“Wait, come back! What happens if I don’t focus!?”

Nothing, only the annoying dripples of water clashing against porcelain echoed in the room. What a way to treat a newcomer, Sam, please come back. I can’t comprehend how to go through this door, I’m not sure I can stay focused either. No, come on Gray, you can do this! Focusing is easy, empty your mind, no thundering storms. Yeah, that’s a start. Locking my sights on the door, there is my objective, I will go through it. The old wood lining is not important, even if I wished I could touch it, it’s not that important.

I reached my arm out and paused for a moment, “Am I sure about this?”

Bah, I shouldn’t have second guessed myself, that didn’t help at all. Whatever. I’ll just jump into it, that’s better than waiting here worrying over nothing. I no longer hesitated and jumped right into the door.

As I was halfway through, a cat meowed, and I winced at it.

I went through it with no issue, yeah. Not until I was through the door did something begin to stir. My head felt as though it burst aflame and then it spread all over me, shattering, a mind shattering pain attacked me.

I grabbed my head and screamed, “Aaaghhhh!!!”

As I struggled with myself and my vision blurred, I craned my head to the right and there was Sam, three eyeballs to greet me.

“Make it stop! Please make it stop?! I just want it to stop!” I pleaded to Sam, the agony intensifying, it hurts so much.

“I remember warning you to stay focused. This is what happens when you don’t and the repercussions rise each time,” Sam’s voice mellowed down, “they- no, forget it.”

I sprawled about on the floor and sitting on my side was the cat that caused this to happen. The short haired orange tabby watched me with its brown eyes seeming amused and purring to no end. Retched cat, I’ll get my payback on you soon enough!

“It’s about to pass,” Sam said, “and now.”

As soon as Sam said ‘now’ relief flushed into my soul, Sam must understand the pain well. I lied on the floor catching a slight rest, haha, if I could sweat I would be drenched. I got up from the floor and scanned the hallway, looking for a certain furry feline burned into the recesses of my mind.

“Where did that cat go?” I asked, teeming with anger.

“The cat?” Sam replied as though confused. “Oh, you must mean Phraze. He trotted off downstairs, likely to greet his owner.”

“His owner, you mean the man you were talking about?”

“Yep, if Phraze headed to the first story, that’s where I bet he is right now.”

“Alright, let’s go see him,” I want to see a living person already!

“No need to rush,” Sam said, I swear Sam has no worries, it acts too relaxed sometimes.

Sam led the way and I followed. From inside the house looks rustic and well kept, though aged somewhat. Here on the second story there was a window at the end of the hallway, the bathroom I came out of, and four bedrooms. As we headed down the stairs there was another bedroom at the end on the left, the front door which had a painted glass window on the upper half of it, and on the right the living room.

Sam headed towards the living room and of course I followed yet again and there I saw him.

He held in his hands a rectangle case and inside of it, a memory of the past. His hair the color of ebony and the sides a clear silver. His forehead wrinkled, showing the signs of his age, and around his deep green eyes the crows had left soft footprints. His mouth was curved upward, but his eyes, his eyes that wouldn’t tear away from the casing, spoke of a sad tale. Phraze rubbed against his leg trying to get his attention, but it did nothing to break him from his stasis. He just sat on his couch and stared at the three, one of them himself.

“That’s Jason Rorty, the owner of the house, and the one we’ll be keeping company,” Sam told me.

“Why is he doing that?” I asked.

“You see those other two in the picture.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s his wife and daughter, they died last month,” Sam said, its voice carrying a somber tune.

“Oh, I see,” I shouldn’t be so inquisitive from here on out.

“Well, you’ve met all of the family. I’m going back upstairs,” Sam said and started for the stairs, but stopped at the end and turned back to me. “Aren’t you coming?”

“No, I’ll stay here for some time. I’ll come up later.”

“Hmm, got it.”

After I saw that Sam had went up the stairs, I went over to Jason, and from behind him I looked at the picture. His wife with her rosy cheeks looked so happy and his little girl was held up in the air by her parents. Her angel like smile blossoming, she couldn’t have been let down, not in the least. In the picture his eyes weren’t sad like they were now, no, they were aimed at his daughter and they were filled with joy.

I put my hand on his shoulder, “I’m sorry for your loss,” I said, but he didn’t say anything back, it didn’t matter to me though.

I floated to the window across from him, I’m lucky the drapes were already opened. The blue spanning across the sky made it a fitting color for today. Compared to Jason’s memories hurting him, my lost memories could be a blessing, but I still want them back even if their tragic.