They had met online. Her only true friend for now. After losing her memory Elle had found solace in the online world where she could get whatever she wanted. Nobody questioned her belonging and in return, all her queries were answered (for a change). Google was her little world now and though she had her own family, she wasn’t really familiar with anyone. They were all constantly trying to please her or tell her to take rest when all she did was sleep and eat the whole day. It was hard for her to not know who she was. She wanted to be left alone but again there was always this hunch that someone was staring at her. She could see the shadow but couldn’t make any sense of it. In her subconscious mind, she knew what it was but was afraid to acknowledge it. She even informed this to her doctor but he had said it was all in her imagination.

Like really? How imaginative could one be after memory loss?

Things were fine, initially. It was only when she started noticing things when she woke up one morning. It felt like someone had slept beside her. The sheets were all ruffled up. She remembered locking her door before going off to sleep and as a matter of fact who would sleep? Her mother wasn’t the kind to invade her privacy. This soon became a routine and she couldn’t help but get paranoid over little things now. The presence felt oddly familiar. Taking her medicines would calm her a little but was it going to calm her in the long run?

Coming back to the present,  the only good thing that was around her was Amanda.

Amanda was her first online and offline friend. They had bumped into each other when she was on her way to the doctor’s place, of course, accompanied by her frantic mother. She was yet to bond with her mom. Something seemed off and she couldn’t place what? Amanda, on the other hand, seemed quite chirpy. To be honest, a bit too much. They had instantly hit off. She was kind of a savior.

Closing the door behind, Elle opened her laptop. It was brand new. The old one was password protected and since she didn’t remember anything, her mother thought it would be best to give her a new one. At least that’s what she was told of. Her hands itched to get hold of the old laptop someday. It had too many secrets. She bet!

As she sat by the side of her window, tiny droplets of water breezed past her face which is when she noticed the darkness outside. It was thundering loud and the trees looked angry swaying from one end to another.

“Come on. You’re going to be fine. It’s just thundering typhoons and blistering barnacles.” Elle said it out loud to show she wasn’t afraid of anything. Specifically looking towards the shadow that she saw quite often now. Thanks to her imagination.

PING!

The chat window popped up. It was from Amanda. She smiled. The shadow disappeared. This girl always came at the right moment. Initially, she didn’t want to chat with her but this friend of hers was quite persistent and so she gave in and now it was almost 2 weeks that she knew her and they chatted every evening.

Amanda: Hey there!

Elle: Hello 🙂

Amanda: Did you take your medicines?

Elle: Oops! Thanks for reminding. I will take them now.

Amanda: Good girl! What would you do without me?

Elle: I guess just hang in there like a dead corpse only with flesh and life in it. 🙂 Losing memory sucks. 🙁

Amanda: Well, for someone who has lost her memory, isn’t it strange that you still remember the ABCs and type like a pro?

Elle: I never thought of it that way. I guess you never forget some things.

Amanda: True! Like I could never forget you.

Elle: Come on! You could forget me in a blink. It’s only been two weeks that you know me.

Amanda: Or so you think. Maybe I have known you for the whole of your life. 🙂

Did she mean what she just said? Maybe Amanda really knew her from before? Maybe she could help her find herself? For some reason, Elle was getting conscious of her surroundings again. She started feeling the presence of someone. She got up and switched on all the lights.

That’s Better. Why was she panicking so much? She knew how things would be later at night anyways. Since the day she was back from the hospital, strange things happened in this place which nobody believed. Even her so-called mom looked sympathetically at her. Was it really because of the strong medicines? How could she ever explain to anyone that there was this shadow who would stick by her side…wherever she went. It was only in daylight that she left her alone and that’s when she had once told the doctor about her. That night Elle got hurt and went to sleep with a bruised ankle. The shadow talked to her for the first time then…It warned her never to disclose her to anyone and play along else…

Amanda: Knock Knock! Back to reality Miss.

It felt like a real knock though. She turned around to see. Nobody. Silly thoughts. She wiped the sweat from her head.

Amanda: Did you just turn around to see if someone really knocked?

Elle: Of course not!

Amanda: Are you sure you’re okay?

She shouldn’t be asking this. By now the shadow was looking right at the laptop from behind and it whispered. Too faint yet too clear for Elle to understand. “It’s time to call it a night Ellieee. Time for bed. You better turn it off now.”

Elle: Listen. Can we talk tomorrow? I have a splitting headache.

Amanda: Sure girl! Take your time. Know that I am always there for you. Ta-da

User logged off.

The lights flickered and eventually went off on its own. Elle went off to bed and shut her eyes tight. Sleep only meant one thing for her. Troubled nightmares. AGAIN. She gulped in two sleeping pills that she had managed to steal from her mom. Things were getting Calm…Calmer… before the storm arrived.

This story has two parts in total. The Finale is already up: Double Trouble – What Goes Around Comes Around Hope you guys enjoyed the first part. I would love to know your feedback and assumptions.

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© 2019 Story by Missbindas  
© Featured image conceptualized by Missbindas