The Portrait of Markov

Chapter II

I groggily woke up and looked around me. I was in a completely different room from where I first resided. I clutched my head as I sat up.

"W-What the--?" I gasped nonchalantly. I seemed to have awoken in some sort of modern house. I was sitting on a cushioned couch and the walls seemed to be clear white and burgundy. In the doorway there was a woman. She had brown braided hair over her shoulder, pale skin with freckles all around, and pristine amber eyes. She gave me a small yet sad smile.

"Hello, Libitina. How are you doing?" She asked me as she walked over to where I was steadily.

"I..." My voice wouldn't form the sentences I wanted to ask. Who is she? Where am I? What happened? Why can I barely remember anything? She looked at me and waited patiently for me to speak. I avoided eye contact as I gripped the sides of the black cloth that was draped over my legs like a blanket.

"Take your time answering. You must be confused, yes?" The woman wondered. I slowly nodded my head. "Well, do you at least remember me?"

I stay silent. No. I didn't. Who is she...? God, something is telling me that I should remember her, but I don't. I shook my head and she sighed.

"Alight then. My name is Gabriela, you can just call me Gaby. I'm your sister...remember?"

Wait. I have a sister? Since when? I shook my head once again. I wanted to explain myself, or speak at all, but my voice didn't want to say anything. She looked at my solemnly.

"So you don't remember anything? What's the last thing you remember?" Gaby wondered.

"I remember..." My voice trailed off as I'm trying to form the words that I want to say. "Seeing my parents dead." I got a shiver down my spine just thinking about it. Gabriela looked at me like I was insane.

"Our parents never died," She explained. "Are you sure? Maybe that was a dream."

My body stiffened and I gritted my teeth. It was not a dream, I swear. I remember it like it was yesterday, clear as day.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Around a day or so."

I closed my eyes as the voices started ringing in the back of my head again. I tried to ignore how disturbed I am, but something was telling me that something's up. That can't be...am I wrong? Was it all a dream? It felt so real though. The blood felt so real. I glanced at my hands and they were perfectly clean.

"But...I swear I saw the corpses..." I muttered to myself. Gaby looked at me with concern.

"Libitina? You couldn't have. Our parents are still alive. Are you feeling alright? Your face and eyes are red."

I slowly shook my head as I looked at Gabriela in the eyes. I'm trying to remember her somehow, but nothing is clicking in my mind. My thoughts are telling me that something is wrong...I refuse to believe she's actually my sister. You would think I would remember SOMETHING if she was truly my sister, right?

"N-No...I'm not fine. I refuse to believe you," I scowled. I knew I was coming off kinda mean, and I regretted it instantly once the words came out of my mouth, but I really didn't. Something was wrong here...

Gabriela simply frowned. "I was kinda afraid that would happen...you hit your head hard after all. I was afraid you were dead because of how hard it was."

My head was pounding while Gabriela explained how I passed out, like my reality was changing within every word Gaby expresses. For some odd reason, even my memories of the past were kinda blurred. It's like I wanted to believe everything she told me, even if it was against my morals.

"W-Well...maybe I'll try to believe you then..." I said that without really thinking. But Gabriela smiled in return.

"Thank you. I do hope your memories will get restored eventually. Are you hungry? Since I can make you dinner."

Without thinking, I nodded viciously. How hungry was I? To be honest, I don't remember the last time I did eat, which kinda scared me. Gaby smiled at my excitement I walked into the kitchen to make me food. That left me to think...did my parents actually die? Or am I just misremembering things? Can I even trust myself with my own memories...?

Maybe Gabriela is right...I'm probably misremembering things. She seems too kind to lie, right?