- Read part 1 -

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Avis opened his eyes. He dimly perceived the familiar contours of his bedroom around him. His head hurt like hell and he had to fight down the urge to vomit. Just as quickly as the memory had overtaken him, it was gone. Flashed back into nothing. He lay there in the darkness for a while, wondering about the whole experience. He wondered how many pills were left in that box.

Not enough.

The memory had been so real, so pure. Seeing it come to life, feeling himself there again, had been one of the best things that had happened to him in a long time. Avis recognized the danger in that. But did he care? That was the real question he set before himself.

His friends. Elizabeth. They were all back there, waiting for him. Whereas, all he had now was this empty dark apartment. He lived alone in a city full of strangers. Sometimes, he admitted he felt like just another stranger. Even to himself. Living a life which had long ago chosen its course without him, and which no longer specifically needed his cooperation. He wondered when it happened. Was there a precise moment in time, he wondered, a memory he could enhance? Where he could go back and relive the day when he had thrown his hands up and let the autopilot take over? He was sure there must be such a day – even an hour or exact minute maybe - that it hadn’t been a long slow creeping process, a gradual covering-over with vines and debris. But what good would it do to go back there and see it, to see him hand his life over to the cold ruthless pattern of mere causality?

The phone rang in the kitchen. Avis didn’t want to answer it, didn’t want to talk to anyone. But knew he had to do something to break him out of this train of thought. It rang again. Groaning, he got up to answer it.

“Hello?” Avis said, feeling only half alive.

“Good evening Mr. Avis sir, I’m calling from the National Institute of…” A cheery salesperson started.

“What are you selling?” Avis couldn’t believe he’d gotten out of bed for this. But it figured.

“Sir, I’m not selling anything. But thank you for your interest. In fact, I’m collecting statistical data for the purposes of…”

“Not interested.”

“When can I call back, sir?” The salesperson continued undeterred.

“Never,” Avis said.

“How’s tomorrow evening? I understand you must lead a busy life and that….”

Avis was becoming enraged. “Listen, I don’t want to talk to you. Don’t call me back tomorrow. Don’t call me back ever! I demand to be taken off your list. If you bother me again, I’ll file a complaint with the proper authorities”

“Sir, I understand your frustration, but I must inform you, that we’re not bound by those regulations. I’ll call you back tomorrow night.”

“I’m not going to answer your fucking survey questions, do you understand me? You’re wasting your goddamned time, and…” The signal cut off. The salesperson had hung up on him. Avis couldn’t believe it. He felt even worse than before. He put the phone back onto the receiver, and spotted the rest of the pills over on the counter. Just as he took a step forward, the phone rang again. He reached back and picked it up, ready to explode in fury at the telemarketer. Calling him right back, how dare they.

“Hello… Zack?” A woman’s voice answered.

“Who is this?” Avis felt his temper cooling slightly.

“You mean, you don’t recognize me? No, of course not. Why would you? That was so long ago.” She sounded nervous. Who the hell was this, Avis wondered?

“Oh my god…” he said. “Elizabeth?”