Grief Gone Mad

Chapter 6 - A Cause of Amnesia

Dio grabbed Jojo's hand forcefully. Pulling him away from the book. From precious memories. Memories that were coming back.

Jojo turned to his other hand. 'This book...' He gripped it tightly between his uneven fingers. His large hand almost dwarfing the books small size. He turned back to Dio and Pucci. Pucci was frantically trying to keep up as Dio tugged at his arm. Tugged like a child pulling along his favourite toy being dragging behind him.

His pace was unwavering. His hand wouldn't let go of Jojo's arm for anything or anyone. Even if it bothered him how the stitches where so prominent and the bones moved visibly under the skin. All of it being felt under his iron grip.

"Where?" Jojo tried to form such questions but his mouth didn't want to keep up with his mind. He looked back at the book. It's blue cover faded from years of pain and misfortune. That shade of blue though, Jojo looked harder despite the hurry Dio enforced. That shade of blue was on that girl's dress.

"Erina?"

Dio came to a holt. They'd made it to room with walls-stained red. Where pools of it had once dominated the floor. Where his stolen arms had been covered in innocent blood. Dio shook his head a little.

"What did you say?"

Pucci looked between both of them before entering.

"Erina? That was her name, right?" Jojo spluttered as he excitedly showed the picture to Dio.

"Yes. It was. Your point?"

"I knew her, didn't I?"

"You loved her."

"Love? what's love?" the creature sighed a little. He had never experienced love before. Not that he could recall.

"You're asking me about love? I don't know of such a thing. Besides it's useless to me anyway."

"How come? You've lived longer-" Jojo stopped as Dio turned his back to him.

"That star?"

"What about it?" Dio looked to see his bare back prominently displaying the symbol for all to see.

"It feels familiar somehow."

Dio turned and grabbed Jojo by the shoulders. The star was indeed on hs back too. Among the stitches and off-putting greens and greys.

"No." Dio muttered as he joined Pucci, racing for the books.

Jojo peered in. His mind picking through needles trying to decipher what Dio meant. "Can I help?" But his question was promptly ignored. The World appeared beside him, studying the stains littered in the tiny room. He turned to Jojo.

Jojo caught him out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh, hello" Jojo tried to give a pleasant smile.

The stand backed away a little. Having his back up against the door frame. So many questions raced through his head. He knew who this was meant to be and what Dio had done. But he never imagined or even dared to think that Jojo would have come out this way. The vivid contrast between his head and the rest of his body made him question how it was even possible. How was such a very much alive head being kept alive by such a disturbing yet remarkable twisted form of nature?

The World lowered his tense shoulders and stood next to the peculiar being. His minds never ceasing, much like Dio's.

"You alright?" Jojo looked up. Worry clearly covering his face.

The stand placed his feet on the stone below and grabbed Jojo's wrist. The book was still firmly within the grasp of his hand. Jojo looked down to the stand and back up to his face.

The World looked bravely onward at the mess Dio and Pucci where making. Papers and books being tossed between them. Though Jojo had no idea what they were doing. He looked back at the stand.

"What are you?" his tone innocent, like a child free of the burden of knowledge.

"Could you get this?" Dio signalled the stand to come over as he bent to pick up some loose papers.

The World looked back at Jojo. Not wanting to let go of this strange new commodity. Though he begrudgingly did so and hovered over to help his user.

Jojo glanced back at the book in his hand and began to flip through the well-worn pages. Easily distracted by the curious letters and symbols. There was that picture again. Those strange squiggles.

"I think I've found it."

"Excellent." Dio got up from his venture on the floor and leaned over Pucci. He held the diagrams and plans for Jojo's body. Almost illegible notes were written on the back. Notes Dio had made during the procedure.

"Does it say anything about potential memory loss? Or abnormalities which would cause such effects on his head?"

Pucci scoured the notes. He flipped the pages multiple times. He looked frantically between Jojo and the, already, decaying notes.

"I can't find anything-" Pucci glanced at Dio before looking over to the machine staring at them.

"Must I do everything myself." Dio huffed in annoyance as he began to flick through the pages himself.

"The machine."

"What?!"

"I believe because of the faulty machine, and maybe even your eagerness, the process was rushed. That's why-"

"Why didn't you tell me about that sooner? Pucci?"

"I did mention it, but I thought your immeasurable abilities would be able to handle it."

The two stopped their discussion and looked over to Jojo who was happily trying to the spell words in the book.

"E-R-I-N-A? Erina?"

"Maybe his memory will return in time."

"Pucci, I don't have time." Dio almost growled through his weighted words. "Jojo." the name forced through his lips like a baby bird forcing its way out of its egg.

"Yes, is that me-"

"Why don't I help you read that?" Dio pondered over to Jojo and dragged him to the sofa. He signalled to his stand to follow.

Pucci looked back at the machine.

"Oh, and Pucci."

Pucci gulped a little.

"Try and fix that machine for me, would you?"