Memories

Nia woke up disoriented. She tried to turn over but something restrained her. Her eyes weren't quite open yet and when they did it took her a few minutes to adjust to the light. She was in a small room with white walls. She couldn't move because she was being restrained. She had no idea where she was and she started to get scared.

She had no idea how she had gotten here, where ever here was. She couldn't remember the last thing that had happened to her. She heard a door open behind her and then footsteps crossing the room.

"Well, how are you feeling?" A voice asked. She recognized the voice as that of the 'preacher'. He wasn't really a preacher but that's what everybody called him. His official job was to keep everyone's morale up and guide the village toward the future. Everybody trusted him and his knowledge had come in handy on several occasions.

"Where am I? How did I get here?" She asked. The Preacher ignored her questions.

"What is the last thing you remember?" He asked. His voice was kind and disarming. Nia started to calm down.

"I remember going to bed and then waking up here." Nia answered. The preacher removed Nia's restraints, satisfied that she had been 'cured'. Nia stood up.

"You have experienced what is called a 'blackout'" The Preacher explained, "It's when your memory fails. You have forgotten all the things you've been doing for the past couple weeks as best that I can tell but you should be alright now."

"You mean I've been awake?" Nia asked.

"Yes. You've been awake and going about your normal business. You sister Katy was the only one who really noticed something wrong with you and she told us out of concern for your well being. If she had not told us I don't know how long you would have gone on like that." The Preacher explained.

"You mean Katy saved me?" Nia inquired.

"Yes, you should be glad that you have a sister who cares about you so much. I will walk you home now. Don't tell anyone what has happened to you. it will just raise questions that you can't answer. You will get a feel for what happened on the days you can't remember slowly. Don't rush it, okay?" the preacher ordered.

"Okay, I will. Thank you for helping me." Nia said. The preacher led Nia out of the Assembly Hall and walked her home and returned her to her parents. Nia went inside and the preacher said a few words to her parents out of earshot. He informed her parents that she had been 'cured' and that it would be best not to talk about what had happened. Her parents agreed to follow the Preacher's advice.

Nia woke up the next day and went to school just like she had always done. Liddia joined her.

"Are you okay?" She asked Nia.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Nia assured.

"Are you sure?" She followed up.

"Yeah, I'm sure" Nia said again.

"I am so sorry for everything that happened between us." Liddia explained, "I should never have put you in that position." Nia didn't have any idea what Liddia was talking about. As far as she was concerned nothing had happened.

"It's okay, Really. We will just put it behind us, okay?" Nia said.

"Okay" Liddia answered. She wanted to talk about what happened but she didn't want to push it. They had both been 'cured' and maybe it was best to leave it in the past.

During a break between classes, Nia saw Bobby in the halls.

"Remember that teenager you claimed to have seen out in the woods, the one you had the whole village looking for?" Bobby whispered.

"Yeah, I remember, they never found him." Nia responded.

"Well, I saw him a few days ago. He broke into the Assembly Hall." Bobby continued, "I talked to him. He said he was some kind of spy and that he has been here for a long time. I didn't believe him but he told me that the preacher was going to 'cure' you and Liddia and then you both got called out of class."

"What? You met him. How did he know I needed to be 'cured'?" Nia demanded.

"He just said it was his job to know." Bobby explained.

"Have you seen him again?" Nia asked getting a little excited.

"No, he disappeared and I haven't seen him since." Bobby explained.

Nia had a hard time concentrating. She had no idea that Liddia had also been 'cured'. Nia wondered if Liddia had also experienced a 'blackout'. Liddia did seem to remember something happening between them though. Nia was having a hard time. There was this huge block of memory that just wasn't there. Nia made it through her classes although she felt like a complete stranger.

As she was walking out of the school to go home someone grabbed her arm. She turned around and it was the boy she had seen when she was a small child, only now they were the same age.

"It's you!" She exclaimed.

"Nia, I need to talk to you, let's go" the boy ordered. Nia was stunned but she did as she was told and followed.