Masa con Papas: Proxy's Memory

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You make your way into the world of Red. It’s striking, perhaps a little somber even.

In front of you lies a huge building, one surrounded with the decor of rubble, machines, and angelic formations that echo with the sounds of medical equipment beeping along.

You step inside through the front entrance, finding yourself immediately greeted by a proxy in a nurse’s hat and cloak.

???: I didn’t expect someone to be here so soon..

???: You appear to be more than alive and well though.

???: Are you a visitor or a guest?

Geezer: What’s the difference exactly?

???: If you’re a visitor you’re here to see someone.

???: A guest is here to get patched up and recover.

???: It’s a bit of a makeshift setup admittedly but I assure folks are taken care of.

Geezer: There other people here?

???: Two… well…

???: One has left recently. Styx who’s been dormant for years finally woke up.

???: Just vanished last evening without warning. Seems to have made a mostly successful recovery.

???: Defanged a bit admittedly. Entities without their power intact aren’t long for the world. Hopefully he comes back to recover a bit more…

???: The other is a rabbit. A dopple if I recall correctly?

???: He just showed up one day. Doesn’t seem to talk or anything.

Geezer: That’s who I’m here to see.

Geezer: He alright?

???: Mostly. He’ll starve himself if I don’t remind him to eat but otherwise he’s fairly quiet, harmless even.

???: Might I ask your relationship?

Geezer: Uh…

Geezer: Complicated.

???: I’m sure it’s nothing that odd for this place.

???: So may I ask again? I don’t like strangers disrupting folks.

Geezer: He’s… my original body.

The proxy looks closely at you, “squinting” her eyes just a little.

???: Ah! That checks out.

???: A body without its soul just lives to the most basic of instinct and necessity.

???: Poor thing practically grew up in here…

???: Contract poisoned to hell too. A little sickly.

???: You have any issues with symptoms?

Geezer: Nah, I lucked out I guess.

???: Goood… Oh! I should clarify who I am.

???: I’m the watcher of this facility. Styx’s contracts can’t really erase anything from existence.

???: Things that are lost end up here, including him.

???: I… don’t really have much of a name though.

???: I’ve forgotten it long ago.

Geezer: No memory?

???: It’s a blur. But I feel like whatever name I had back then is one I don’t want to keep.

???: I don’t think I was a good person…

Geezer: What makes you say that?

???: Sometimes your heart just knows. I wronged people in some way.

???: My station here is punishment I think….

???: So if my fate is to stay here and make amends of my own…

???: I’ll take that for now.

Geezer: Huh…

Geezer: Mind if I give you a name?

???: You?

Geezer: Something to call you while I’m here. Just for convenience.

???: That’d be so nice… are you sure?

Geezer: Yeah. Figure it’s easy.

Geezer: Got a bit of a floral thing going on…

Geezer: Something not corny… or maybe that’s what we need?

???: Corny is fine.

Geezer: Elote.

???: …. I see.

???: I actually kind of like that though…

???: Elote it is.

Geezer: Yeah?

Elote: It has a soft sound to it..

Elote: Thank you..

Geezer: I do what I do.

Elote: Elote…

She repeats the sound a few times to let it really settle in.

Geezer: You okay there?

Elote: Me? Fine just…

Elote: Let me get you to your friend. Sorry to get so distracted.

She grabs your hand and leads you down the hallway.

You can’t help but wonder why a lone nurse is lingering here… or why this facility exists to begin with..

Geezer: Was it really just Styx and my body?

Elote: There were others, mostly proxies. Many of them haven't returned in years so I can only hope they’re doing well…

You two stop in front of the entrance to a rather cozy looking room.

You could practically fall asleep looking at it.

Elote: He should be in here..

Elote: Please be kind….

You nod.

Take a deep breath.

You got no idea what your body looks like after all these years…

It scares you to think too much about what state it could be in after everything…

Just have to find out…

You step through the door.