Chapter six

Was she going crazy? When she was forced to go to a psychologist, the man who had treated her told her that she perceived reality better than others. She was not crazy, just frightened by the episode she had lived through. He told her that if she didn't remember anything, it was because she was afraid of facing the unknown.

Those were the words she repeated to herself every morning so as not to distrust herself and what she perceived.

"You can call me Alissa, that's what everyone calls me. I am Spanish and I have come to New York looking for a job, since I have more possibilities here than in my native country. Do you want more information? Well, we met in the parking lot near a home cooking restaurant. I was complaining because we couldn't get out of there because of a stupid storm, what's more, they said the water had cut all the electrical circuits!". Alissa looked around before speaking again. "The security guards were saying we couldn't get out of there because the doors were powered by electricity and the windows were too small to escape through. So..."

"Shut up, please, don't go on" whispered Lun painfully, gritting his teeth hard and digging his nails into his scalp. Like a beast that refused to come out into the open.

"Do you remember that...?" Alissa looked around. "Do you accept my invitation for coffee?".

 

Lun patted his pockets. Since her head hurt so much, she usually carried ibuprofen or some other headache pill. Sighing in relief, she walked over to a fountain in the park next door.

Alissa followed her. As she popped the pill in her mouth and drank some water, she closed her eyes for a few seconds to clear her head.

It wouldn't hurt to have coffee with a stranger, would it?

They were both in a coffee shop near the parking lot where everything had happened. Alissa had insisted that they go there to talk, thinking that the memories would come sooner. While Lun had ordered herself a decaf, Alissa had preferred a berry-flavored tea. It suited her, Lun reflected, she had a bit of a hippie style.

When both women were left alone and the waiter left with a smile for the tip, Lun couldn't help but glance sideways towards the parking lot that was open at the moment. She felt some strange bond that made her want to walk down the stairs and remember every scene without missing a single one. At the door of the parking lot there were flowers in memory of the people who had passed away.

How sad to be at the scene of the crime and not remember any faces of the deceased. Yes, she felt bad, guilty. Many relatives of the deceased had contacted her trying to get information, to shed light on a case that seemed mired in confusion. All to no avail. She remembered nothing despite having spent hours locked in a room trying to relive what had happened.

Alissa placed a brown hand on his pale hand. God, what a difference, Lun thought. She took another sip, trying to relax, but only succeeded in burning the tip of her tongue.

"Fuck," she whispered.

"Okay, listen to me, I've been wanting to find you for a long time. Ever since we got our memories erased, my life hasn't been normal, and I'll bet you anything yours hasn't either."

"Memory wiped?" Lun frowned.

"Yes, they wiped our memory, don't you remember? After we were locked up we heard a cry for help" Alissa paused. "When we all looked out to see what was going on, that man was dead and with a big hole in his chest... okay, and his throat cut from beginning to end, but that's not what you have to remember."

Lun looked away, seeing before her eyes everything that happened that day. As Alissa spoke, she followed her through memories. She remembered the man lying on the ground covered in blood, how the guards had ripped off their clothes with a jerk and had become...

A fog covered her memories before exposing a scene of a...

"They can't be werewolves!" shouted Lun, slamming the mug down hard on the table.

Alissa put her hand over her mouth.

"Fine, you're remembering. But do us a favor and don't yell. We're going to be taken for lunatics and..."

"A butcher's shop" Lun took her hand away from her mouth. "They almost killed me, but you stuck a pen in his neck" she whispered, watching each scene flash before her eyes. She was trembling, and her teeth were chattering. "Then we hid and..."

"Skip to the important part" pleaded Alissa in desperation. "Remember some men came and killed the guards, do you remember?"

Lun nodded slowly. At that moment, she remembered the dark blue-eyed man who visited her every night. That black hair, those strong arms holding her as she called for a Gideon to erase her memory. Lux groaned in pain and closed her eyes, letting two tears escape. She shrank back in the chair as she felt Alissa's hand caress her back. Another image crossed her mind. Alissa had tried not to have her memory erased, but someone had held her by the shoulders.

"Is your friend all right?" someone asked.

"Yes, we just heard some bad news," Alissa replied.

"Okay" they heard footsteps walking away.

They stood for a few minutes in silence. Lun could hardly stand the pains that were intensifying every minute. At that moment, when she opened them she felt like she was going to faint. Everything was blurry and double. She moistened her lips in an attempt to keep them from feeling so dry.

It wasn't working.

"Honey, take a deep breath," Alissa lifted his head, "I know it hurts. I've been through this. You can. Take a breath and take a deep breath, forget everything I've told you."

"I can't. It hurts..." she said, feeling her chest tighten.

"I know. Stare at me. Don't make me slap you again" she teased.

Lun smiled and did as Luna ordered. She took a deep breath, concentrating only on herself and forgetting everything around her. She listened to Alissa's soothing voice talking to her, encouraging her to continue with words of comfort. She felt better, she no longer felt that everything was revolving around her or that her lips were parched. She stopped hearing the coffee pot, the cars driving outside and others talking loudly.

Her head still hurt, but it was different?

It was like the end of the pain after a long road of suffering. Lun captured Alissa's hand in an awkward motion and gasped.

"I think I feel like throwing up."