Helga wakes up to a blinding light. She attempts to lift her hands as a shield, but finds them strapped at her sides. She then tries to scream for help, but finds something is gagging her throat. Feeling useless and scared, she starts to cry. It isn't long before a brunette woman in a long silky ponytail calmly steps into the room. She speaks to Helga in a soft, soothing voice though the girl is much too scared to listen. In little to no time, the tube she had been gagging on is carefully pulled from her throat.
"You're awake." She states, handing her a marker and a white board. "Do you know where you are?"
'Hospital.' She writes out dazedly.
"Good. Do you know where you were last?"
'Home.' She writes hopefully.
"No, you were camping." She sighs. "How old are you?"
Thinking about it a moment, she writes '7.'
"Are you sure?"
'4.' She rewrites.
The doctor sighs. "What is your name?"
'Helga Pataki.'
"Okay." She sighs. "You rest now and later some friends will visit."
She does so. As the doctor said, a short bout later, two people are at her bedside. One has a football-shaped head and the other is wearing glasses. Both have worry written clearly across their faces. Soon, though, Helga wakes up.
"Hi, Helga." Phoebe says softly.
"Hi." Helga whispers back.
"Hi, Helga." Arnold sighs in relief.
"Hi." She replies.
"Doctor said you needed a long nap." Phoebe announces. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Better." Helga nods, repeating the girl.
"Think you'll be able to get out of here soon?" Arnold asks optimistically.
"Soon." She nods again.
"Helga?" Phoebe suddenly has a look of horror written on her face. "Do you know who we are?"
Arnold raises an eyebrow. "Of course she knows who"
"No." Helga tilts her head to the side, since it hurts her to shake it.
Arnold and Phoebe leave soon after. They had attempted to help her remember who they are, but it only led to a panic attack. The next day, she had been informed that her parents are at the hospital as patients. They had been arguing on the road to the hospital when a drunk driver swerved and hit them. They are in separate comas. Also, her sister Olga is out of contact where there is no address. Helga is confused as to why her teenaged sister isn't living at home. When her doctor explains Olga is five years older than Helga expects, this sends her into another panic episode.
A little later, about a week after the incident, a man shows up. He claims to be Jack Rogers, Helga's distant uncle. 'Rogers' is Miriam's maiden name, and she has a brother named Jackson who has been out of her life for a long time. The last time he saw Helga, she was three, fighting off one of his dogs for her lunchbox. Now, with slight amnesia, Helga thinks she is four.
Jack signs off as Helga's guardian and heads to the Pataki residence to gather her belongings. Scouring the house for anything a four-to-nine-year-old girl would be interested in, he is shocked to find profound poetry. He is even a little scared when he stumbles across the football-headed shrine in the back of the girl's closet. He decides to trash the shrine and burn at least half of the poetry books. He grabs the darkest of Helga's clothes and a few select items from around the room, including a well-worn keepsake box. He runs into Phoebe at the car.
"Is Helga not staying here?"
"Sorry Little Girl," He tuts. "But I have a job to get back to, and it's not here."
"Pray tell," She persists. "Where is your place of business?"
He groans, sliding into his car. "Mount Rivers."
She gasps. "But, that's in another state! That's two states over, on the other side of this one! Can't I at least say goodbye?"
"She's leaving the hospital at three."
Helga is dressed in the shorts version of her regular pink jumper. Her hair is down and she has the pink bow around her neck, like a scarf. She is packed and waiting for her Uncle Jack. Instead, a small slew of former fourth-graders rush in. She recognizes the girl and boy from before, and then scans the rest. There are three girls in bikinis: one in red, one in blue and one in green. Their hair is still wet. There is a slightly overweight boy sobbing. There is a boy with tall hair looking guilty. There is a wheezing boy wearing glasses, a scared-looking boy with a backwards cap and a tall, lanky boy. Last, there is a redhead girl with braided pigtails.
The wheezing boy steps up first. "You may not.. remember us, but.. we'll miss you."
"Thanks." She smiles a little.
"Here is my number and my address." Phoebe hands her a piece of paper. "You may not remember me now, but I am your best friend and I want to stay in touch with you."
Helga reads the name on the paper. "Thanks, Phoe-be."
Finally, Arnold walks up with Gerald. Gerald speaks. "Hey, Helga. I know you don't know what I'm talking about, but I'm sorry I didn't help back at the lake. I was being stupid 'cause I thought you were just messin with us."
"It's okay."
Arnold lingers. He isn't too sure what to say but he notices her 'scarf.' He smiles a bit. "Let me help you." He reaches for the ribbon and fixes it so it is back to being the large, proud bow. "I like your bow." He comments. "Because it's pink like your pants."
A soft sigh escapes her lips. Arnold only barely hears it. She smiles to him. Before anything else is done, Uncle Jack shows up at the doorway.
"Time to go, kiddo. Plane leaves in twenty minutes."
Helga grabs her bag, still smiling. She waves to the mass, assuming them all to be her friends. Leaving the hospital, she climbs into her uncle Jack's truck. From what she gathers, she isn't four. She doesn't know how old she really is, but she knows she's older than she remembers. She stares out the window, watching the city go by.
So, who is this Uncle Jack? What is in Mount Rivers? Do you have any other questions? Leave them in the review section and we'll see if I can't answer them!
