end of the situation, then I remembered.

I remembered.

Her eyes.  Like melted chocolate.  Like the chocolate she gave me.

I didn't meet her eyes.  "I saw," I stumbled over my words and had to try again, realizing how weird it sounded, "I saw your eyes.  They reminded me of the chocolate you gave me."  I finally worked up the courage to look up at her.  She was staring at me, and I met her eyes.  I saw the compassion in them.  She smiled at me.  I smiled back without thinking.

"Do you two need a room?"  Carl's words snapped us both back to the conversation.  I cleared my throat, uncomfortable with the amount of intimacy and emotion exchanged between Sophia and I in that brief moment.  Sophia didn't even blush, "Why that?  John, why did that trigger it?"  I looked between Carl and Sophia.  They were both watching me intently.  A part of me wanted to snarl obscenities and vague threats at them and storm off.  I realized that was childish and forced it down.  I don't like pressure.

"The chocolate you gave me, it wasn't something I needed.  I didn't need to eat it.  You needed it more than I, probably.  You gave it to me just because I asked, as friends would.  I remember thinking that I wanted to try something other than flesh.  I-"  I froze in mid sentence.  Carl and Sophia gestured for me to continue.  I hung my head and whispered:

"I wanted to be normal."

Author's Note

Wow. I legitimately did not see that coming until the last couple of sentences. Sometimes I forget that, for all of this, I'm just flying on the seat of my pants. At best the early parts are thought out, because I re-read the previous episode and start formulating ideas for the next episode. But everything pretty much goes out the window when I start writing. Excuse me, typing. As for the title, it may not be entirely accurate, but close enough for government work. Develop a hypothesis and test.