The Camp

Chapter 9

As we walked into the brightly lit cabin, warmth and the smell of food hit us all instantly and almost had us collapsing to our knees.

I felt a small smile come across my face as I took in the appearance of the place. The main room which we had entered into had a small kitchen at the back and a living room area. The walls and floor were a warm wood and the blue tiled kitchen matched into the quaint design. There were large windows on the side facing the camp and smoke could be seen rising from the building, far away in the distance.

We had traveled so far and that became apparent as we admired the view.

The large, worn leather sofa looked so comfy and had an old fashioned, home-woven red blanket draped across the back. They had a small TV opposite the sofa and a massive lit fireplace which was the main source of heat of the cabin. Small radiators and copper piping ran around the exterior of the room and various fan heaters were dotted about; all aiming to heat the home during the harsh winter. The warmth was spectacular as we removed our shoes and layers of clothing, making me tear up at the sensation.

The next room was a bedroom with a large double bed and a small fireplace, the same design as the main room had but it had a small blue en-suite bathroom. There were 2 extra white, spare bedrooms. There was a latch on the living room floor beneath the sofa and we were led down to the basement as proof, it was a bunker with a high-tech computer, some weapons, and other things.

We sat in the living room as the food was cooked as introductions were done and we discussed our time at the camp.

"We can video call the government and get them to contact your families and tomorrow or the day after you can go home," Rowan said happily.

"Um, we don't know our families, we don't have any memories except our names from before the camp. They got rid of them." I sighed, they looked appalled.

"You kids have been massive news ever since you all went missing, everyone is looking for you. Maybe you can trigger memories by seeing your families," Lucy suggested, us nodding in agreement.

"I guess it's possible." I smiled slightly, still feeling brewing nerves.

We had all showered and were warm, in clean clothes and had eaten when Rowan entered the room with a laptop. He set it down and typed in a security code before a video screen popped up.

Suddenly the image of a large posh room came up which was filled with people.

"They are from the camp, your suspicions were right," Rowan said and the people in the room came closer to the camera as we sat there, feeling uncomfortable as if we were under scrutiny.

"Kinara?" a man gasped, he stepped forwards.

"Yes?" I asked, confused.

"What did they do?!" he yelled at the camera as I flinched back.

"Julian, please calm, you're frightening her. They erased her memory, she doesn't remember!" Lucy replied softly but firmly, wrapping an arm around me. Tears ran down the man's - Julian's face and he silently sobbed as I felt the need to cheer him up.

He looked about 45 years old with warm brown eyes and light brown hair which was threaded with grey. He had stress wrinkles over his brow and bags under his eyes as if he was exhausted.

"What's going on?" I asked gently.

"Kinara, Julian is your Dad." Rowan whispered. I stared at him in shock, tears starting to pour down my cheeks.

"What? Why can't I..." I trailed off and Caleb pulled me in and let me sob into his shoulder. I felt empty, this man was my father and I couldn't remember anything about him.

"Koo." Julian - my father sighed, "Don't cry."

Suddenly an onslaught of memories came into my head so quickly I gasped in shock and pain and clutched my head, sounds deafening, the wave overcoming me. I pulled away from Caleb and felt my knees crumble and someone caught me, there was a high pitched ringing in my ears and everything went dark.

I woke a few moments later and Caleb was holding onto me whilst I was lying on the floor at the base of the sofa, Lucy holding a glass of water, crouched beside me. I sat up fast and Caleb pushed me back. "Slow down, what happened?" he asked, taking the water and making me sip it.

"Koo, what happened, are you okay?!" I could hear my father panicking. I struggled up to the camera.

"You said that to me when I fell off the swing set on my ninth birthday." I smiled softly. He froze, "I remember it all." I grinned, tears welling in my eyes.

I could remember who I was and it was the most refreshing feeling. It was as if the cobwebs that had been in my mind were gone. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief and so much happiness that I felt that if I smiled anymore my jaw would break. I also felt guilty though, terrible that the others hadn't remembered, but reassured that they could.

My Dad gasped and broke out into laughter. "I always was the one who worried most."

"Yeah, not Mum." I laughed, "How is she?" I asked quietly.

He froze up and his smile dropped, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

"What's wrong?" I asked, a sinking feeling in my stomach. My Dad nodded at Rowan who took my arm and said, "Let's get you a hot drink. You just collapsed, you need sugar." He started pulling me out the room, all I saw in his eyes was sadness and pity.

"No, what is it?" I asked, standing still, refusing to move. Rowan started to drag me away and I fought against him, all the boys were looking at me with sad eyes. They all knew something I didn't.

"Rowan stop it! Just tell me what's going on?" I yelled. 

"I'm so sorry Kinara." he sighed, his voice barely a whisper.

"Your mother, when she found out you were gone, she killed herself." My father's voice broke.

"What?" I forced out the one word I could manage, refusing to believe it as he shook his head.

"I'm so so sorry Koo." He said softly. Panic and terror pitted in the back of my head, storming forth.

"Please, please say you're messing with me. Please, she can't be dead, she can't be!" I screamed the last part.

I slid to the ground, pulling my knees to my chin, hugging myself and softly sobbing. I had been so close to my Mum, she was my best friend, less serious than my father, irresponsible, but I still loved her. 

Caleb crouched beside me and put his hand under my chin and forced me to look at him, even though I could barely see him through my tears.

"It'll be okay," he whispered. At that point, there was something so genuine and caring in his eyes, something so determined for it to be true.

I believed him.