Echos of Amnesia

Chapter 4

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Staring at the apartment in front of me everything looked normal, but I couldn't ignore the burning feeling that something was about to happen, something bad.
It was mid spring and you could see the flowers in full bloom, rows of pink, yellow, orange and green lined the flower boxes that clung to the red brick apartment walls neat and tidy as if they would never grow out of shape.

"Fox! Mamma wants you inside, she's maaaaaad at you."

I turned to see my little sister with her rosy pink cheeks and blonde hair that would never die down. 6 years old and a little rat bag already.

I walked over slowly with a slight smirk on my face.

"Oh is she? And what did I do this time little Lucy?"

Slowly Lucy started to walk back to the door, realizing what I was doing.

"I'm not little Lucy, I'm almost 7 now, I'll be 7 in a week! And she wouldn't say, only that if you don't get inside in 5 minutes you'd get a spanking!"

I stopped walking and frowned for a second before pulling out a massive grin.

"5 minutes you say... Then I still have time to catch you! Hope you're ready for tickles!"

Lucy's eyes widened before she screamed, running away from the door and onto the footpath.

"No Fox! I'm too old for tickles! What about mamma?"

"Mamma can wait! Tickles come first!"

She continued to scream as I chased her around on the footpath and down to the park where I could see her messy blonde hair behind a bush and I smiled and started to walk over when I heard mamma calling.

"Fabian! Get back inside now, there are people here for you!"

"Yes mamma! 2 minutes!"

I turned to Lucy who was standing now, staring at the apartment beside the park.

I walked over and ruffled her hair.

"Mamma says we must go back now, I'll give you a piggyback if you want..."

I trailed off as I noticed the blank expression on her face, her hair seemed dull, as well as her eyes, and those forever rosy cheeks had gone pale.

"Lucy?"

She turned to me slowly, unmoving, just her head turned.

"The building is sad Fox, it knows something bad..."

I placed my hand on her shoulder gently.

"Lucy what are you talking about?"

She muttered something under her breath before suddenly snapping out of her trance and screaming she ran further into the park.

The earth shook, volumes of dust and noise started to rise from the ground. Creaking, groaning, whining as everything continued to shake.

"Lucy!!"

I screamed through the dust, looking for her, her silhouette, her hair, eyes, dress, anything!
I caught a glimpse of her, standing in front of me, saying something but I could not hear her over the terrible ringing and pain in my head. I reached out for her, but there was nothing I could do.

As I watched the shaking apartment catch light, and fall on the park.

On Little Lucy.
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"Hey Fox? Give me a boost?"

I snapped out of my thoughts to see Ash standing at a ledge. Time flies when you stay too long in your memories...

I walked over and knelt down opening my hands for her to use as a step up.

"How did you get the name Fox anyway? Fox, Fabian, they're fairly different you know."

She stepped onto my open hands and I boosted her up climbing up after her. I shrugged, contemplating asking her about why she named herself Ash but thought better of it.

"Childhood nickname I guess, my sister and parents called me Fox because it was my favourite animal..."

"Was?"

Ash didn't even look back, just continued dodging pipes, her hair blending around the dark, the only light shining ahead was her flashlight which could defiantly use some new batteries.

"Yeah, most animals have been counted extinct, foxes were added a week ago along with sparrows, some breed of dogs and leopards, some type of monkey too I think."

She nodded and stopped at the metal ladder presented going up.

"Hey Ash? Where will you go after this?"

I walked over and started to climb, Ash following slowly after.

"Skyridge. One of the few places the EOA can't send their patrols."

"Skyridge is all overgrown though isn't it? Just trees and plants. Aren't some even poison?"

I opened the hatch at the top of the ladder and climbed out offering my hand to Ash.

She shook her head and climbed out.

"Not if you know how to avoid it. Plus, the EOA won't risk the lives of their agents by sending in patrols if they're gonna die, are they?"

I nodded and leant against the wall of the alley we had come up in.

"What about you? Where are you going now?"

I shrugged and watched her lean next to me, hands in her pockets and hood up.

"I have people expecting me here in Mora. I have to report in then I'll decide."

She smirked slightly for a second but just enough time for me to catch it.

"You some sort of criminal on parole then?"

I forced a slight chuckle.

"Something like that."

Ash nodded, she stood up and started to walk off further into the alley before stopping a couple of meters away, looking slightly over her shoulder.

"Well if you decide on skyridge, look for the red house on Krane street. That's where I'll be."

And with that she walked off into the shadows, until nothing remained but the smoke of the alley. 

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, brushing it back and shoving my hands in my pockets looking down.

"You got what you want, follow her, like you always do. Make sure she doesn't find out though Simin."

I heard the cat's bell jingle as he dropped down next to me.

"You took a risk Fabian, exposing yourself like that. I have faith you know what you were doing."

I smirked lightly still looking down.

"I know, and I have a plan. Tell the others that she's going to Skyridge, I'll need back up, I'm going to met her there, see what she thinks of joining if she's not being forced."

Simin nodded and ran off down the alley. 

I sat down and played with my badge in my pocket. 

3 years of looking for her and I finally found her.

Ash can't hide for long now.