amnesiac

Chapter 1

I woke up to beeping. And beeping. Just a constant beep. Repetitive. Persistent.

I sat up in my bed. I looked around the room and the word hospital came to mind. Hospital, I thought. How do I even know that word? I fumbled around my brain for some answers or any memory.

There was nothing.

Did I have a home? A family? Friends? Who am I?

I couldn't reach a conclusion. All I could remember was one thing.

The name Daren. 

It rang in my ears. Daren, Daren, Daren. I tried to push it away but it just popped up again.

Frustrated and groggy, I got out of the cot I was laying on. I started to move toward the door when I realized I had no idea how to get there.

So I crawled. I began to crawl toward the glass door. I was just beginning to make progress when a young red haired lady in blue scrubs came running toward me.

"Alyssa!" She cried. "Alyssa Baker! What do you expect me to tell your mother? That you were crawling around the room? No. No. I will not have any of it. Let's go get you some food honey. You look- hungry."

I looked around the room. Then it dawned on me that she was referring to me.

"Me?" I asked. "I'm Alyssa?"

The red-haired lady shook her head and sighed. "Yes my dear. Come with me."

We walked down several corridors to a cafeteria. We got in a long line of people. I looked around and saw gloomy faces eating mush off bright green trays. The trays seemed too cheery for a room as disheartening as this one.

"What do you want sweetie? The usual?" The red-haired lady asked.

"Huh? Whats the usual supposed to be?"

"Clam chowder and sprite..."

"Clam powder and sprite? Yeah, whatever."

The red-haired lady hands the cashier a green slip of paper and grabs a bowl of steaming hot soup. It was delicious.

The problem was, I couldn't remember anything. Still. All that came to me was Daren, Daren, Daren.

Who was this Daren?

And why is he the only thing I can remember?

Is he a brother? A friend? I don't know but I'm just about ripping the hair out of my head to figure it out.

The red-haired lady sees my puzzled face. "Alyssa,"she says. "Is everything all right?"

I don't know. Is everything all right? It doesn't seem like it. And for a minute this person, whoever she is, seems trustworthy. I can open up to her, I thought. She won't think anything of it.

I mulled it over for a split second. I could tell her everything. That I can't remember anything, that somebody named Daren is in the back of my head. That I have absolutely no idea where the hell I am.

But I decide not to.

I nod and continue to eat my food.

••••

The red-haired lady and I walk back to the room I awoke in. We were arm in arm. I was shaky, but getting steadier.

We entered the room and saw a middle aged couple sitting at the foot of my cot. The woman was blonde and looked tired. Her eyes seemed distant and filled with stress. Her white button up was buttoned all the wrong ways. Her slacks were wrinkled. She had countless knots in her hair.

And I thought the woman was a wreck. The man, however, was another story. He had puffy eyes. He rubbed them with his fingers and placed his glasses back on. His purple dress shirt was untucked and did not match his paisely green tie that was coming undone. His collar stood up. His gray hairs were askew. He looked ten times as distant as the lady. And they held hands tighter than you could ever imagine.

The couple looked up and saw us. They rushed toward me and gave me a tight embrace. They stroked my hair and whimpered. All I could think was what is going on?

I hugged back. I pulled away after a while and saw that the woman was crying. She looked like she was once beautiful but years of struggle changed that.

"Oh, Alyssa," she said. "You're awake. And walking. And its a miracle. Oh honey. I don't believe it. You are such a blessing. And you won't believe how much your friends miss you. They send you cards and flowers and..." She went on and on. I looked at her, bewildered.

"I'm sorry?" I asked.

"Oh never mind that."  She said. "Sit, honey. Relax."

I sat. And I stared at the couple. The woman looked at me hopefully. She looked years younger after our little talk. Well her little talk anyway. The man looked at me too. He hugged me. But I was indifferent to all this affection.

They began to say how they were looking forward to all these things and began to ramble. I stared at them blankly.

They stopped short when they saw my face. The woman said, "Oh Alyssa, don't tell me you've forgotten your own parents."