The Subconscious Trials

*Kendra's POV*

"I remember."

Luke's reaction was immediate as the words escaped my lips, causing him to freeze in place.

"What?" he stammered, clearly taken aback.

"I remember my childhood Luke, my mother my father."Tears welled up in my eyes as I spoke.

"She's gone, Luke," I managed to choke out between sobs.

The weight of these newfound memories felt like a heavy burden on my heart, almost suffocating me.

Luke guided me to the red door of my parents' home, pushing it open and leading us inside before closing it with his foot.

We sat down on the sofa, and I continued to cry in his arms. He didn't say a word, but his gentle touch and comforting presence were enough to soothe me.

Finally, he broke the silence. "Tell me about her," he said softly.

I painted a picture of my mother for Luke - her beauty, her soft brown hair, her doe-like eyes. I described her angelic voice we she sang to me, how it seemed to come straight from the heavens. As I spoke, the tears subsided, replaced by fond memories of her.

"Can you sing something?" Luke's voice was barely a whisper, his hand still caressing my hair.

The sun'll come out

Tomorrow

Bet your bottom dollar

That tomorrow there'll be sun

Just thinkin' about

Tomorrow

Clears away the cobwebs

And the sorrow 'til there's none

When I'm stuck with a day

That's gray and lonely

I just stick out my chin

And grin and say, oh

The sun'll come out

Tomorrow

So ya gotta hang on

'Til tomorrow come what may

Tomorrow, tomorrow

I love ya tomorrow

You're always, a day away

I softly sang the same song my mother used to sing to me, the melody evoking memories of her angelic voice. "If her voice was anything like yours, then it truly was a heavenly gift," he whispered.

As I looked into his eyes, a whirlwind of emotions overcame me, prompting me to lean in and kiss him. The connection we shared felt raw and fulfilling, leaving me yearning for more with each passing moment.

However, his demeanor swiftly shifted, his expression turning cold, reminiscent of his actions earlier that morning. I immediately distanced myself from him, the intimate moment shattered.

"Let's explore a bit," I suggested as we both rose from the couch. Just as I began to walk away, Luke's voice halted me in my tracks.

"Kendra," he managed to utter before his eyes rolled back, and his body went limp. He collapsed on the floor managing to hit his head on the coffee table on his way down.

In a panic, I screamed his name and rushed to his side. After confirming his pulse was still steady, I struggled to lift him onto the couch, his forehead bleeding profusely.

I hurried to the kitchen to retrieve the emergency kit my mother kept on the top shelf, returning to tend to his wound. "What the hell happened, Luke?" I questioned , my voice filled with concern.

———

*Luke's POV*

I sprang to my feet and blinked rapidly to clear my vision, only to be met with Riley's horrified expression.

"What the hell, Riley? You can't just pull me out of the trials like that!" I exclaimed in frustration.

"Luke, this is important. Something really serious is going on. I couldn't wait," he explained, clearly panicked.

As my anger subsided, I asked with growing concern,

"What's going on?"

"It's Kendra's dad. He's trying to stop the project," Riley explained.

"What?!" I exclaimed in disbelief.

"He has hired a lawyer and is claiming Kendra was going through early stages of Dementia before signing the power of attorney to you," Riley filled me in on the details.

"No, she wasn't. She never had dementia," I said incredulously. "Doesn't he know I'm only trying to help?"

"He wants us to stop the project. He's threatening to sue you," Riley said.

"We can't stop the project, Riley. She hasn't regained all of her memories yet," I insisted.

Riley fell silent, lost in thought for a moment. "Maybe you should try reasoning with him," he suggested.

I simply nodded, heading towards the door. Before opening it, I turned back to Riley.

"Riley, please take care of her. Let me know if anything changes," I requested.

"Of course, Luke. I'll continue the trials while you're gone," he assured me.

———

I stood in front of the familiar red door, the same one from the trials, but this time Kendra would not be waiting inside. I knocked, feeling a slight nervousness about seeing her dad and unsure of how he would treat me.

The door opened, and Mr. Evans's once warm eyes now stared back at me with coldness. "You have some nerve showing up here," he said, anger clear in his tone.

"Mr. Evans, may I come in?" I asked, ignoring his cold response.

"No," he replied coldly.

"Please hear me out. You know I would never do anything to purposely hurt Kendra. I loved her. I still do," I said, hoping he would remember our once strong bond.

Mr. Evans had always been like a father to me. He had approved of my relationship with Kendra, but everything changed after she lost her memories. He stopped answering my calls and closed himself off. I couldn't blame him; he had lost his wife and now, in a way, his daughter as well.

He sighed and stepped away, giving me space to enter his home. Once inside, I followed him to the dining table where he sat and gestured for me to do the same.

I sat on the other end, facing him.

"Luke, this is not a plot against you. I'm only trying to do what's best for my daughter. I lost her mother, and I will not lose her as well so that you can play scientist," he said sternly.

"Mr. Evans, it's not like that. Please, you have to listen," I paused, waiting for him to object, but he only nodded for me to continue.

I took a deep breath as I prepared to make my point.

"This trial is working; she's remembering," I told him.

"Luke, I have been patient for a year while you used my daughter as a test subject, hoping you would eventually tell me that you had fixed her. Unfortunately, that news never came. What evidence do you have that this so-called trial is actually working?" He asked in an almost condescending tone.

Despite his attitude, I pushed my dissatisfaction aside, understanding that he was only concerned for his daughter's safety.

"She remembers her childhood. She sang to me 'Tomorrow' and told me about how her mother used to sing it to her," I explained.

"How do I know this isn't something she told you about before the Alzheimer's?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I am anything but a liar, Mr. Evans. I find it hard to believe that you would think so poorly of me after all the years we have known each other," I defended myself, feeling offended by his hostility.

He sighed and brought his head down to his hands, his actions calming me as I realized he was grieving just as I was.

Although Kendra may not have been gone completely, her absence in our lives was deeply felt.

Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

"Come back to the lab with me. I want to show you just how much progress she has made."

An: Is Kendra's dad in the wrong?

What do you guys think will happen next?

I would love to hear from you guys.

XO ~KC