Faded Memories

Madison was still crying when Meilin caught up with her. Quite out of character but awkwardly, Meilin comfortingly put a reassuring arm round her.

"You know she's going to be okay."

"How can you tell? She remembers nothing."

"Trust me."

"I'm surprised at you. You're more worried about Sakura than Li. That's so unlike you."

"Well, the less said about him, the better."

As soon as she'd said those words, Meilin wished she hadn't. Madison was only showing some concern. What was wrong with herself? Madison obviously sensed it too.

"I know you didn't mean it. Did you give Sakura the Clow key?"

"Yeah. But what good it will do, I really can't tell."

"Excuse me? Are you from Reedington Elementary?"

Both girls turned. A kind looking nurse was smiling at them sympathetically. Meilin answered.

"Yes. Why?"

"The girl in ward five is asking for you- she couldn't give your names, but described what you looked like well enough!"

Meilin turned to look at Madison. Madison's tears were gone, but shock and a glimmer of hope had replaced them. They turned and raced off without thanking the nurse. They burst into Sakura's ward to find Li standing staring out of the window, and Sakura in bed fiddling with the Clow key. Both turned when they heard the girls enter. Almost immediately, Li turned back to the window. Meilin went back to looking sad. Madison sat hopefully at the end of Sakura's bed.

"You.. you wanted to see us."

"Yes… I know you two. Not your names. But your faces. And, when I look at you two, I see things. Like you. When I look at you, I think of a song….."

Madison gasped. Almost silently, she started to sing…

"A twinkle in the night sky

Far far away

A golden star I gazed upon

In my dreams."

Also quietly, Sakura joined in, her voice shaky and tinted with fear.

"On a sleepless evening

I sing alone.

Tomorrow I'll sing with you

On the wings of a dream."

Sakura looked sad and bowed her head.

"I thought of that song whenever I thought of your face. It is your song, isn't it?"

Madison could only nod. Meilin kept looking back at Li, and Madison had noticed it. She decided to do something about it.

"Sakura, do you remember anything about the boy over there?"

Sakura looked across. Then she glared angrily.

"Oh, him. All I know is he's a stuck up boy with a bad temper. When he woke up, the nurse tried to make him stay in bed, but he insisted he got up. He yelled and cursed and everything! Why?"

Meilin was smiling weakly. Madison was confused Sakura was waitng for her answer, so she gave it to her.

"Oh, nothing really. You just went to school together."

"What happened to him, then?"

Madison hesitated. Should she tell her? What would it do to her- to both of them? Thankfully, if not wisely, Meilin stepped in.

"You were both standing on the top of Tokyo Tower. A shooting star hit both of you and you fell from the top. We all thought you were both dead. Kero found you huddled together unconcious at the bottom."

Madison looked at the floor. She could picture where they lay, huddled together. Kero had called her urgently and she had come to them. They weren;t breathing. She thought they were dead. Then Meilin showed up. Kero called the hospital, and Madison called Miss MacKenzie. They were taken away in an ambulance. But all Madison could think of was that it was her fault. But why?