Story [Issue 55] Memory Pt. 2

[tweezers 1,034]

 

Memory Pt.1

 

More screams. Spinning round and round. Concentrate, concentrate. Why were there screams in her head? They hurt, make it stop, make it stop . . .

 

Hayley’s eyes opened. But she hadn’t moved them, so what had? Something cold and metallic propped her eyelids up, a red light burning into her retinas. Both of her eyes were tearing up, the tears dripping out and running along the contours of her face,soaking into her collar. Why was the light there?

 

‘Running retinal scan now. 30, 50, 70, scan complete. Printing results now.’

 

The light shut off, the after-image still burning, rendering her completely blind. She could hear people moving around her, paper being shuffled, someone breathing heavily. Could she move? Try. Nothing. Her body was iron, weighted down by something. Drugs? Drugs did things like these, she knew. How did she know? Her memory drew a blank. It unnerved her. Something pricked her arm, her eyelids fell shut and she knew no more.  

 

When she woke up next, she was surrounded by darkness. She was slumped sideways, the side of her body that faced away from the ground completely numb. Should she try to sit up? Yes. Slowly, slowly. . .

 

'So you finally woke up.’ The words were quietly spoken, masculine, coming from opposite her. Not too far away. Hayley spoke towards the direction of sound, her voice still hushed.

 

‘What happened? Where am I?’

 

‘Colonel Hauss had you scanned. Your memory is gone. You’re worthless to him now, and this is where he puts the people he has no use for anymore. In the dark, waiting for something to happen.’

 

‘But they said I was safe here. They wouldn’t do this to me. Why did they do this to me?’

 

‘That’s before they knew about your memory. You may have been one of his people, but once you’ve outlived your purpose, it’s either this or a discharge if you’re lucky.’

 

‘What do you mean, I was one of his people?’

 

‘You worked for the government. You were in the military, in a unit under Hauss’ command.’

 

‘I can’t remember anything.’

 

‘That’s because you’ve got amnesia. From what I know, there was an explosion during a mission, and the entire unit went down. Only you and one other survived.'

 

‘What does Hauss want from me?’

 

‘He says you knew something that would be useful to him.'

 

‘How do you know so much about this? And why are you here?’

 

‘I’m-

 

The door hissed open, flooding the room with light and the man’s reply was cut off. From the sitting position that she had been able to drag herself up to, Hayley could see two men with short, black guns in their hands standing in the doorway. They were both dressed in black military uniforms, helmets with visors down on their heads.

 

‘Get up.’ The command was short and sharp.

 

Hayley looked across the room. She recognized her fellow captive in the harsh new light. It was the man who had taken Hauss’ punch for her, his sling still holding up his arm, his face pale and his eyes screwed up to adjust to the brightness. He had his back to the wall and was trying to push himself up to a standing position using the wall for support. Hayley decided to copy him, and slid her spine up against the cold concrete. The two men still hadn’t moved except to follow their movements with the barrels of their guns. She cast a baleful glare at them, and by keeping one hand on the ground and the other on the wall, started to move herself up.

 

Pain. Flaring through her legs and her palms, the heat that was steadily building in the middle of her back contrasting sharply with the cold wall behind her. Her tongue was sandwiched between her teeth, determined not to make a sound, determined not to show them any weakness at all. Halfway up. Her legs shook with the effort now, threatening to give and dump her back on the ground again. The effort was almost enough to send her back to unconsciousness, but finally she was leaning up against the wall, panting as if she had just scaled a cliff. The man had succeeded in standing up before her and was studying her intensely, a tiny crease between his eyebrows.

 

‘Walk’. The guard on the right barked the order, his voice completely emotionless, most of his face hidden by the visor of his helmet. The man with the sling glanced at him, a flicker of annoyance visible on his face, disappearing as soon as it came, replaced by a look of concern as Hayley staggered forward, leaning heavily on the wall for support. He murmured something inaudible, and then moved himself, not forwards toward the door but sideways toward Hayley. He could move much faster than her, apparently only hindered by the pain in his chest where Hauss’ fist must have impacted.

 

‘Hold onto my shoulder and try to move’ he said as he reached Hayley. She hesitated a moment and then cautiously reached out with one hand and put it on his good shoulder which was hovering at her eye level. He grunted, but the shoulder she was now clinging onto with both hands didn’t move at all. She looked up at him, and nodded. They began the painful task of making their way towards the doorway, the two men only moving when they were almost there.

 

It was colder on the other side of the door that they passed through.They were right opposite another door, dark green metal dully glinting in the light from the strips set into the ceiling. As they approached it, Hayley glanced to her side. A darkened corridor streched endlessly into the distance, the walls on either side pale in the half-light. One of the guards pushed a gloved thumb to a button set into the wall, and the door opened slowly. They were greeted by the interior of what looked like a transport truck. The still-silent guards pushed the two of them in, cold metal barrels digging into their spines. The floor of the truck was vibrating, the slight tremors enough to upset their balance. She sank onto a bench set into the side, pulling the man down beside her. The two guards had followed them in, and sat opposite them, their guns still aimed directly at their prisoners.

 

Movement. It made her feel nauseous, the jerks and bumps as they set off down a road playing havoc with her weakened body. She was still leaning against the man, who grimaced every time they went over a bump. She stared out of the open back of the truck at the road disappearing behind them, wondering where they were being taken.  

 

A few minutes later, the man lowered his head as if he was tired, and whispered into her ear, her hair blocking his lips from the guards’ view.

 

Three words.

 

‘Don’t stop running.’

 

Memory Pt.3

Memory Pt.4

Memory Pt.5

 

[KillerGnat 3,135]

Amazing! Stories always get less publicity, but this deserves to be one of the most viewed installments of this issue.

[BLASTER872 1,892]

Gz.

[ethanisme 1,115]

Gz.

WH!! DS S AMZNG!

[Magenta 5,165]

w8ing for part 3 :D

[TIMI 1,080]

Great Job! Kudos to you and the newspaper team  ^_^

[Viking4s 10,791]

is it memory part one or part 2 ? the tile and the first line are not consistent. :)

[tweezers 1,034]

is it memory part one or part 2 ? the tile and the first line are not consistent. :)

It's part two, the memory part one is a link to the first piece.