Garfield slowly opened his eyes, groggily taking in his surroundings. He was in a hospital room with pale blue walls and a faint smell of disinfectant. The steady hum of machines filled the background, and a sign on the wall read, "New Hayden General Hospital." A beautiful lady sat beside him, her face etched with worry and relief. Her hand trembled slightly as she reached out to touch his arm.
"Gar, you're awake!" she exclaimed, smiling through her tears. Gar tried to speak, but his throat was dry. Evelyn quickly handed him a glass of water, and he sipped gratefully, feeling the cool liquid soothe his throat. But as he looked at her, he realized he had no memory of who she was or who he was. His mind was blank, a vast void where his memories should have been.
"Who... who am I?" he croaked, his voice barely a whisper. Evelyn's smile faltered, her expression shifting to one of concern and sadness.
"You're Garfield Heights, my husband. You were in an accident... a bad one. You don't remember anything?" she asked, her voice trembling with a mixture of hope and fear.
Gar shook his head, feeling a wave of panic rising within him. The more he tried to remember, the more his mind seemed to resist, like a door locked tight with no key in sight.
Later, Gar and Evelyn returned home. The drive was quiet, the silence between them heavy with unspoken fears. Her mother, Rory Waverly, visited, her presence bringing tension to the already fragile atmosphere. The moment Rory entered the house, her sharp eyes took in every detail, and it wasn't long before she sparked an argument.
"He's useless, Evelyn! He can't even provide for you. That cheap car he managed to buy, he wrecked it in an accident and used his unconsciousness to evade a quarrel with everyone!" Rory said, her voice laced with disdain.
"That's not fair, Mother! Gar is trying his best. He's been through a lot," Evelyn defended, her voice rising as she stood up for her husband.
"Trying his best? He's not even trying! He's just a burden, Evelyn. You deserve better than this, better than him," Rory retorted, her words cutting deep.
"I won't let you talk about my husband like that! He's a good man, and he's trying to recover from his accident," Evelyn said, her voice firm with resolve. Despite her fierce defense, there was a hint of desperation in her tone, as if she was trying to convince herself as much as her mother.
The argument continued until Rory stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her. The sound echoed in the small living room, leaving an uncomfortable silence in its wake. Evelyn sat down heavily on the couch, her face buried in her hands.
The next day, Gar went for a job interview at a delivery company. The building was old, with peeling paint and faded signage, but the people inside seemed friendly enough. The manager, a middle-aged man with a friendly smile and a slight limp, asked him questions.
"So, Garfield, tell me about yourself," the manager said, leaning back in his chair as he studied Gar with interest.
Gar repeated the answers Evelyn had told him to say. "I'm a hard worker, and I'm eager to learn new skills. I'm confident I can do this job well," he said, hoping his words sounded convincing.
The manager nodded thoughtfully. "Great! Have you had any experience in delivery or customer service?"
Gar hesitated for a moment, then repeated Evelyn's words. "Yes, I've had some experience in customer service. I'm comfortable interacting with people."
The manager smiled, seemingly satisfied with the answer. "Excellent! Can you submit your resumé?"
Gar handed over his resumé, which Evelyn had given him. The paper felt slightly damp in his hand from his nervous grip.
"What motivates you to work for our company?" the manager asked, his eyes narrowing slightly as he observed Gar.
Gar repeated Evelyn's words once again. "I'm looking for a new challenge and a chance to grow with a reputable company."
After answering the questions, Gar thought to himself, "I'm just repeating what my wife told me to say. I don't remember anything. I don't even know if I've had experience in customer service. Everything feels like a script I'm reciting."
The manager nodded, seemingly impressed with Gar's answers. "Welcome to the team, Garfield. You'll be driving a blue and white truck, wearing a matching uniform. You'll start tomorrow. Make sure you arrive on time," he added with a wink.
Gar left the office, feeling a mix of emotions. He was relieved to have gotten the job, but he was also anxious about not remembering anything about his past or his skills. The world around him felt both familiar and alien, like he was living someone else's life.
The next day, Gar wore the uniform, a crisp blue shirt with white stripes, and drove the truck to deliver a parcel to an old man. The uniform felt slightly stiff, as if it had never been worn before. When he rang the bell and the man came out, Gar instinctively called the man's name, "Mr. Jenkins!"
The man nodded. "That's me. Thank you, young man," he said, taking the package with a smile.
As Gar walked back to the truck, he swung his hand around his face, trying to get rid of something that seemed to be buzzing around him. The man stared at him, weirded out by the strange behavior. Gar stopped, feeling self-conscious, and quickly got into the truck.
That's when the system appeared, a translucent virtual reality screen hovering in front of him, glowing softly with an otherworldly light.
_System Initialization_
_Welcome, Gar_
You have been selected to participate in the Synergy System, a revolutionary program designed to optimize your physical and mental abilities.
Gar stared at the screen, his heart pounding in his chest. He blinked several times, but the screen remained, as real as the steering wheel in his hands.
_User Profile_
- Name: Garfield Heights
- Age: 28
- Level: Lv. 1
- Job: Delivery Person
- Title: None
_Daily Objectives_
Complete the following tasks to earn rewards and progress:
- 100 push-ups (Strength +5)
- 100 sit-ups (Agility +5)
- 100 jumping jacks (Endurance +5)
- Run 10km (Stamina +10)
- Spend 200 dollars (Financial Acumen +5)
- Read 1 book on self-improvement (Mental Clarity +10)
- Learn 10 new vocabulary words (Linguistic Ability +5)
_Rewards_
- 100 gold coins
- +10 Synergy Points (SP)
- Unlock: Basic First Aid Skill
_Time Limit_
You have 12 hours to complete the daily objectives.
_Penalty Warning_
Failure to complete the daily objectives will result in a penalty:
- -10 gold coins
- -5 Synergy Points (SP)
_System Tips_
- Complete objectives efficiently to maximize rewards.
- Balance your physical and mental development for optimal synergy.
- Explore the system to discover new features and abilities.
- Invest in yourself to unlock new skills and upgrades.
_Initialization Complete_
You may now begin your journey with the Synergy System. Good luck, Gar!
Gar's mind raced as he read the introduction. "What is this? Some kind of game? How is this even possible?" he muttered to himself, feeling a mixture of confusion and intrigue.
He looked around, wondering if anyone else could see the virtual screen. But he was alone in the truck, the world outside continuing as if nothing had changed.
With a mix of excitement and trepidation, Gar decided to embrace the system and see where it would lead him. Maybe this system could help him regain his memories, or at least give him some direction in this strange, new life.
He started with the first objective: 100 push-ups. Gar got out of the truck, found a relatively quiet spot in the parking lot, and began doing push-ups on the hard asphalt.
As he finished the last push-up, the system beeped, and a notification appeared, floating before his eyes.
_Objective Complete_
+5 Strength
+5 gold coins
Gar smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. The reward felt real, even if the gold coins only existed in the system. He continued with the next objective, eager to see what other challenges the system had in store for him.
Gar completed the next few objectives, feeling a sense of progress and accomplishment with each one. He ran 10km, did 100 sit-ups, and even spent 200 dollars on a new pair of running shoes (which he didn't need, but the system told him it was necessary).
As he finished each objective, the system rewarded him with gold coins, Synergy Points, and even unlocked a new skill. The sensation of leveling up, of growing stronger and more capable, was intoxicating.
But despite the progress, Gar couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off. He still didn't remember anything about his past, and the system seemed to be controlling his every move, guiding him in ways that felt both helpful and intrusive.
He decided to take a break and grab a snack at a nearby café. As he sat down at a small table, he noticed a strange notification on the system, different from the previous ones.
_New Objective_
_Meet with a mysterious stranger at the old warehouse at 5 pm_
Gar's heart raced as he read the new objective, his mind swirling with questions. Who was this stranger, and what did they want with him? Was this connected to his lost memories, or was it something entirely different?