"Secret" - Part Four: Charlie finds out who Travis and Ben really are.
By Justin F - soulstrong.net
Part IV Written 7/8/06
I wasn’t quite sure why I hadn’t pushed Travis to do it, but as he was now hiding from the window’s view all I could do was continue what he had wanted. I walked in to greet Ben, seeing a sweaty Travis standing in front of the mirror as he examined his body. The room’s smell of sweat and body odor hit me as I moved past it and stopped in the middle of the room.
Still not sure what I was doing, I stopped my eyes from being glued directly on Travis’ body and let my mind take over. There was a lot of equipment in the room from cardiovascular equipment to free weights to complete all-in-one gym equipment spread across the large mirrored room. “Hey Travis” I said as I traced my hand along a treadmill, trying to seem as nonchalant as possible.
Ben looked to me and replied with a shy “Hey” before turning back to a rack on a shelving unit and taking his jacket off the rack. “I...wanted to ask you something about earlier today” I introduced, looking to him from the other side of the room. He still looked away, holding his jacket, but looked to me through the mirrored wall. This…shyness didn’t make much sense. If Ben was in there, he would know me, and just like Travis had—probably want to reach out to me. Especially about the vague introduction I had just blurted out. But no, instead, he acted like…like…I was a crush who had finally said hello to him.
Was it possible he didn’t know of the switch that had occurred between Ben and Travis’ mental states? Was it…possible that perhaps who I thought was Travis in Ben’s body was really just lying to me? But…why would Ben want to do that? That’d be too elaborate…right? Ben knew me…he could have said something…but then again…some people don’t go about things the normal way. No…no that’d be too elaborate…it wouldn’t make any sense.
“Yeah?” he asked, gathering the confidence to turn around and put his loose black jacket on, fixing his sleeves so that the fabric could fit over his muscles. Yeah…definite confidence there—something I’m not sure the Travis I’d seen in my classes ever would have shown despite his muscle mass. But…perhaps Ben would have.
“Earlier in the cafeteria…you had gasped suddenly and then left the cafeteria as if nothing had happened—and it caught my eye…and I wanted to ask if…if you were all right? Like—if anything was wrong? Different? I…am taking a…few…medical courses--”
That last part I forced to not sound like a question…
“Oh…that” he nodded, taking a few steps towards me as if there was something holding him back.
“Yeah, that. I…ran into my friend Ben earlier today…and…he thought there might be something up about…gasping like that. And—and it didn’t sound like a apnea or…surprised gasp…just…something different…and I wanted to make sure…that you’re all in one piece” I got out, taking a step or two closer to him—as if none of the larger empty room was there---but just the two of us.
He threw his slightly curly dark brown hair back, rubbing his chin with his hand as he threw his hair back again and smiled, walking closer. “That…was just apnea like you said…or something. It just happened…I was fine after…I came here after actually—just sort of like an instinct I guess, since I only had a class earlier in the day and no more later on today…but it’s sweet of you for caring.”
I smiled in response to his, but if what he had said was true—that would mean that he didn’t realize any change, and that he even knew his—Travis’—schedule.
“Oh…well…you’ve always seemed like a great person and I was just worried. But…now that I’m here…did…we have any homework in class?” I asked, trying to get an definite answer. He had beautifully tan skin, and was so handsome. Both Travis and Ben were attractive in their own way…why was it I never asked either of them to go out?
“Oh no we didn’t have any homework. Just that mention after the power point that we need to know all of the steps of the study for next class. But we really went over that last class…” he replied, heading over to the door, opening it and waiting for me.
So…he…Ben…didn’t know of the switch then? He had recalled something that it seemed only Travis would remember…what did this mean?
I walked past him and smiled as he followed, “I’ll see you around” he announced, turning from me and walking down the large hallway.
I smiled as I watched him walk away but then turned—looking around to find the real Travis—or rather Ben.
“Hey—“ I heard as he tapped me on the shoulder. “What happened in there?” he asked, watching his true self walk further and further down the hall—still in sight.
“He…didn’t seem to be aware of the change at all….he even mentioned some moments of the last two days of class. It was like…it never happened for him. He even said that after ‘he’ had gasped, he went here and was fine. And he was shy when I first came in but became more confident as we talked…” I replied, trying to hit all of the main points of the conversation.
Travis nodded, though I could tell he didn’t expect any of that. Seeing that worry on his face made me realize something…that Ben wasn’t the one doing this to him. And that if Ben in Travis’ body only seemed to remember Travis’ memories…that Travis in Ben’s body should remember Ben’s memories…
I looked up and realized that Travis seemed to be thunderstruck—almost as if he were remembering something…or somethings.
“I’m…shy when I meet people I have crushes on…I was always shy around you…and when you first talked to me at the elevator I needed help so I just relied on you since you didn’t know who I was. And…if…you talked to…him and he was shy and loosened up to you…and didn’t seem to remember his old life…then…”
“Yeah?” I asked, placing my hand on his shoulder, sitting down with him at a nearby couch.
“Well…now I’m remembering some of Ben’s life…and…it’s getting a little bit harder to remember what I did yesterday now that I think about it…” He looked to me with sincere worry, as if he was losing who he really was…
“Yeah?” I asked again…watching him as he looked to the floor as he brushed his wavy light brown hair that touched his neck back behind his ears…something…Ben normally did…whereas…Travis normally threw his hair back…
“I’m…becoming him…I’m becoming Ben…Charlie” he whispered, looking up as he spotted his former self at a vending machine getting a bottle of water.
Earlier he had expressed that he wanted his old life back…but…it didn’t seem that he was doing anything about it now.
“Well stop it then! Uh---try and focus on who you were and think about going back into your body—into your life—living your life as a sophomore with a football and physical education scholarship—you have to focus Travis—“ I combated as I hoped he was listening. “Grasp your old life—try to go back to it—gasp already Travis—gasp!” I barked at him as I watched his stance and mannerisms transform from worry, hope, and despair to as if none of that were even on his mind.
He…wasn’t gasping…he was just staring out as he didn’t do anything…and I was sure I couldn’t do anything to stop it—and then he turned to me with a smile.
“Travis?” I asked, quickly looking back to see the real Travis finally opening the door to the main lobby to exit.
“My name’s Ben, Charlie—Travis is leaving, if you want to catch up with him you probably can. He’s definitely fast, trust me—I know.”
"...'Ben?'" I asked, thrown back by what he was saying. I looked down, still trying to figure out what was actually going on...
Ben?
Travis?
What…
What…what was this I was hearing?