Chapter 7

"So you're sure your memory is fine?" The nurse asked Amelia, biting into a bologna sandwich she obtained from the cafeteria. She kept a sincere smile on her face, a false smile of concern.

Amelia rolled her eyes. "Yes, I can remember everything. Don't worry about me. Though, the bee stinging me is a bit fuzzy."

"Well, it must've stung you and you didn't even know it. You blacked out quickly, you see."

Amelia took a bite of her chicken sandwich, and noticed the room around her. She was still slightly confused by the new area, but tried desperately to cope. "I'll head on back to my room, now. I'm getting drowsy."

"It might be the morphine," the nurse admitted. "Make your way on back, then."

"Have you disposed of them properly?"

"What do you mean DISPOSED? You make it sound as though they were garbage."

"They might as well be, wiped from her memory. Is there anyone of significance that Umbrella hasn't annihilated?"

"They visited the home and 'disposed' of the mother. They're still searching for the sibling."

"Her sister? Where did she run off to?"

"Well, they're assuming a friend's house. Umbrella didn't bother to ask questions, and just immediately assassinated the woman."

"Any other relatives that are near her?"

"Not that we know of. Most of them live in Florida, and the others scattered in far away locations."

"Any friends or close cousins that visit her frequently?"

"Look, they're got guards on standby at the home. If the sister or anyone comes, they'll be dealt with easily."

There was a pause, then, "What story are we going to tell the girl? She'll obviously have to go to a new family."

"Well, she's already been brainwashed with information that her relatives live in far off states. She'll be put with a new family."

"But they'll have to know of what we're doing. They'll ask about the situation for their inconvenience."

"Then we'll just keep her for a while.. until we can, perhaps, find someone of the government to take her in. We can't gun down anyone who is not willing to take her."

"And you're sure you can think of no one close to her?"

"As of my knowledge, no."

A young boy entered the hospital, and ran to the receptionist, out of breath. "Do you know where Amelia McKinley's room is?"

The receptionist looked up, and raised her eyebrows, slightly suspicious. "Are you a friend of hers?"

He nodded. "Yes, a very close friend."

She nodded. "Come with me. I'll have my coworkers brief you."

He was confused, but merely shrugged and followed the young nurse. She led him to the room behind the front desk and up a staircase to a dim room. Two distinguished doctors were talking when she interrupted them by entering the room. "So sorry, but this is a friend of Alice's."

The boy looked to her confused. "No, her name is--"

The older doctor interrupted. "Amelia, yes, I know. I'll explain everything."

"Or better yet, I'll explain. Amelia was in an accident."

The boy crossed his arms. "I know this. That's why I'm coming to see her."

"Please, let me continue. She hit her head and caught amnesia. We need you to assume that her name is Alice and that she leads a different life, because that's what she assumes her name as. Her life, as it was perceived before, has completely changed."

The boy blinked. "She doesn't remember.. anything?"

"Only what she remembers to her to identity."

"Can she go back to the way she was, like I can help her remember--"

"Oh, heavens, no! She will become confused and everything around her will seem unreal. She needs to resume her identity until she remembers her former self. Until then, you must play along and act as though things are normal. I know, as a long-term friend, it will seem strange, but she will recuperate eventually."

"You are what to her now?" Asked the older doctor.

"I'm her--" The boy started.

"Friend. Don't force me to repeat myself, old bag," said the younger doctor to the eldest. "What school do you attend, boy?"

"Erwin High."

"How convenient! We're transferring her there."

"She can't remain at her old school?"

"She assumes she goes to Erwin."

"I see.."

"Now that you understand the situation, please follow instructions."

"Or it may be fatal."

"Fatal?"

"To her, of course."

The older doctor elbowed him in the ribs forcefully, and the younger doctor fell to his knees, out of breath. He showed the boy to a room adjacent to the one they stood in. They left him and Amelia in the room, closing the door behind them.

Amelia was sleeping, her face slightly bruised. He hadn't seen her in such a long time, and was confused by the whole situation. How could all this happen? Was ALL of her memory completely erased?

(Figure out who the boy was? You will in the next chapter if you haven't yet!)