Kyle was an unusual man. If you’d asked anyone who’d met him who he was they simply wouldn’t remember. They would not be able to describe his appearance, his mannerisms, his friends or his job. Kyle was beyond forgettable, he was impression-less.
This caused significant difficulties growing up. Much like a child who cannot feel pain is prone to burns, Kyle was apt to be forgotten by his parents. Of course when he was present they cared for him, provided for his needs but unlike other parents who boasted of developmental milestones or signs of promise, Kyle’s parents just couldn’t remember him when he wasn’t around.
School probably wasn’t dissimilar for Kyle when compared to those ostracised for their looks or for being “the poor kid” or “the fat kid”. He attended his classes, sat his exams but left no mark. He only received passing grades because of the physical papers he had written - teachers struggled to picture the boy along with the name. His teachers never noticed that he hadn’t had a single parent’s evening review in his life.
Kyle of course knew there was something different about him, he’d recognised that he didn’t have any friends, that his parents felt distant. Once he’d moved out his parents didn’t call even once. It was not that he was unlikeable, he could have a pleasant conversation with someone, make them laugh, but the memory of him would be lost as soon as he left.
Kyle had managed to get a job in administration. It was ideal - he sent emails and paper copies for all relevant work, traceable items that wouldn’t be forgotten. His life trudged on day by day punctuated by mealtimes, reading and TV. He maintained no social interaction. He maintained no workplace relationships. He was a spec of dust in the infinite universe.
Intrusive thoughts became increasingly problematic. He wondered about stealing or if he committed a bank robbery whether the police could identify him - he guessed probably due to the CCTV footage. He had stolen small items from shops but reasoned that ‘normal’ people got away with this everyday anyway. Over time with Kyle was consumed by tenebrous obsessions and he decided to act.
He had scouted a local convenience store and found it did not have recording CCTV, only live monitoring. He loitered near the magazine section waiting for the right person. He wasn’t worried about people asking him to move due to his…condition. He occupied several hours reading through various magazines and crossword books. Eventually a cheerful young mother stood beside him, her baby nestled under soft yellow blankets. While the new mother shuffled through a parenting magazine Kyle swiftly reached into the pram and took the baby. He hid it beneath his large coat and walked out of the store. Not a single person noticed him.
He had reasoned that a baby must remember it’s father, and since he had no chance at sustaining a meaningful relationship which would lead to children, his rationale drove him to abduction. He would care for it, even try to love it, which to Kyle justified this desperate attempt to be known.
Kyle was able to start working from home without much impact on his job, after all no-one remembered him turning up, they only noticed if tasks weren’t completed. He stayed with the baby 24 hours a day, he provided as fully as a rightful father would. The baby, which he’d named Lucas, grew and developed according to the milestones he had researched. He’d estimated Lucas to be around one month old when he came to Kyle. At around 3 months old Lucas started to smile. Kyle was overwhelmed, had he successfully imprinted on this child, was there an end in sight to his devastating isolation?
Lucas continued to grow, poop, babble and play. Kyle had settled into a happy routine of work and caring for his new dependent and for the first time in his life felt hope and optimism. Ever since Lucas had started to make sounds Kyle had been pointing to himself saying “Dada” or “Daddy”. He knew the day would come when Lucas would innocently mumble that word - according to his readings around age 1 - and Kyle felt giddy at the thought.
On a typical Saturday Kyle was feeding Lucas his favourite fruits, raspberries. Lucas was munching away and repeating “Mmm” in between mouthfuls. Kyle had responded accordingly. “Yes. Raspberries are yummy aren’t they Lucas”. After another few mouthfuls Lucas eventually looked off into the living room, beyond Kyle, and said “Mama”.