章 3: Chapter Two
You cannot let other people make a choice for you when you're the only one who gets to live your life and suffer any consequences people's choices may result in.
- Grace Chanbee
[Amber's POV]
I had stopped crying along the way as I accepted my fate and just looked at my surroundings through the window of the bus.
Everything looked so unusual and different. I didn't even remember ever being in somewhere like this. It's not like I remembered a thing, but I expected to have some connection with the environment at least.
I didn't know my identity and I didn't know what having a life felt like. Everything seemed so new and different and I didn't feel like I belonged here.
The bus came to a stop and I peeked at what was going on outside of the bus. There was a garden just before the place I was probably gonna spend the rest of my life in, and people of diverse shapes and sizes were there.
I spotted an old woman, probably the same age as Justin's grandmother. She had thin grey hair and walked with the aid of a....stick. I felt like there was a name for that stick that aided her movement but I couldn't quite remember what it was.
The doors of the bus opened and one of the men asked me to get down.
I involuntarily nodded my head and stepped out of the vehicle.
There was this strange looking girl with brown hair and bulgy green eyes that laughed hysterically and surprisingly ran to hug me but I shifted back before she came any closer to me.
Yikes! So scary.
The men stared at me probably wondering why I had prevented her from hugging me. They however brushed that aside and motioned for me to follow them.
I walked hurriedly with them to prevent any more unwelcomed hugs and crazy laughters.
One of the men opened the door and led me in while the other one went towards the right direction of the garden.
I followed the man all the way to what seemed like a sort of office.
There was this woman putting on white from head to toe and she really looked smart.
Upon seeing me, she stood up from her desk and gave me a broad smile then proceeded to give me a hug.
I smiled back at her. Now, I couldn't mind getting a hug from a sane person as myself and not some weird lunatic, no offence like Justin will say.
I resented myself for thinking about him after vowing a few minutes ago in the bus when I felt lost and alone to never think of him again.
"Hold on, I don't think she likes hugs very much," The man I had followed in said.
The lady looked appalled. "Oh, really?" She withdrew her outstretched arms.
I rolled my eyes thinking of a million and one ways to end somebody's life. I knew I had practically dodged a hug but that was from a crazy clown. Who wouldn't want to be hugged by a lady with the most beautiful face and who was dressed like an angel?
"Have a seat, young woman," The lady said, gesturing at a stool which looked really old and worn out.
I sat obediently like a puppy.
She put on a pair of glasses and sat on a swivel chair, facing me.
The man I had accompanied sat on the other stool in the room.
"Now, what's your name?" She asked, opening a notebook and taking out a pen from her drawer.
I stared at her and blinked nervously.
"What's wrong, sweetie? Tell me your name right now, I don't bite," She said.
I swallowed hard and started drumming my fingers on the table as my heart thumped loudly.
What if she said I was crazy because I didn't know my name? The doctor at Justin's house had told them to bring me here because I didn't seem to have an answer to any of the questions he asked me.
"The people who called to bring her in stated she suffered from a severe accident and lost her memory. I don't think she knows what her name is," The man said.
The lady adjusted her glasses, "Oh, my. So you don't remember who you are?" The lady asked.
I shook my head in the negative.
Facing the man, she asked, "The so-called people that called, who are they to her?"
"They happen to be good Samaritans who found her lying half-dead on the road and took care of her. They also have no idea about who she is," The man said.
The lady sighed, "This is a tough one."
I bowed my head feeling disgusted with myself.
How come a grown-up lady like me didn't even know who she was? I'd been racking my brain to find my identity ever since Justin's grandmother saw me open my eyes for the first time last night when Justin was fast asleep.
It seemed like the lady understood my sad countenance because the next thing I knew, she had gotten up from her chair and she came to stand right in front of me. She then crouched before me and held my hands.
"Sweetheart, I'm going to do everything in my capacity to help you regain your memory and go back to your friends and family, okay?"
I raised my head and gave her a faint smile.
"When you meet someone for the first time, you get to know them by asking for their names first. Now, since you don't know your name, we'll have to get you a new name; a name that all the friends you'll make in this house can call you," The lady said.
I flinched at that information. Sure, I wanted a name but I didn't wanna make friends, not with those crazy bunch of humans.
The lady sat on the desk in front of me and brought out what I remembered vividly as an iPad.
"Now, we're going to find you some beautiful names and you can pick the one you want," She said.
"What's your own name?" I asked.
She looked up and smiled at me. "Can't you read?" She asked.
"I...umm..why are you asking me that?" I retorted.
"Cause I have a name tag right here so you should already know my name," She said, pointing at her left pocket.
All the letters there were clear and I could definitely read them.
"Doctor Tina," I read out loud.
She looked impressed and motioned that I read the man's name tag as well.
"Doctor Sam," I read out loud again.
"Good. At least, we don't have any problem with you reading," She said.
"Can't we just think of a nice name for her? You don't have to search for everything on the internet," Doctor Sam said.
"Are you in a hurry?" She asked.
"No. I just believe we are human beings with common sense. It's unhealthy to not make use of your brain at all and depend on the internet for everything," He said.
"Fine then. Give her a name, I'll agree with whatever you say," She said and dropped the iPad on the desk.
"Since she's as beautiful as a flower, I was thinking of Daisy," He said.
Doctor Tina seemed impressed because she smiled.
"I like the sound of it. Sweetheart, how do you like the name, Daisy?" She asked.
I felt like puking instantly. My mind resented that name for reasons I didn't know and I didn't like it at all.
I shook my head.
"You don't like the name?" Doctor Sam asked.
"I don't," I replied.
"Just get her something else then," Doctor Tina said.
My eyes caught sight of a magazine resting on the far end of the desk.
It seemed familiar and I picked it up.
There was this beautiful lady on the cover of the magazine holding a microphone and she looked really familiar.
"What are you staring at?" Doctor Tina asked, collecting the magazine.
"Who's that?" Doctor Sam asked.
"It's Ariana Grande. Do you like her?" Doctor Tina asked me.
"I don't know...It seems like I know her," I said.
She chortled, "Everybody knows Ariana. Even those who don't know her songs know of her legendary ponytail obsession," She said.
I felt she was mocking me. However, in my head, I saw two people posing for a photograph together. The images in my head were so hazy but I tried my best to see things clearly.
"Since you felt a connection to her, would you like to go by the name, Ariana?" Doctor Sam asked.
I tried to answer him but couldn't. I was so focused on seeing the images clearly.
"I'm your biggest fan, could we perhaps take a picture together?" I heard what sounded like my voice say.
I was feeling really dizzy as I tried hard to remember and grasp what my head was trying to tell me.
I still saw two people posing for a photograph but the images were still so blurry and greenish.
The images however started getting clearer but not so clear.
I blocked out the rest of the world and focused solely on what I was remembering.
One of the people had my stature while the other one packed her hair in a ponytail style. The images were blurry but perhaps it was Ariana Grande and myself.
"We've been calling her name for minutes now. I think she's zoning out," I heard Doctor Tina say.
The images disappeared from my subconscious mind but I still couldn't see clearly.
Everything appeared hazy and my head spun. I tried to keep my eyes open but couldn't and soon, my eyes closed.
*****
I felt conscious and could hear mild discussions going on around me although my eyes remained close.
"This is our newest patient. We decided to name her Ariana although she hasn't given her approval for that yet," I heard what was undeniably Doctor Tina's voice say.
"Why will you need to give her a name?" A husky masculine voice asked.
"Well, she's suffering from Amnesia. Hers is a severe case because she doesn't even have a family. How are we to know what kind of things to show her or how to treat her?" Doctor Tina asked, her voice sounding helpless.
The man cleared his throat. "Let's face it. She'll never remember anything. We have to give her a new life, a new identity. After that, we can make her learn a trade so she can become a new person with a job and a life. She may never regain her past memory but she can make new ones," He said.
"You're correct, sir. Once we're done with giving her a new identity, she can survive on her own," Doctor Tina said.
"How long will that take?" He asked.
"Probably 3-5 years," Doctor Tina replied.
Their voices became distant and when I was sure that they probably weren't around me anymore, I opened my eyes.
My eyeballs peered at my surroundings.
I wasn't in Doctor Tina's office anymore apparently. Her office was painted in blue and she had a desk with about four stools and a single swivel chair. She also had a bookshelf which was scattered with books and old newspapers.
On the other hand, the place I was presently had about fifty beds and I was lying on one.
I sat up and yawned tiredly, stretching out my arms.
I suddenly noticed that all eyes were on me.
There was a small boy with dreamy eyes, a little girl with a doll, that same weird girl who had tried to hug me in the garden, a wide-eyed middle-aged woman with Auburn hair and an old man holding a newspaper upside down.
They looked at me inquisitively and the way they stared at me freaked me out.
"Take your eyes off me," I said.
The old man began to chuckle and the other people joined in too, shrieking with horrible laughter.
The little girl with a doll hopped unto my bed and hit me with her doll.
My teeth clattered as I moved back.
She hit me with her doll again.
"What's that for?" I asked.
"You should learn some manners. That's not a right way to speak," She said.
"Wh...wh...what?"
The middle-aged woman yanked my hair all of a sudden and continued pulling at it.
I pleaded with her to stop as tears streamed down my face. She was causing me severe pain in the head with what she was doing to me.
"It's okay, I think she's learnt her lesson," The girl who had tried to hug me said.
The woman let go of my hair and hissed at me before storming out of the room.
I felt relieved although my head still banged.
"My daughter, you're back home. My sweet little daughter, you're finally home," A woman in her fifties with a bald head screamed and came towards me.
I hadn't even noticed her presence before and it seemed like she had just come into the room.
I shuddered and climbed out of the bed, feeling really terrified.
To my greatest surprise, the woman started wailing uncontrollably.
"My daughter's running from me. Come back to me, Susan. Your poor old mother needs you," She said, running towards my direction.
"I'm not your daughter," I said, shaking my head vigorously.
"Keep quiet. Now, be a good girl and go to your mother," The old man said.
I shook my head, trembling in fear.
The woman who claimed I was her daughter got to me and gave me a tight hug, hardly letting me breathe.
I was so terrified and I felt I was going to choke to death as she strangled me all in the name of a hug.
"Let me go," I said to her.
"I'm never letting you go again," She said.
With every ounce of strength I possessed, I pushed her away from me and my push sent her collapsing to the floor with a thud.
The atmosphere was really unfriendly as they looked at me like they were about to murder me.
I moved back slowly and they followed me and soon surrounded me.
"What an ill-mannered creature," A man who had been minding his business and just making a house out of cardboards said.
My fingers quaked and my heart thumped loudly as they drew closer to me with every second that passed.
If they were being this way to me on just the first day, how was I going to survive living with them for 3-5 years? I had overheard Doctor Tina's conversation after all, but why was she keeping me when she knew I wasn't going to remember anything?
If she was truly concerned and wanted to give me a new life, why did it have to be in a place meant for crazy people?
I wasn't crazy like they were. I was a normal human being and I was going to prove that I wasn't like them.
I couldn't live with lunatics, it wasn't possible. There was a way I could leave here and it was a simple way out.
I swallowed hard. "Hey, there's a lion over there. Everyone, run out," I screamed, pointing in the opposite direction.
I thought for a second that insane people probably didn't know a lion spelt out danger to the lives of humans, but my trick worked.
They soon forgot about me and fled from the room, every single one of them.
I was putting on a blue gown like the rest of them so I figured if I ran along with them, I wasn't going to be noticed. Besides, everyone was going to be looking for the lion to kill it and they'd only notice my absence after all the drama.
I didn't have an idea on where to go but I was convinced that as long as I was anywhere but there, I was definitely going to be fine.
I joined them as they ran but unlike the rest of them that fled to the garden or restroom or wherever, I had only one direction in mind.
And that direction was the gate because outside the gate of this mentally unstable folks, I was free to live like the normal person I was.
Getting outside, I removed the blue gown they had wrapped around me to reveal myself in the yellow gown I had been previously wearing.
I dumped the gown in the trashcan figuring out that they were going to be looking for a girl in a blue gown and not in a yellow dress.
[Justin's POV]
The house felt unusually empty for reasons I couldn't quite comprehend. It was evening and everywhere had just felt dry ever since that crazy girl left.
Grams was in the living room listening to a radio program she never missed at 6:00pm everyday. I was going through my Facebook news feed, seeing what random folks had been up to.
I came across my ex-girlfriend's post and saw she had uploaded a picture of herself and a hairy guy who looked bushy and unkempt.
The guy had his arms wrapped around her waist while she wore a forced smile. I had dated the damned girl for ten months, I knew what her forced smile looked like.
She was saucy and always made rude remarks about Nelly and my grandmother which I didn't find funny at all.
I had talked to her about it but she felt she was too beautiful to even be in a relationship with me. She felt disrespected and had ended things with me stating that she had many admirers.
I smirked realising her new boyfriend wasn't even as handsome as I am. And about her being beautiful, sure, she wasn't ugly, but if she knew the crazy girl, she'll know there are levels to this beauty thing.
The smirk on my lips dried up as my brain reminded me that I shouldn't have thought of the crazy girl.
I heaved a sigh and dropped my phone on the bed and decided to go get some relief in the basement.
My childhood memories were all there and I always sneaked inside whenever I needed to think or sort out some things.
The basement contained old stuff and pictures of my mum and dad and I and Nelly when we were growing up.
When I was six, dad had built the stick house we now lived in with his own hands and with the help of Enoch.
He had just built it for relaxation or whenever we came home from Los Angeles, where we used to live.
Things had been going great for us and although we were never wealthy, we had more than enough to survive through the hustle and bustle of L.A.
I knew why we suddenly became poor and wretched and I knew it was never the fault of dad. It had been the fault of rich people who could do anything simply because they had the money and connections to.
That was the same reason I didn't want to have anything to do with the crazy girl, whatever her name was.
I raked my hands through my hair and sighed.
Why did I feel so guilty about giving her off to a Psychiatric center? Grams and I did well in rescuing her and giving her her life back. We certainly didn't owe her any obligation as to staying in our house, but if that was truly the case, why had my heart been hurting ever since she had left?
Her smile was just so beautiful and her laughter, as annoying as it was, sounded sweet to the ears as well. She had seemed so innocent, incapable of even hurting a fly.
Her blonde hair was so long it touched her back and the way she stared at me with those blue puppy eyes of hers made my heart melt for her.
All I had wanted was for that lunatic of the female specie to leave my house and not bother me anymore with her problems, and I had succeeded in doing that, but somehow, things didn't just feel right.
Just then, I heard the sound of something fall.
"Hey, what are you doing now?" I asked.
After receiving no response, I came to the somewhat sad realisation that she wasn't there anymore.
I braced myself and followed the sound of the noise and saw a silver bracelet sparkling with real diamonds, resting on the floor.
I picked it up and recognised it as one of the belongings that Grams had kept, saying it was for the girl.
I had known it to be quite expensive but I hadn't taken note of the name inscribed on it: Amber.
Was the crazy girl's name Amber after all?
I didn't know why I was thinking about her when all I had wanted was for her to leave my house.
"Justin, Justin, where are you?" I heard Grams croaky voice yell.
I slipped the bracelet into the back pocket of my trousers and left the room immediately because I didn't want my grandmother to find me in the basement.
I always acted like a tough guy and I didn't want to be seen as someone who held on to childhood memories or even gave a damn about anything like family.
I almost collided with Grams as I hastily went to meet her. She had on a sad expression and tears trickled down her face.
"Grams, what's the matter?" I asked, holding her arms.
"The psychiatric home just called," She said.
"And?"
"And that girl ran away from there. She's missing," Grams said.
"Wh... what?" I was shocked.
Grams broke free from my grasp. "I didn't want her to leave here. You insisted and now, we don't even know where she is," She said.
"Grams, this isn't my fault. I didn't ask her to leave there and don't the psychiatric center have security?" I retorted.
"I don't care, Justin. You'll find that girl now or watch me starve myself to death," Grams said.
I rolled my eyes, "What's so special about this girl?" I asked.
"She's a human being, that's what," Grams said and walked away.
I heaved a deep sigh. If I ever found that girl, I swore to give her a terrible smack on the head and I didn't care if that'll make her prone to ever recovering her memory.
I grabbed my jacket which I put over my sweatshirt and wore my black boots.
I met Grams praying on her knees in the living room and rolled my eyes. She was actually taking things too far and I didn't know why.
"Grams, I'm going to step out for a while. I promise to bring your lunatic back for you, so stop getting worried. If you have a high blood pressure at this age from worrying unnecessarily, I don't know what I'd do," I said and walked out of the house.
The wind was blowing and the weather was chilly. Thunder crashed and lightening struck.
I zipped up my jacket and proceeded to the van which I hadn't used for the past two weeks.
What if I found another body in there?
As I had mentally predicted, I heard a screeching noise coming from the van.
"Who's there?" I asked.
For a second, everywhere was quiet that I began to wonder if the noise I had heard had been all built up in my imagination.
I put on a brave face and moved slowly to my van.
Just then, I heard the noise again, more aggressive this time and scarier.
"There's nothing here, you're a brave guy," I muttered to myself, trying to get some morale.
Raindrops started drizzling and it only heightened the tensed state I was in.
I trembled and I almost never got scared, but after finding that unconscious lunatic whose possible name was Amber two weeks ago, my life had been thrown in total disarray. I now even felt afraid and fear was something that had never been in my dictionary till now.
Pushing aside my fears, I reached out to get the keys to the van from my pocket when something landed on top of my face, sending me crashing to the ground.
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