The fire sparked in the pit, the glow drawing Kelsie from where she slept using her backpack as a pillow. She noticed the sparks fluttering around the red coals as she moved closer to the warmth. Pulling the wooden box from her backpack, she retrieved the piece of paper, quietly opening it. Photos accompanied the handwritten note, a small parcel smelling of herbs fell into her hand; smelling the bag, she shook her head in wonder. What was this about? Using the firelight, Kelsie looked at each photo; they were of places and objects, nothing made sense. Did she know these places? The last image was of a wooden house surrounded by flowers, shrubs, and a long multi-coloured wooden bench next to the porch stairs. Frowning, Kelsie flipped it over, reading Jezebel's House. Swallowing on the realisation, her parents knew she may not remember what she needed to, and these were landmarks. Flipping the other photos over, she found other names. Could it be they were giving her their own version of directions? The note told of their love for her and reminded her to believe in her natural instinct. To follow the trail the photos showed and to remember her childhood motto. Wonderful!! Something else she didn't know.

Opening her map, she found and marked each location from the photos, "Could this route be quicker?"

"Which route?"

Looking up, Kelsie met Zander's unwavering expression, "Planning on leaving us to fend for ourselves?"

"If I were," Kelsie whispered, "you two would be fine."

"Kels, there is much you do not know," Zander sighed, "it would be your death if you went out on your own."

"Everyone keeps me in the dark, talks about me dying as if it's something that is not permitted to happen," Kelsie scoffed, "there is one problem."

"Which is?" Zander hissed.

"I don't know anything that anyone is talking about because someone decided not having a memory was best for me. I may have lost every piece of information my parents gave me to prepare me for my future, information I apparently need but I don't have it."

"How do you know?" Zander asked.

"My parents left me photos with location names on them," Kelsie blinked away persistent tears. "They know I no longer have the tools to save the world, never mind innocent lives; it looks like they gave me a tea bag to enjoy the occasion."

"Tea?" Zander frowned, "may I see the tea?"

Kelsie handed him the small bag of dried leaves, "Doesn't look like there is enough for two."

"Kelsie, this is not tea," Zander smiled, smelling the leaves in the net bag, "this is a concoction to counter Connie's treachery."

"How do you know?" Kelsie shrugged, staring at the photos on the sand floor, "it could be anything."

"Connie wouldn't let you study herbology, would she?" Zander said, emptying the leaves into a small pot, "we're going to undo what has been done."

"I wasn't allowed to even look at a botany book," Kelsie sighed, "why is that important?"

"If you had," Zander said, "you would have realised what she was doing. Connie didn't have a conventional book on plants. All the answers to your nightmares and feelings of being unsettled would have been answered. You would not have allowed her to rule your life any longer."

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"I'm not following," Kelsie frowned, "why would that make a difference?"

Zander paused, "I keep forgetting you really don't know."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kelsie frowned.

"When I first encountered you," Zander said, "I thought you were doing the "I don't know" routine on purpose. But after our hand to hand encounter, you didn't do what was expected."

"Okay," Kelsie said, confusion bubbling through her, "why is that important?"

"You're from the first," Zander said, "even if Jason didn't come along when he did, I couldn't kill you. I can't do so; I think I realised when I was ordered to shoot you but found I couldn't."

"Zander, I'm not following," Kelsie frowned, "what are you talking about?"

"Why do you think Jason is here?" Zander asked.

"He promised our parents to look out for us," Kelsie said, "why else would he be here?"

"You're not getting it," Zander shook his head, "let's make the tea and get the process going."

"You're right," Kelsie paced back and forth, "I'm not getting any of this," propping her hands on her hips, "I don't get why everyone is making this huge issue out of my success. I don't understand why it is you cannot kill me. I haven't a clue why Jason is here ... you know why?"

Zander stared at her silently before asking the question, "Why?"

"I have no damn memory of why any of this is important," Kelsie slammed the palm of her hand against the stone wall in frustration. "You talk of that teabag as if it's a magic potion. You say that Connie did what she did to control me. You're telling me why I'm special, but one thing you're not telling me ... is why?"

"He cannot tell you," Jason said quietly from where he lay, "he is not permitted to tell you."

"What? So I've got to figure it out myself," Kelsie shook her head. "My own Grandmother did something to me for reasons I don't understand. We have ..." she pulled the timer from her pocket, "fifty hours until all hell literally breaks loose ... I'm alone in the dark ... again."

Jason rose, coming toward her, "What did you just say?"

"Do you want me to repeat the entire thing?" Kelsie asked.

"No, just the last bit," Jason frowned.

"I'm along in the dark again," Kelsie repeated.

"When was the last time you were literally in the dark," Jason asked.

"When I was younger," Kelsie said, "just after I ... moved to Connie's... why do I remember that? I haven't remembered anything from my childhood for years."

"Is the tea ready?" Jason asked.

"Yes, it is," Zander said, straining it into a cup, "but she will be out of it for a few hours. We still have ..." he looked at his wristwatch, "seven hours until sunrise."

"It should be done by then," Jason said, taking the cup, pushing Kelsie to the ground and handing it to her. "It's risky, but we need to get you back in the game. Drink, and don't worry about anything else."

"You saying that makes me worry," Kelsie said, "it doesn't make this any easier to do."

"Kelsie," Zander drew her attention. "When I was younger, I stood before your parents and you promising my allegiance to the families, your safety and continuation of the White Faction ... and the Order. Now is the time you need to believe me when I say I intend to keep that promise. Drink the tea."

Watching Zander, Kelsie took the cup from Jason, draining the contents, "It tastes like fruit and something else."

"The cleanse will start soon," Jason whispered, "just breathe ... concentrate on breathing."

Kelsie looked between the two men shaking her head, "Cleanse of what ... the memory stealing herbs ..." she tried to laugh, but her head began to swim. Holding her head between her hands, she followed Jason's instructions ... concentrating on breathing as dark oblivion rose out of nowhere, submerging her in its inky blackness.