Amnesia

Chapter 23

I wildly searched the ground, my hands stained in dirt and mud. My hair was a wild bird's nest. My white shirt was covered in filth, and dirt was stuck up the inside of my nails. It was night and cold, I had goosebumps all up my arms and my body shivered, begging for warmth. The hospital had burned down and I found myself before it, hunting for whatever it was I needed to find. 

"Come on, where is it!" I yelled to myself as I crawled and searched. 

"Lana just leave it!" A voice called out to me but I ignored it. 

"Piss off!" I growled as I continued to attack the floor. My knees were scratched and my jeans were torn but it didn't faze me. I was in search of something and I was going to find it. 

"It's not there so just leave it!"  I snapped my head back at the figure behind me, creases formed between my eyebrows. 

"I'm not leaving until I find it, okay!?" I practically screamed at them, fuelled with rage. I was desperate. I had to find it. It was the only thing that would prove my theory. Would prove that I was right. 

"They're going to come looking for it." The man spoke again, his voice held urgency and panic but I wasn't scared like him. I didn't care if I was caught, I didn't care if they tried to hurt me. 

"Listen," I spat, "if I am right about this then my parents were murdered, do you understand me!?" Tears threatened to escape my eyes but I  refused to cry. I forced down the sob crawling up my throat. I never cried. I refused to be weak. The man pulled out a pack of cigarettes and placed one between his teeth. He lit it and inhaled the toxic chemicals. Smoking at a time like this? How pathetic. 

"Instead of standing around like an idiot why don't you help me." I stood up from the ground and dusted the dirt away from my hands. He handed me the pack of cigarettes but I shoved them away. I reached for the one in his mouth and placed it between my fingers. I drew it to my mouth but I never let it touch my lips. I dropped it to the floor and squashed it with my foot while I looked into his eyes with a scowl. He rolled his eyes and went to light another but I snatched the pack off him. 

"No more," I stated in disgust. "Now help me." I resumed my search, my teeth chattering. Suddenly my body was engulfed in warmth, I looked down and saw a leathered jacket draped over my shoulders. He crouched down and I took in his hard features. His eyes were dark brown, his eyebrows thick and furrowed. His stubble was rough and his jaw was sharp, his lips were thin but soft with a pink tint. His long, wavey hair was tied into a man bun. 

"Don't want you to freeze to death dollface." I almost scoffed at his attempt on being 'nice'. Liam was far from nice. He was rude, a smart mouth and always liked taking the piss out of me. I slid the jacket off and handed it back to him. 

"I would rather die" I muttered. Liam threw a hand to his chest and mouthed an 'ouch'. 

"Lana we've looked for hours, it's long gone by now." He stated yet he helped me search. Liam had an odd way of showing his affection, his bad mouth usually got in the way. I mentally cursed myself for getting involved with him. 

"It's not gone until I say it's gone." I sent him a glare and continued to scout the ground, I could barely see as it was dark and there were no street lights around us. I had to use my other senses as I blindly searched. Liam pulled his lips into a thin line and remained silent. 

I gasped when my fingers brushed against something stone cold. I lifted it to my eyes and examined the object. A silver lighter with a red rose etched on it. Liam released a sigh of relief and stood. I grabbed onto his extended hand as he halted me up.