When Ash awoke, he was in a white room. Blindingly white. A sign was on the ceiling. He was still too asleep to read it. He sat up on the side of the bed he was in and put his head in his hands. Desperately trying to shake the pall, he stretched his body and got up. He looked around the room and his eyes fixated on the bedside table. It was cluttered with papers, post-it notes, and a clock. He thumbed through some of the post-it notes and pads of paper and found what looked to be a schedule. He looked at the clock. 8:15. He looked at the window. It was dark, and it didn’t look like it was going to get light anytime soon, it must’ve been night. He looked at the schedule. It said that from 8:00pm to 8:30pm was supper. He looked around for somewhere where there would be food, and for some reason remembered the sign. He sat on the bed and looked up and read the sign. He went and opened the door and nearly ran into a rather big orderly.
“I… was wondering if I could get something to eat?” he stammered embarrassedly.
“You’ve already had something to eat, you just got back from the cafeteria a few minutes ago.” He said, giving another orderly a strange look.
“Oh…I’m sorry.” Ash said blankly as he went back into his room. He read the sign again. So he was in a hospital. Why? Think, Ash, why would you possibly be in a hospital. He thought to himself. You got hurt. But you seem fine. So, maybe it’s a mental hospital. Why can’t you remember? Maybe it is a mental hospital. Ok, you know who you are. You know where you came from. You know your mother and…no, that won’t do you any good. What’s the last thing you remember? Misty. You were driving. Was it a car crash? Yes, it was. How do you know? How long have you been here? But an orderly opening the door and calling his name interrupted his train of thought.
“Mr. Ketchum. Mail.” He said. Ash blankly thanked him and took a thin envelope. He tore it open and inside was a single slip of paper with a single message on it. Ash stared at it.
They’re lying to you. Misty was murdered.
Ash stared at the note for a half hour.
“So, what was wrong with the
car?” asked Brock as he drove Ash and Misty home.
“Everything.”
Misty said with a chuckle.
“It
needed new brake pads and a new muffler.” Ash said. “That’s all.”
“Well,
you can borrow my car until yours gets out of the shop if you want.” Brock
offered.
“Thanks!”
Ash said.
“Just be careful when you turn left, the wheel sticks on that side.” Brock said as they drove off into the night headed for home.