CHAPTER 10 - LOCKET MEMORIES
A Few Moments Later
1 minute later
The blue walls closed in on me, overpowering most of my senses until everything became silent. Life wasn't what I wanted it to be or what I needed it to be for that matter.
My mother still wasn't home and now I've remembered three people in the span of a day, right? After passing out, I couldn't remember and at this point I wasn't fazed by it. I thought about how Doctor Franc wouldn't like the sound of that, he'd probably say that I was recalling too many things at once which could have 'disastrous' effects… but what's so disastrous if I feel almost nothing at all?
Thing is, I'm an empty shell. What difference does it make if I were to remember my past self? It doesn't change the fact that I'm lost within my mind.
The sound of someone spinning a keychain rang in my ears, that's the first thing I heard since I had woken up.
Sitting up, I leaned against the wall before a blurry figure entered my room and sat on a chair next to me. Another blurry figure with a clipboard, one I somewhat recognized sat on the chair near to my bed, further away from the person next to me.
Slowly, I could see a little more as I could pinpoint a few posters in my room and what they said. The smell of food being cooked instantly hit my senses as I ran my tongue against the back of my teeth, trying to make myself respond to anything.
"Dani?" Doctor Franc said as the sounds merged together, "I'm sorry for not seeing you since the day at the hospital. However, the symptoms you're facing are not as bad as they were before which is impressive."
The figure next to me scoffed.
"Just cut to the chase already," he said before groaning, "you want her to take meds like before, don't you?" He asked while spinning his keychain around again.
Francis looked at the figure and then at me, he nodded before adjusting his glasses.
"I'm afraid that won't be necessary Doctor. And Ryan, shouldn't you be standing up for Dani? I thought you were friends." My mother's voice came out, the same voice I almost didn't recognize until I remembered how she acted when Julie's mum died.
It was strange, I could see all of this happening but I said nothing. I was frozen, motionless and empty. I could breathe, think and hear but not speak.
Choking up, everyone's faces turned to me as I sighed, deciding that it's best to intervene now before the storm approaches and no one gets along anymore.
Wait, everything was fine before that keychain guy came. What was his name again?
I studied his features and realised how the non-typical features about him were his taste in summer clothes even though it was winter, a nasty scar which started from his right eyebrow and ended towards his cheekbone and a locket that he was wearing.
"This isn't mine." He muttered before holding on to the locket in his hand, "It's my brothers."
Looking up at him, I could feel myself suffocating in pity before reeling myself out again. Why would he carry his locket?
"What happened to him?" I asked, taking the locket from him and opening it slowly.
It was fragile, if I wasn't careful enough I would break it. I wouldn't be breaking the locket though, I'd be destroying Ryan's hope of finding him.
I looked at his brother's photo, a sense of deja vu overwhelmed me as I traced my finger against the locket before Ryan looked at me.
"He was out one day, we never knew where he was or when he left. I was old enough to go on my own to find him but we had an argument before… I said I hated him and how I didn't want to see him again." He said, his face unreadable for a moment until I noticed him clenching his hand and picking a scab which caused him to bleed again, "I want to make it up to him. Somehow."
"We'll find him, I promise. How about we look around tonight if you've got any leads? Julie wouldn't mind since I'm 'working' and we'll be back by the morning, right?" I said before smiling, I need to be a good friend. He's gone through a lot.
"That'll be amazing, we'll be back by 4. Alrighty?" He said with a big smile on his face before sorting out his mustache like a true Italian pirate.
"Alrighty!" I said while posing stupidly as we laughed.
Did we ever find him? Was one of the first questions that came to mind as I thought about leaving with Ryan to find him. It was in that moment where I remembered what I had said to Adam.
"I'm with my mom here. Look doc, I don't need the medication since I was doing just fine without them but I'll take them if I need it.
Also mum, Ryan has only just come back. He probably doesn't know the dangers behind meds like these- he wasn't here for the therapy after all." I said, backing both sides so that there was no room for arguments.
Ryan and Doctor Francis looked at me in confusion, both of them furrowed their eyebrows before Ryan left saying that I could see him in the room downstairs when I'm ready. At this point, my mind was only on three things: Adam, my mum and the meds.
"Here's the meds." Doctor Francis informed, "You can only have one or two every 4 hours. In an emergency, have a maximum of 4 and you can't have more than 5 in the past 24 hours. I've also looked at your data, you seem to be well enough to leave this house so I'll only check up on you every six months from now on at home. Other than that, attend your therapy sessions regularly." He continued before walking away, I punched up at the air as I forgot that my mother was watching.
She laughed before covering her mouth with her hand, as I did a victory dance.
Our eyes met for the second time I've been awake, she didn't look so sad/solemn anymore which was a relief.
As if on cue, we walked up to each other arms wide open and hugged one another. Her bluebell scent lingered as I noticed how she had softer skin than last time too.
We parted our hug with smiles on our faces.
Interrupting our moment, Adam rushed in with sweat dripping down his face. He looked at me dead in the eyes before putting his hand against the doorframe to catch his breath.
"We need to leave. Now." He said.