"so you knew all along?" I asked Flora.
"I knew you'd be telling me this right now, so yeah, I guess I sorta did," Flora explained.
"well we gotta tell the others." I was suddenly filled with a newfound energy, a drive.
Flora hesitated. "but how?"
"I remembered by speaking to the tiger, there should be something that should trigger their memories."
Flora opened the door just as the doorbell rang. Emi stood there, confounded beyond words.
"Emi." I went to greet her.
Emi looked from Flora to me, and back and forth. "Rayne what's going on? Why did you tell me to come to Flora McDouglas' house?"
"she's our friend," I explained. "and Matt and Connor too."
Emi smiled in amusement. "no offence Flora but we've never really talked. And who's Matt and Connor? Rayne I thought you went home. I'm calling Nile."
I grabbed the phone out of Emi's hand before she could even turn it on. "Emi, I'm telling the truth. We've been through so much together, the dinosaur, the zoo break-in, the snake, the babies—come on Emi, you know that something isn't right too."
Emi took a step back. Her face creasing as she stared at her feet. "ok, I'll admit" – I sighed in relief – "but what your saying is crazy. I'm the crazy one Rayne, this doesn't make sense."
"the snake," Flora said. I arched an eyebrow. "the snake, remember, the news. We were on the news."
"what?" Emi said.
"yes!" I cheered. I pulled out my phone and searched for the video online. I scrolled and scrolled and just as I was about to lose hope I saw it. "Diamond Don defends city against giant snake."
"this is absurd," Emi muttered as I fast forwarded through the video. "you're lucky you're my friend Rayne, or else I'd be calling a psychiatrist."
I paused and handed her my phone. "call me crazy after you watch this."
She took it reluctantly and pressed play. The video played, showing the news reporter quizzing Diamond Don. In the back came Matt and Flora holding up Emi.
Emi squinted. Looked closer. Looked up at me, at Flora, then shook her head. "how long ago was this?"
"just a few weeks ago," Flora said. "Do you remember now?"
We watched as a storm of emotions took over her countenance. "Aldo, he was there that day wasn't he?"
I swallowed and prodded her to continue. "yeah, he was. He helped us."
She took a seat on the porch bench. "I think; I think I remember."
~~~
We took a bus to Matt's house. Mansion, but he preferred house. We stood before the huge silver gates where we spoke with a guard through the intercom.
"who're you again?" the guard asked.
"uh, we're Matt's friends," I replied. "can you tell him Rayne would like to speak with him?"
"don't ya kids have phones," he grunted. "I'll tell him."
"He doesn't have a phone," Emi said. "I swear I'm going to find that woman. Agent Joey or whatever her name is and I'm going to freaking punch her in the brain like she did mine."
Flora was baffled. "she punched you in the brain?"
"it felt like it."
They went on to talk about brains and nerves and I don't even know, I was just glad they remembered each other. A few minutes passed before the little gate opened and Matt stepped out. He was surprised, which was not his fault he still thought I was just some girl he went to school with.
"Rayne, what brings you here?" he cautioned.
"will you go to the zoo with us?" I let out.
He gave a small smile. "ok, I will but are you sure you're alright. I just saw you in the park and you said you were going home and now you're back here."
"oh Breezy I missed you," Emi beamed at him.
Matt looked to her than to Flora than back to me. "I wanna say you guys are the crazy ones but it feels I'm the crazy one."
After a bus ride filled with Emi forcing Matt to remember by telling a story and ending it with, "do you remember now?" but only getting an, "I'm not sure" in reply. When we arrived at the zoo, I practically dragged him to the tiger. I woke her and when her eyes landed on Matt her ears stood on end and I was hit with a wave of good feelings.
"what a pretty tiger," he muttered, as he started to pale. "but, we really shouldn't stand so close."
"did the boy bring more meat?" the tiger asked.
"no, he doesn't remember you," I replied. "do you have anything to make him remember you?"
"and what would that be," she scoffed.
"I don't know but right now he has no idea who we, including you are."
She told me her plan and I turned to Matt with a grin on my face. Which probably made me look insane but whatever.
"Matt can I see your hand?" I asked.
He reluctantly gave me his hand. When I got a hold of it I forced it into the tiger's cage and in one swift motion she brushed her head against his arm as he screamed in fear. His screaming ceased as he carefully watched as she purred and rubbed her head against him.
All the while the tiger thought, "ugh, this is disgusting how do cats even do this."
"she loves me?" Matt mumbled. He froze. Blinked than shook his head. "but why? Was it the meat? Did you like the meat I gave you?"
We sighed together as we watched Matt.
~~~
Connor was mowing the lawn when we arrived at his house. As soon as he saw us, he froze, the lawnmower long forgotten.
"Matt?" Connor blurted. "what, what's going on?"
"we're here to give you purpose again, you dumb baby," Emi said. "why are you even mowing, it's like 4 in the afternoon?"
Connor opened his mouth to speak, but didn't. And for a moment he just squinted at us. "what the heck is going on?"
"Connor bro, you're a hero," Matt explained.
"what?"
"we're a team. And you're our captain. So remember quick, we can't do this without you."
We explained everything that happened over the past month. From the wolf attack to Aldo. But alas, nothing jogged his memory.
"I'm sorry you guys, all of you," Connor said. "I don't remember."
We turned away, when I recalled something I forgot to tell him.
"Connor," I said. He looked my way, curiousity swirling in his sea-green eyes. "I know you think you don't know me, which makes this weirder. But, I think I like you Connor Wild. Just wanted you to know."
I turned away, relieved to get that off my chest, when I heard him say, "I like you too, Rayne Winters."
A smile overtook my lips, as I turned slowly. I heard cheers and applauds, when I turned I saw a group of shirtless men on the porch chanting Connor's name. Connor flushed red as he winced at their shouts. Beside me, Emi and Matt went wild, hi-fiving and hollering and Emi giving Matt cash? While Flora smiling smugly, like she knew this would happen.
"which me do you like?" I asked.
"I like the Rayne before and the Rayne that just told me she liked me."
We met in the middle as the men began to chant, "kiss, kiss, kiss," and Emi and Matt joined in.
Connor leaned down and planted his lips on mine. He broke away, leaned his head on mine and said, "let's go catch the bad guy."
a/n: don't expect me to describe in detail the kiss. call me a prune, but nah.
YOU ARE READING
Queen Of The Beasts
Adventure"You just saved a rat. But you'd rather not save people?" Connor questioned. I was suddenly reminded that he was still around. I rolled my eyes because, honestly, I had had enough of Connor Wild for the day. "I don't like heroes." "But your dad's a...
