Page 87 of Amnesia

“You look just like Maggie did,” Am said suspiciously. “Like you’ve seen a ghost.”

The wind pulled at my clothes, tugged at my hair. I didn’t feel it because the weather around me was nothing compared to the tornado inside me.

“Amnesia…” I reached for her.

She pulled back. It damn near killed me.

“You know who I am, don’t you? You all know.”

I swallowed thickly, still trying to make sense of it all.

“Don’t you?” she screamed. A strand of wet hair slapped against her cheek.

“Yes,” I rasped, feeling incredibly ashamed and suddenly very drained. “Yes, Sadie… I know her… you.”

“You lied to me all these weeks,” she accused.

I shook my head. “It wasn’t like that… I swear.”

If she walked away again, I’d chase her. I’d make her understand.

She didn’t walk away this time. Instead, she stood amongst the wind, darkening sky, and tempestuous water, looking like a warrior intent on battle. “Start talking,” she demanded.

And so I did.

Eleven Years Ago…

Truth or Dare.

Real men picked dare. Truth was for pussies. It also got me here, sneaking out of my house at two o’clock in the morning.

Creeping around my room like I was a ninja trying to catch a picture of Santa on Christmas Eve, I dressed in the first clothes my hands touched. Once I was done, I stood at my bedroom door for a moment, ear pressed against the wood, making sure no one heard me sneaking around.

I was clear.

Dad snored so loud Mom probably had hearing damage.

On my way to the window, I snatched a baseball cap off my dresser and pulled it over my hair, stuffing it all beneath. The hat was tighter than usual. Maybe Mom was right; maybe I should just get a haircut.

Summer wasn’t meant for haircuts. No one cared what you looked like when school was out, and most days were spent at the lake or at Pat’s ice cream stand.

Forgetting about my hair, I unlocked the window and pushed it up. I’d already loosened the screen from the outside earlier so all I had to do was give it a nudge, quietly pull it through the window, and prop it against the wall.

I gave a quick glance behind me, making sure I still wasn’t caught, then hoisted myself out into the side yard.

The bush broke my fall. If Dad noticed the broken branches, I’d just blame it on the neighbor’s cat.

Stealthily, I clung to the shadows near the house as I made my way around front. The evening bugs were out in full force tonight, filling the air with noise. Just before I stepped out into the driveway, something hard clamped down on my shoulder.

“Ah!” I whirled around, ready to punch whoever was there.

“You scream like a girl,” the voice remarked.

“I do not,” I muttered, then gave her a light shove on the shoulder. “What the hell are you doing out here, Sadie?”

She rolled her eyes so hard I thought they might fall out of her face. She flipped her long golden hair behind her shoulders. “Please. You didn’t think I’d actually let you do this.”

“You aren’t my mother,” I snapped.

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