Amnesia

chapter 6

They had just stepped in the house when Dean approached her. The two were still laughing from the movie and it took a few seconds for her to realize he had something in his hand. He handed over the object and returned to the couch without ever saying a word. She observed the cursive font on the front of the blank envelope. "Celine Grantsfield." She read the cursive out loud before checking the back of the envelope. Why that name? By then she had thought Celine was just a mistake mentioned in with the memories. Does this person --Celine --relate to me?

Going upstairs, she entered the bedroom, shutting the door behind her. Once she was alone, she slowly ripped the envelope open and peered inside. What she saw was frightening. Dawn had to hold back the urge to regurgitate the movie theater popcorn as she pulled out a piece of cloth from inside. That's not what made her sick to the stomach though, it was the dark red splotches on the golden cloth. Oh my, she was pinching the cloth by the corner of the fabric. It was drenched in blood.

There were faint marks of stitches through the dark red. Scraping at the crust, she felt her own blood run cold. Their was no mistake, the letter was as clear as day. A capital -D stared back at her, sending chills down her spine. It's just a coincidence; she managed to chuckle with a weak smile.

She continued scratching at the blood, her gut tightening as the letters became more visible. This has got to be a joke. Her one nail was covered in the dried crust but her main priority had became the letters. The letters D-A-W-N spilled across the fabric in that childish way only a little one could create. Who would send something like this? She dropped the cloth and checked the insides of the envelope. Just the cloth then?

Shoving the cloth into the envelope, she walked back downstairs and was about to fling it into the trash when she was stopped. "Is that blood on your hand?" Dawn froze as if she had committed a crime. Might as well have, her stomach churned. She glanced at her nail, her eyes widening slightly.

"Um," she thought up of an excuse, "Just a paper cut." Please take the lie! Her head was screaming so loud it could be quite possible for whomever to hear.

"A paper cut?" She recognized the voice now. She doesn't believe it. "Who was the mail from?" General curiosity, though curiosity killed the cat.

"Just," Dawn didn't know what to say that would be believable. "Just an old friend." She forced herself to say the last word. This person is anything but a friend.

"Are you okay? You're shivering." Had she been shivering unconsciously, she wasn't sure. She just knew the knot in her stomach was growing and started making her nauseous. Dawn managed to shake her head as the envelope dropped out of her hand and into the trash. "Why are you throwing it out if its from a friend?" Dang it, she knows.

"Because I already read over the letter." Digging a grave, she gulped down the saliva that refused to go down.

"What did it say?" Dawn turned around to face her. What did it say? "Dawn you're pale." She stated. Pale as a ghost.

She shook her head slightly before flashing a small smile. "Oh, just that we should hang out sometime." Dawn side stepped out of the way and slipped past. "Excuse me." She lowered her head as she retreated outside. Quickly shutting the door behind her, she took a deep breath, a puff of white air forming as she exhaled. Nothing's wrong, nothing's going to happen; she attempted at relaxing.

Sliding down the trunk of the tree, she stared up at the occasional colored leaf that had yet to fallen and beyond that the cloudy sky. Winter will be here soon, and so will Christmas. The sudden idea that she was being watched made her lower her head. A lone robin sat on top of the white fence, its black eyes shining in the Autumn light. The Robin either chose not to notice her presence or simply hadn't seen her yet. Instead, it decided to lift its wing outward and begin grooming with its beak. A Robin in winter, what're the chances?

The Robin suddenly burst into flight, swooping into the sky. A few seconds was all it took to register what had happened. When it did, she stood, heedful of the unwanted visitor. The man with the scar leaned on the gate with a smirk on his face. "Hello again." She kept near the tree. "Is there something you need?" A coil was tightening inside of her the more she stuck around with this man.

A chill ran down her spine when he chuckled. "Can't old friends visit each other?" She nodded slightly, pressing her nails into the bark.

"Yeah, I guess." This person felt like anything but a friend, but she couldn't put her finger on why. Maybe it's just because he looks intimidating. "Why don't you use the front entrance?"

Again with that laugh. "That's because I don't want to be a bother to the others, Sweetheart." She shuddered unconsciously. "Besides, I'm only passing by and saying hello." He flashed off his straight teeth before giving a sympathetic look. "Is anything wrong? You're shaking pretty hard."

Dawn shook her head violently. "I'm just a little cold."

He nodded slightly. "Yes, the weather has gotten chilly lately, hasn't it?"

The question popped up in her head. "I never caught your name." A name might jog something loose.

That awful chuckle. "It doesn't matter, does it?" He paused, frowning. "Unless you don't trust me?"

Dawn shook her head once more. "I trust you! I do, really!" She felt like getting on this mans bad side was the last thing she wanted.

He grinned, straightening off the gate. "That's good. If you can't trust your friends then who can you trust?"

She shrugged. "No one, I guess."

He nodded. "Good, your a smart one." He paused again before asking, "How have you been? Has life treated you well?"

"Life's been... Good." She hesitated for a moment. When he opened the gate and stepped inside, she stepped closer to the tree.

"That's good." His eyes looked into hers and, for a second, she thought he saw through her lies. "You've forgotten everything, why is that?" Is he just being tenderhearted?

" I was in a car accident." She repeated what she was told. "And I got injured severely."

He bobbed his head slowly. "How much have you forgotten?"

Is it a good idea to continue telling him information? She didn't like the idea, but she needed him to trust her. "Everything. I've forgotten everything." Did the corners of his lips just twitch just now?

"I'm sorry. I hope your memories come back soon." He didn't sound very apologetic though, he sounded almost pleased. She hoped it was just her imagination getting the best of her again. The man glanced back behind her and smiled. "Looks like my visit is being cut short." He winked than turned away from her. "Until next time, princess." Her blood turned to nitrogen as she watched him walk away.

The door creaked open as soon as he had disappeared from sight. After making sure that he was gone, the coil unraveled. She collapsed and stared at the trunk. Everything's fine now. She sighed and sat there for a few minutes.

Whether he was friend or foe, something was up with man that made her turn cold. His voice repeated in her head. "If you can't trust your friends then who can you trust?"

The answer to that is no one; she realized while watching an ant crawl down the tree. She reached out and stopped the ants path. It crawled over her finger and she frowned. Smart one. She froze and shook her head, chuckling. "Like what he says really matters." She muttered underneath her breath.