I looked around the familiar white walls as my mind drifted to 3 days ago. From darkness to light.
That would have been it if not for the rare display that embraced my sight once it was no longer blurry.
3 blondes, 2 brown haired, a red head, and one with silky (it looked silky) ebony hair stared at me. The 2 female blondes and 1 male blonde (ah I mean 3 females… still confused) were bawling.
The name “Elizabeth” was called from all corners of the room.
I scanned the room as though looking for something then I met the eyes that stared at me.
I tugged at my hair and glanced at it. It was blonde too. ‘I don’t know these faces’ was all I could think off. I sat up then I said something.
“Hey….”
The voice that came out was not clear like in the darkness. It was hoarse as if never used and croaky but quiet.
The reply was utter silence. Even the bawling stopped.
“Hey….where are my memories?” I said to no one in particular.
The tall blonde with glasses who was extremely gifted in the front and back seemed shocked at my statement. She lost her stand and almost fell but the older brown haired caught her in time, “Valerie… he half whispered.
“Mom….” The smallest one said amidst sobs. I turned to the ‘Valerie’ and stared at her for a while then at the older man.
‘The four are family’, I thought in my head. The 20 year old looking brown haired resembled the older brown haired far too much to be someone else. The affection with which the older one held the lady was very obvious that they could not be anything less....Ok, they could be dating too but whatever, right?.....'dating?'
I could remember what dating was but this was definitely from the memories I could not find.
Once again I glanced around the room. It looked fancy, honestly. Maybe I was rich?
“Memories..?” a voice jolted me out of my thoughts. I turned to the voice only to be met with piercing hazel eyes. They seemed to be reading me so I turned away almost immediately.
Then slowly but surely I turned back and met his gaze. The owner of the hazel eyes.
His ebony hair swayed in front of his eyes almost covering them. ‘Dang, does he need a haircut’, I thought. But then again, I used a word I didn’t recognize, 'Dang'
“My first memory is darkness”, I replied crisply.
His eyes widened in disbelief and it was as though the piercing quality disappeared.
I narrowed my eyes at this.
“Who are you?” It was as though the temperature dropped.
The people in the room seemed jolted back to reality.
Even I was surprised by my cold tone. Why did I feel hostility…? No, this wasn’t hostility it was something else. It was what replaced those piercing eyes but I couldn’t place my finger on it.
Instead the hostility I felt came from a different direction. I was about to turn when…
“Don’t tell me you can’t remember me, Elizabeth?” the voice came from the hazel eyes but this time they were filled with sadness. But this sadness didn’t touch me. It was obviously directed to me but I couldn’t feel it.
My next words came out before I could stop them, “Am I supposed to?”
He was visibly shocked. I turned just in time to see a slight smile curl up on the red head’s face then disappear replaced with a face full of pity.
‘Pity? She pities me?’
I locked eyes with the female and she stared at me. Then I realized one thing. The hostility I felt was from this girl.
‘Hmm…I am hated huh’ I thought without a care.
“Elizabeth…? You are conscious..?”, Valerie said softly.
My eyes widened and I looked at her then repeated, “Conscious?” I glanced around and said, “How long?”
“A year”, the young brown haired finally spoke.
“Almost a year”, the older one corrected.
Stolen story; please report.
I glanced from parent to child then nodded.
“It seems I lost my memories of almost everything. From what I can gather my name is Elizabeth, right?”
Nods from all corners of the room followed (except the red head).
“I see….am I human?”
Their faces contorted displaying their confusion.
“What else would you be?” the small blonde said softly.
'Good question.... what else?'
Just then, a 3 ladies, one in white overcoat and the others in white gowns strolled in. They glanced from me to the people around then the woman spoke.
“She’s alive”
The woman in overcoat said it in a placid tone but I could feel the joy in her words. She seemed to be in her thirties with light brown eyes and dark brown hair. Behind her were…..what? I seem to know what they are called but the word won’t click.
‘Nurse’ a tiny voice said.
Oh! a nurse …. huh?
What was that just now? As if someone told me the answer.
It was from none of these people around me, I could tell. It came as though from inside my head.
‘Ugh whatever. Ignore for now’ I thought to myself.
A year huh. For me to be unconscious for a year, what on earth happened?!
No matter how much I thought, I couldn't find a thing.
I looked up again at the unfamiliar faces.
“Please introduce yourselves to me”, I croaked.
“Margaret”, the tiny blonde spoke first.
“V-Valerie”, the endowed blonde said, “Your mother” she added almost inaudibly.
I looked at her for a while then sighed, “I see…” then I turned to the rest and cocked my head to the right indicating ‘I need answers’
“Jason” the hazel eyes said quietly.
“Lilian” the red head said almost boastfully.
“Maddie” came the very gentle voice. I looked at the blonde who never spoke the whole time. I turned the petite boy…… he had breasts, so girl. If you ignored that, there was no other girlish traits so I stared at her for a while.
“You’re a girl” I stated matter-of-factly.
She nodded vigorously then smiled as though seeing a precious gem.
“John” the young brown head said making me turn. His voice sounded as though dejected; I say as though because his eyes gleamed as like they had bathed in the sun.
"Dr. Harman" the woman in overcoat said curtly.
“Wilson, your father”, the older brown head said gently and with a warm smile continued, “Welcome back, Elizabeth”
‘Weird, this is utterly weird’ was all I could think. I mean if you see people you’ve known you have this sense of familiarity especially your family but nothing. Absolutely nothing. They feel like people I have only met for the first time.
Maybe?! They expected my memory loss and are deceiving me because of my riches???? Now, that’s what I call paranoid my friends---me.
I scratched my head then said, “Can I have a mirror, Valerie?”
“Eh?” Valerie half-stuttered. She seemed shocked at my usage of her name.
“Then, mom?” I asked.
“Ah, no. You can call me Valerie, if you feel more comfortable that way.....” she said trailing off at the end. She looked around then her eyes spotted something and she almost tumbled over rushing to get it.
The doctor watched with baffled and intrigued eyes.
Valerie gave me the mirror with gusto and her eyes were as though she accomplished a huge feat.
‘This is my mom, right?’
Pushing aside that thought, I raised my oddly weak arms and brought the mirror to face level.
Glancing back at me was a girl dressed in white. She looked pale and was neither smiling nor frowning but the beauty although not perffect was apparent. Her blue eyes looked back at me with curiosity and her slightly pointy ears seemed to twitch. Then her lips curved upwards and the words “Not bad” came out of her mouth.