Rewriters [Completed]

Chapter 26: Code Red

Thinking about it was one thing, but actually trying to recall her memories was another thing. Before everything happened, Lysa had a great memory, though not photographic like her ancestor, it was helpful for exams.

Remembering traumatic experiences, however, was not.

Perhaps that was why her memories were lost.

Lysa was afraid. The last time she tried to remember, she nearly hurt Kaleo. Despite that, she had already told herself that she was going through entirely with it.

Just a little at a time.

She wanted to try something small, like remembering the first time her parents brought her to a bookstore.

Conveniently, she was working in Carol's bookstore that day; perhaps being in a bookstore might help her remember.

Caligo came up to her, giving her a purr of encouragement. She tried to shoo him away, in case anything bad happened, but he simply sat down and washed himself.

She relented and sighed, closing her eyes.

Lysa dug deep into her mind, trying to reach out for the memory she wanted. Her fear sprung up again, telling her not to continue, but she pressed on.

She could feel Caligo's soft fur brushing against her arm. It comforted her; in a sense, she was not alone.

Beads of sweat rolled down the sides of her head as she strained to remember.

"Lysa..."

Her blood ran cold the moment she heard his voice. Reality started to fade from her eyes as flames appeared in her vision. As if she was returning to that past incident that was the source of all her nightmares.

Her heartbeat accelerated as she attempted to pull herself out of the memory. But it was not working.

Blood from Caesar's terrible wound flowed out like an endless tide. Yet he could still move. Lysa, her head pounding from the ash and smoke, couldn't move away as he put his hand on her head.

The pain worsened to a splitting headache, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She wanted to scream but her throat burned, preventing her from uttering a sound. As she slowly slipped into unconsciousness, a voice snapped her to attention.

"... get up... and-"

"Hey."

The memory was cut short and Lysa found herself back in the bookstore, face to face with Caligo's owner, Sam. He was holding his cat, stroking him.

She turned pale. "D-did I..."

"Caligo is fine," Sam said with a pause. "You are sweating a lot."

"O-oh." While Lysa was immensely relieved that she didn't hurt Caligo, she was trembling uncontrollably. The memory of that deep stab wound on Caesar's neck, that she caused, made her feel like throwing up.

Sam held up a plastic bag and offered it to her.

"H-huh? N-no thanks..."

"Something happened?" As Carol came into the store, Lysa ducked her head.

Though no one said anything, the bookstore owner hummed as though she understood what happened.

"Lysa, I'll take over for the day now," she said, ushering her away from the counter. Lysa reluctantly obliged as Carol turned to Sam.

"Sam, you are heading near Rosenberg High later, am I right? Could you help me pass this to Mr Wayland? Say that these are for his years of service to the school."