Rebecca Foster didn't know who she was.
Rebecca Foster was not her name.
The memories in her mind were not her own.
The home on 983 Dollhouse Lane was not her home.
She couldn't remember.
Why couldn't she remember?
[ Jerma Dollhouse Sci-Fi Horror? ]...
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Sunlight danced across the room from the open blind above the kitchen sink, flashing briefly into the eyes of the woman lying still on the floor. Her raven hair almost looked blue against the bright light. The house was silent, the only noise coming from the ceiling fan above her. The creaking of metal against metal as something in the internal mechanism caught against itself, scraping slightly with each rotation.
The woman let out a quick gasp of air as she awoke, startled as she didn't remember falling asleep. Rebecca opened her eyes with a start, her face squished against the black and white tile of her kitchen floor. A small groan escaped her lips. Her muscles ached as she pushed herself from the ground. She must have collapsed from exhaustion. Furrowing her brow, she rolled her shoulders and tried to recover from her daze.
"You're working too hard, Becks," she scolded herself out loud. She stretched her arms above her head and felt something pop in her back, giving her a brief relief from the soreness.
She had been spending a few late nights at the office. Generally, by the time she got home, she had barely enough energy to make herself a snack before passing out in bed. Looks like she didn't make it to bed this time.
She moved to get some breakfast, but something foul-smelling stopped her. Her nose scrunched in disgust as she lifted the collar of her shirt to sniff it, "Holy shit, is that me?"
The smell answered her question as she recoiled, coughing slightly. She was wearing the same outfit she left the office in; black slacks and a flowy, plum-colored top. Normally, she would shower before going to bed, but the extra hours added to her workload threw her out of order, "Shower, then breakfast," she told herself.
She shed her clothes as she entered the bathroom, peeking to make sure that the blinds were closed before getting fully naked. She had become increasingly paranoid lately. The feeling that someone was watching her was always gnawing its way into her brain. She figured it was the lack of sleep. After this weekend, she will be back to her normal, collected self. She rubbed the crud from her eyes before turning on the shower, waiting a moment for the water to warm up before stepping inside.
The hot water crashed against her skin—pale from the winter months—and she watched as it circled down the drain. Standing still for a moment, she let the water strike her back, trying to soothe the soreness in her muscles. She grabbed the loofah from its place around the showerhead and loaded it with soap, scrubbing her underarms to try and rid herself of the smell. After rinsing off, she dried herself with a towel before securing it under her arms and moving to her bedroom. She threw on something casual, some shorts and a grey sweatshirt. Spring was almost upon them, the weather was warming up. Her day off offered the opportunity to enjoy the sun while it lasted.
She started walking back toward the kitchen but stopped as a thought bubbled in her brain, "I should get the mail first," She told herself. When she was alone, talking to herself was a common occurrence- Rebecca liked to think it kept her sane.
She stepped outside and was greeted by a fresh, warm breeze. She smiled as she breathed in deeply, savoring the sun as it shone down on her. It had been a hard winter, with snow so deep you could barely get to your car- let alone drive without getting stuck. She walked to her mailbox near the sidewalk, examining the bills she had received before a voice startled her.
"Good morning, dear," Edna, the elderly woman who lived next door, walked her way on the sidewalk. Rebecca had a soft spot for the older woman, she had always been so kind, especially after the accident.
"Good morning, Edna. It's a beautiful day out, isn't it?" Rebecca smiled.
"Yes," she replied, leaning in closer. Edna always had something to gossip about, whether it was something that happened today, or thirty years ago, she was going to tell you about it, "Dearie, a new fellow is living in Ted's place. I think Ted may have passed away."
"Oh my," Rebecca gaped, she didn't know what to say. Ludwig's residence stood between her and Ted, the kind but eccentric man who lived on 985 Dollhouse Lane. Ted liked to explore in the woods that encapsulated the town, she wouldn't be surprised if he'd gotten attacked by a bear or something, as he wasn't a very cautious person.
"Now, I haven't met him yet, but I hear he's a nice young man," Edna told her. The older woman raised her eyebrows, hinting at something.
Rebecca let out a laugh, "Oh, Edna-I'm sure he's nice, but I'm quite fine on my own, thank you."
"Don't lie to yourself, dear," Edna told her before continuing down the sidewalk, "It was nice seeing you!" The woman called back before turning down the street towards her home. Rebecca stood in stunned silence for a moment. Edna was kind, but she had her moments.
Rebecca slowly turned to walk back inside, her brow furrowed. She shrugged off the woman's words as playful banter, she wasn't that lonely- she liked being alone most of the time. Heading back to her kitchen, setting the bills on the counter, she thought about what she might have for breakfast. Deciding on cereal, she grabbed a bowl from the drying rack next to the sink and stopped. Looking out the window, she saw her new neighbor- the guy in 985- standing outside.
She paused- it looked as if he was shouting at the sky. She watched him for a moment as he paced, hands on his hips, before going into his own house. With a furrowed brow Rebecca closed her blinds, there was something off about the guy in 985.
