CHARLIE

The pain was excruciating. It felt as if hundreds of hammers were hitting me at once without stopping. I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut as tightly as I can hoping the pain would suffice.

".....it's been over a week, when will she get up?"

"Julie, don't worry. The condition she was in after the... ....you know, we are lucky enough she is alive,"

".....what happens if she doesn't wake up?"

"Then Julie as you know, it will be very unfortunate for all of us,"

"Water," I croaked from my parched throat. My throat was very dry as though I had screamed for hours.

"Oh thank the heavens, you are awake! Here try sitting up," a feminine voice said.

I felt her supporting my arm and as I tried lifting myself, I felt pain shoot across my whole body like fireworks.

"Gentle honey, don't put too much pressure," the voice said.

Slowly, I lifted myself still groaning with pain but the need to quench my thirst was higher. I felt the glass being brought to my lips and I gulped down the water greedily. Breathing slowly, I opened my eyes. A dull headache formed at the base of my head as I adjusted to the bright light. I looked around confused. I was in a room much rather what looked like someone's bedroom, I could make out that the room was spacious enough with high wooden ceiling and a chandelier hanging in the center. The windows were open, the day bright and sunny outside, there was a man standing, his back towards me gazing outside the window. I realized, I was on a bed which had royal blue sheets and a white blanket which was draped over me. I lifted my hands and saw cuts and slashes etched on them. There was a yellow greenish substance applied on these marks. I felt an agonizing pain in my chest, I coughed and felt hands patting me on the back to ease it. I took deep breaths, trying to put this all in place, trying to piece it together, trying to remember what the hell happened. Nothing about the place or the bruises on my body, felt familiar, yet it was still there. How did I even got them? My headache had started to grow now. What is going on?

There was a woman standing beside me holding a glass. She was a short woman with red hair. Her face had tears sticking on her cheeks, her green eyes, swollen and red. I furrowed my brows, trying to think who she was. She felt familiar.......yet not someone I recall.

"Where am I?" I asked, "And who are you?"

The woman's eyes went wide in alarm, as more tears started streaming down her already damp face.

"You don't.....don't remember me?" she whispered as if scared of my answer.

Hesitantly, I shook my head.

"David! please come over here," she said looking at the man standing near the window. I turned my head to look at the person at the same time he turned towards me. The man was quite tall and had a golden beard with some white strands tangling with the golden hair. He seemed to have a little potbelly and his hair same color as his beard were long almost reaching to his shoulders. He didn't seem very old but the lines on his face told otherwise.

The man sighed and rubbed his temple,"Frankly speaking Julie, I was afraid this might happen," he spoke in a very thick hoarse voice.

"What do you mean by that,?" the redhead woman whose name I assume was Julie said in a shaky voice.

The stranger walked over to where we were and smiled sadly at me, "You can't remember me as well, do you?"

Again I shook my head.

"What is the last thing or a person you remember?" the man asked.

I focused on my thoughts trying to remember anything. My head felt like it might burst open any minute when I tried thinking. But everything felt blank like my mind was completely empty. As if there was nothing in there to remember. No faces, no place, nothing.

"I don't remember anything. My mind...... it's blank. I can't remember.....," I said helplessly.

"Do you know your name. Your identity. What you are?" the man asked again.

"Na-ame,?" I mumbled, trying to think. Helpless tears started to fall as I realized I don't even know my name. I don't remember where I am from or who I am? who are my family? For all I know these people standing in front of me were my parents.

"Are you'll my parents?" I mumbled.

Julie-the woman-my mother-I don't know, started crying again as if I had just told her a very bad news.

"Child, we are not your parents......but we are like your family. This woman right here is your father's twin sister which makes her your aunt and I well, am not related to you by blood but our bond was not less than a father-daughter's," the man said meeting my eyes, I don't know why, but I believed him.

"Who are my parents and where are they?" I asked. They should be here, shouldn't they?

For the first time during our conversation, the man avoided my gaze and looked down,"Your parents well they.....they passed away a long time ago,"

I was numb. I couldn't feel any emotions. Surely, I should feel very sad and I should've cried till my eyes were dry but there was nothing. Maybe for the fact I couldn't remember their faces, it was hard to cry over someone you did not even remember about. But still they were my parents, the people who gave birth to me, I should feel the pain of losing them, they probably were the greatest parts of my life. The life which I no longer remember. I could't decide which was more terrifying.

"Oh," was all I said, "How?"

The man- David glanced at Julie-supposedly my aunt as if waiting for her to say something.

"Well, you shouldn't know......about....how....," the man began but the woman-my aunt cut him off urgently.

" ....car accident. Your parents died in a car accident,"

"What?" the man shouted. He looked more surprised than anything, "Julie.....you.......why,?"

"I know David, I shouldn't have said how her parents died seeing how it could affect her, but she needed to know the truth. And this is the truth," Julie-my aunt said firmly her eyes fixed on the man, "Right David?"

They looked at each other, as if communicating through minds. The man looked angry at something but the woman-my aunt had a composed face. A few minutes might have passed like this, when they finally broke off their stare contest.

"Right Julie, her parents died in a bloody car accident," the man said almost in a grumble, his jaw locked.

"Can you tell me about myself. My name? who I am? what happened to me?" I said looking at both of them.

"Of course honey, I'll tell all you need to know. David, why don't you go and bring her something to eat? She must be hungry. Aren't you sweetheart?" Julie asked sweetly.

I nodded my head in agreement and David left the room in an instant. I looked at the spot he was standing, why was he suddenly so angry?

"Oh dear, don't you worry about him. He is only a lil upset because I told you how your parents died. He thinks it's kind of insensitive to talk about that seeing as you still are recovering and above it you don't have any memory of it makes it more....bad," she said patting my head affectionately.

"Can you begin by telling my name,?" I asked eagerly, hoping atleast by hearing my name, it would trigger some memories.

"Yes, right name. Well your name is Charlotte Rose Amor. You are almost twenty years old. You love to dance and paint. You are a very beautiful girl. Your hair is blonde and long just like your mother's and your eyes resemble just like my brother's-grey. You are very..... talented, you've always excelled in anything you did," she said adoringly, her hands still on my head. It made me relax.

Charlotte.....nothing.

"How did I ended up like this?" I asked her my voice breaking, as more tears threatened to spill. No memories.

She sighed and all the worry lines returned back to her face,"Well, you were.....you were crossing the road, when a car crashed with you, it was a huge accident, you landed on some rocks hence the cuts on your arms,"

I nodded, "Why don't I remember anything? And what is this place? Where am I?"

"Well...this is um David's place. The doctor who did your treatment is a very good friend of ours, so he recommended that we took you to a quiet place once you're condition was normal," Julie said, her eyes shinning with fresh tears. Her eyes left my face and stared at the wall in front, lost in her thoughts, "You met with the....accident ten days ago, for three days you were unconscious, you didn't even move a damn finger. It was very scary. Then by God's grace, you woke up a week ago, although not fully in control of yourself but your condition had gotten better after that,"

"What do you mean by not being in full control of myself?" I muttered.

"I guess you had a nightmare, you saw things I suppose. It affected you. You did not knew what was happening with you. I am sure you don't even remember that now," she said.

"Wouldn't be the first thing I don't remember, right?. I guess I should get used to all these....not remembering stuff," I said bitterly and clutched my head in a frustration and pain, "Is there a chance, I-I can get my memories back?" my hopes rising a bit. Maybe I can remember.

"As a matter of fact child, you may regain your memories," David said as he returned back in the room holding a silver tray. He put the tray besides me on the bed and picked up a what looked like a sandwich and gave it to me. I took it and started eating it and only then did I realize how much hungry I actually was.

"David? She can get her memories back?" Julie asked, her eyes slightly narrowed.

"Yes Julie, there is a possibility. I had a talk with Reed-who treated you by the way, and he said, she is suffering from......something retro..... uh........ what did he say.... sorry, I am not good with these medical words..........he said it was a type of amnesia........yes! retrograde amnesia. It causes the brain to ya know forget memories of the past and stuff but you can get 'em back," he smiled, but it was more of a sad smile.

"I can? Well how long it might take?" I asked enthusiastically my mouth full with pieces of sandwich.

David looked down, suddenly interested in the sheets, he took a deep sigh,"He said, it might take upto fifteen years or......"

"Or?" I prompted.

"Or, you could never get them back," he mumbled.

I closed my eyes, suddenly feeling very tired. This was so unfair, "So, I'll have to spend my entire life right now, without having any knowledge of who I was before, that sounds downright fantastic."

"Don't lose hope yet, my child. Reed also said that making you visit places of your past and making you meet people who knew you, it may trigger your memories!" he grinned.

"That's enough for now David," Julie said fixing David with a stern gaze. She took a deep breath and smiled at me, "Let us leave and let Charlotte rest. It has been tough for her, she must be extremely tired,"

David hesitated, his own eyes narrowed,"Fine, let her rest,"

Julie took the plate from me and after I ate one more sandwich and drank a glass of milk, she took the tray, patted my head and left the room. David smiled at me.

"If you need anything at all, please call me, I'll be here in a second. Okay?"

With that been said, he left the room, leaving me to my thoughts. I could only imagine how much hard it is gonna get for me. Not remembering anyone or any place, not remembering me. But maybe after going to the places of my past, I might remember something or someone. I wiped my tears and laid back staring at the ceiling. My headache had eased a little but still present.

An hour or so might have passed, with me still dwelling on my thoughts and trying to remember any incident but it was pointless. I yawned and felt my eyes get droopy. Sleep came to me willingly. In my subconscious state, a name came upto my mind very suddenly.

"Elliot"