A/N Okay really really sorry I didn't get this out sooner. I just said these chapters were going to be lighting fast. : ( But it's taking awhile for me to get my stories back from by beta. She said I have permission to blame her completely but it's not her fualt. Beta's have to have a life too. Any way. Here you go.
I remember most of everything human now. Cities, streets, airports, buses, towns, everything. And that was what was the trouble. I had to act like I don't know. For instance last... Tuesday I guess:
"I'm going to be gone for a little while. I have to meet somebody, I'll be back in two days." Dr. Malcolm had said..
"Are you going to have to take an airplane?" I blurted out foolishly.
"Yes, I mean, no. Do you know what one is?"
"Uh... Isaac said something about an airplane."
He looked at me curiously then cursed under his breath. I heard him say, "Nathan." the rest of what he said is not appropriate.
But ever since then he's been watching me more closely. Closer than he already was.
I don't say anything now. I just follow orders. That's all I'm here to do. So there isn't a reason for me to talk, necessarily. Actually, it's safer that I don't.
Every night when I go to sleep I get a new memory, of something from my past back. I have yet to recover any memories of my brother. I really wanted to remember them though. I wanted to remember him with all my dead heart.
But, regardless I was happy getting any memories back . After the first two, I haven't had a memory of my most recent past. It's like I wasn't even alive four to seven months ago. I remember my mother. I remember the first time I met Dr. Malcolm. But, there's nothing I can do about him. There was an obvious gap. I remember some of my childhood. Some kids that I met in my high school or middle school. Teachers, subjects. But I don't remember my brother.
Usually, I would hear or see something that my subconscious would recognize. Then it would be revealed to me in my slumber. I thought it would be easy for my subconscious to remember Isaac. But, apparently not.
The door opened to my chamber.
James stepped in.
"We need you in the testing room."
I silently got up from my bed and walked into the room where I was needed.
I saw James from the corner of my eye behind a thick glass plane on a higher level.
He pressed a button.
"Focus on that birdhouse Isabella."
I obeyed. I stared at this tiny little house with a hole in the front. Birdhouse.. That's a bird house. I focused on it like I was told.
"Harder." James commanded. I knew what he wanted to happen. Why should I drag it out?
The birdhouse shattered into tiny fragments. The shrapnel flew in every direction. The bird house was no more.
That Night.
I was dreaming, obviously. But it was a memory. Giddiness spread through my frame at the thought of another uncovered mystery.
I almost woke up with delight, when I saw a much younger version of Isaac appear in my eyesight.
He was chasing me. While, I was laughing as we ran around in circles in our backyard. I was almost in the house when Isaac pulled on my ponytail.
"Owww!" I screamed. "That hurt! Moooooom! Isaac hurted me!"
"I'm sorry Izzy. Forgive me? I didn't means to hurts you." A pleading look was in his eyes.
Mom appeared in the door way.
I looked up at her. Directly up. "It was nothing mom."
"Alright. Kids, why don't you play in the front yard so I can see you better? I worry about you two."
"Okay." We said simultaneously.
"I'll race you." I challenged my brother.
We were off. Isaac was in the lead but, he had chubbier legs so he tripped on a branch.
"Isaac!" I stopped. I looked to see if he was okay then when I saw that he was I kept running toward our tree. "HA! I won!"
My brother growled. "No fair! You cheated!" Childish fury wrinkled his baby-fat features. Then he bent down and picked up a rock.
"Hey! Put that down. Mommy said- AHHH!" I ducked my head and covered my face with my little hands. I heard a whack, crack and a thud...
I looked up to see a dark-blue bird house that I painted with Isaac a year ago on the ground in pieces. A rock was setting inside of it.
I looked back at Isaac.
His face was sorrowful and guilty. He was mature for his age. He knew what to and not to do but his natural instincts took over sometimes.
A tear fell on his face. "I'm sorry Izzy... I'm really really sorry. I didn't mean to. I didn't... I'm sorry. Please don't tell mommy."
I wrapped him in my arms. "It's okay."
There was blackness for a momentand then another memory appeared. I saw Isaac again but he was a few years older this time. Probably about nine. That must mean I was ten or eleven.
"Izzy!"
"What do you want?" I called from outside.
"I need help with my social studies assignment."
I walked back inside and found Isaac sitting at the kitchen high chair.
"What does demoorecrasy mean?"
"Oh, you mean democracy. It's where a country decides to let their people vote for its rulers."
"Oh. Hmmm... okay. I'm done with this. Let's go play."
He jumped out of his chair. But I grabbed him before he could go any further.
"Wait one second. Are you really done?"
He looked into my eyes. I could tell he was going to nod his head. But he looked down.
"No." He mumbled.
"Alright. I'll help you get it done so that we can go outside faster."
He beamed. "Thanks Izzy."
Another memory meshed. I was probably in high school now. My hair is tied up in a pony tail and I was wearing some understated clothes.
Isaac's hand was lying on my shoulder. His arm across my neck.
"What's up Izzy?"
"I don't feel so good. I think I had too much of the school lasagna."
"Ah, it's not that you had too much. It's just that you ate it."
I laughed. "Thanks." He pulled out a bottle of Advil.
"Thanks." I said again as I took two of the pills, dry.
Then that memory faded and a new memory showed up in my dreams.
This one shocked me. It could only have been about three to four months ago. I haven't remembered any memories except the other two. I admit I was a bit nervous. But I felt like I was trying to tell myself something. It was strange to still see myself as a human. I never got used to it.
I was in a room that was filled with dying light. Sunset. The floors were a dark wood and the walls were white. There was a huge mess in front of me. I was working on something. I looked up and saw a boy/vampire. I was talking about Isaac.
Oh yes. I remember I thought he was dead for awhile.
Apparently, I was just finishing up the conversation.
"Everyone knew us as Izzy and Isaac. It was never Isaac. Or Isabella. It was Izzy and Isaac."
The vampire looked at me and spoke, "Izzy? I thought you just went by Bella?"
The vision faded and light filled in front of my eye-lids.
I woke up and I jumped out of bed.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?! The wires! You're messing up the wires!" James yelled exasperated.
He was always mad at me. Like I was always doing something wrong. When I walked into the room his face would scrunch up in agitation. I think my presence must mess with him. Like he couldn't do something. Whatever it was he sure didn't like it.
I just stood there silently. He rushed over to me and pulled all the wires off of me. I didn't even know they put them on me.
I finally got up the nerve to ask. "What were you doing?"
He looked at me with annoyance. "Checking on your rim sleep. It's weird that your still able to sleep. I guess that's what's left... hmm... interesting. Are you dreaming?"
I nodded my head. I didn't dare talk. I had said my quota for the day.
I looked towards the door.
James sighed. "Isaac. I think I need you. I mean Isabella needs you."
My brother entered the room. I noted the differences between the old him and the vampire him.
"Dr. Malcolm will need you later on in the afternoon. It looks like you'll be taking a field trip today."
James nodded in Isaac's direction.
"So, how are you feeling?"
I shrugged. My body saying, "Like I did yesterday and the day before that."
I remembered the close relationship we used to have.
I looked at him with delight, my eyes said. "Guess what!"
"What?"
I giggled and sat down on my bed. I wanted to tell him about my memories.
He looked at me quizzically. "Does this have to do with an experiment? Maybe I should get Dr. Malcolm in here."
I shook my head vigorously.
I was now thinking that maybe this wasn't such a good idea.
Isaac just stared at me. "Are you sure?" I nodded my head. "What is it Isabella?"
I stared at him. I opened my mouth. "What did you just say?"
"I said 'what is it Isabella. Why? Is something wrong?"
I stared at the floor and shook my head. While I muttered, "Isabella." under my breath. Realization came upon me.
I glanced up at Isaac. The reason my subconscious wouldn't tell me about Isaac was because the vampire in front of me wasn't Isaac. I know Isaac. He would never call me Isabella.
"The name is Izzy." I said in a low voice, preparing to run for it.