Memory Risk

Chapter 5

     Stacie woke up that next morning early, due to the uncomfortable nature of having to share a bed with Trent. Even though she didn't get a good night's sleep, she woke up with a new found happiness that Trent's company was giving her. Not wanting to return to her room, Stacie decided to cook breakfast for everyone. The smells that filled the main room, pulled everyone to the kitchen. When she was done, Stacie made everyone a plate, and they all ate breakfast together, except for Maddy. She was still hidden behind her closed door. Trent, Stacie, Vivienne, and Jordan all sat at the table. Aiden stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, eating his plate of eggs.

      Maddy could be heard screaming from time to time. Her noises were muffled by her door, but it wasn't enough to not make the atmosphere awkward on the outside. No one knew what to say. They all ate quietly, thinking about what Maddy was going through. Her pain made everyone fear what demons they had suppressed within their amnesia.

      "I'm worried about her," said Stacie. "We saw her come in last night, after. She was crying, and ran straight to her room. She didn't say a word...While I was cooking, I could hear her screaming. She's been doing it all night."

      "All night," Jordan joked. "You were up all night?"

      "I'm serious Jordan," Stacie replied. "Something's wrong."

      "Well, duh," said Vivienne. "We can all hear that something's wrong. This is what she asked for. There's not much we can do."

      "We can comfort her," said Stacie.

      "I'm not walking into that," Trent commented.

"She was there for me," said Stacie before standing up from the table. She walked over to Maddy's door, and knocked three times.

      "It's open," Maddy called out from the other side.

      Stacie turned the knob and pushed the door open. She remained outside, afraid of what might happen. Maddy sat up on her bed, and rubbed the tears away from her eyes.

      "Is everything alright," Stacie asked.

      Maddy shook her head. "No...Everything is not alright."

      "Is there something we can do for you?"

      "No, but I need to do something for you. I said I would, and that's what I intend to do."

      Maddy stood up, and exited her room. She took a seat at the table, and didn't make eye contact with anyone. In silence, she stared down at Stacie's dirty plate, in front of her. They could all see that she was thinking, and they patiently participated in the silence. They were intrigued with what Maddy might say, and they all waited in anticipation.

      "I guess I volunteered," Maddy began. "I was in a bad place...Seems like I still am...For several months I was kidnapped, and held prisoner...History likes to repeat itself...I was raped, and beaten. A lot...I can't get rid of the nightmares. Every time I close my eyes, I'm taken back to that place...I understand now why I was ready to forget...Remembering back to the past couple of nights, they were the best night's sleep that I've had in a while...I didn't realize how lucky I had it...Them taking my memories was a gift...I wish they would have let us write letters to ourselves. I probably would have never entered the confession room...I should have never entered that room."

      No one knew what to say as they all stared at Maddy. Her confession made everybody contemplate their own scenario. The other side of the main door held answers to significant mysteries. They were mysteries that were attractive, and also terrifying. Those that were still in a state of memory loss, were distracted by the choice that they still had to make; those that had already made the choice, still had options.