ColorBlind (Book #2 of S.H.A.D.E.) ✔

When the Past Returns

7.

I cannot believe it, that Danny has attacked me.

I don't understand.

And now my vision is fogging over with a dark black haze, and my body is weighed down by whatever anesthesia has been injected into my veins, my limbs useless and heavy.

I hear Copper lunge from his hiding place, and also the crunch of the axe as it comes down, sinking into Danny's shoulder.

I hear Danny's shrill cry of pain, and then I hear scuffing, a struggle, things falling over and grunts.

Just before everything goes, I finally hear Gray's triumphant voice as he pants out, "You should feel lucky Copper, that I can't kill you. But then, I guess it doesn't matter, right? Both your memories will be wiped again soon enough..."

I fall into the blackness.

***

I wake up in a dark room, my cheek pressed against a cool dirt floor. The only light comes from the thin slivers of sunlight that leak through the holes of an old blind covering the small window in the right corner. The scent of must and something else unpleasant fills my nose, and I slowly ease myself upright into a sitting position, trying to gain a better sense of my surroundings.

It's a basement. A barren cellar. I see a rickety old staircase to my right.

Although my body is still laden with the drug, I am able to drag myself to the cement wall closest to me, and use it to help stand myself up unsteadily. A shudder causes my knees to knock together and my teeth to jitter against each other. I feel awful, so groggy and disoriented.

But of one thing I am sure -- S.H.A.D.E. has Copper and I again.  And they want to wipe our memories, to implant new chips that will remake us. They want us to be a pair of clean slates again, and probably will keep us separate from now on.

The panic that ensues within me is enough to carry me over to the staircase. I go to drag myself up, but notice the padlock on the door at the top, glinting in the sparse light of the room. There is no way I will be able to open that.

I lean my weight onto the rail, take a centering breath and look around the room for other options. It's so dark in here, all save for that window.

I stagger towards it, but it is high up on the wall, and I can't reach. I need something to step on. I look around again, hoping to find anything of use.

In the darkness of one of the corners, I can see a box or something on the ground. Maybe it will do the trick.

I move slowly towards it, feeling my muscles gaining the ability to function correctly again. I reach the object, and place a hand on it.

It is soft. And warm.

And then it screams.

I jump back, losing my footing and tumbling to the floor. I kick myself back, away from the howeling creature.

A booming bang echoes down from the cellar door, and then the muffled shout of a menacing voice yells, "Keep it quiet down there!"

The screaming stops instantly, instead replaced by a mixture of quiet whimpering and weeping.

I am petrified, but raise my morale again, getting back up on my feet.

"Hello?" I speak softly, as unthreateningly as possible. "Hello, who are you?"

The creature hiccups, sniffles, and then coughs, an unhealthy, flemmy sound.

The other unpleasant smell, I finally realize, is urine. They have been keeping this person down here for some time.

I am all at once consumed by pity and fear. Pity for this person and fear for myself. Is this my fate? To rot down here with them?

"Please," I try again. "Who are you?"

"I'm--" It's a girl's voice, that's all I can tell, because it breaks off into another series of sobs and coughs.

Then, the figure stands weakly from where they were slouched in the corner, and moves forward warily. The slivers of light slide over her frail body in streams, illuminating pieces of her.

Her matted and tangled blonde hair.

Her bloodshot, green eyes.

Her dirty cheeks and trembling cracked lips.

I have never met her in my life. But I know that face.

The face that haunts Copper.

Jade.