normal

Panashe woke up in the apartment where he stayed with Jess. He rushed into the kitchen and there he stood there confused. He felt like he had forgotten to do something important and he started pacing about the apartment searching until he wandered back into the kitchen and saw the note clipped to the refrigerator. 'We will find Jess as soon as possible. The police.'

"Oh yeah. Jess was kidnapped that night. Crap. I have to prepare for school.", he spoke to himself and started preparing for school.

The morning rush didn't feel normal to him as waited for the bus which arrived late because he felt like school should've been closer but he immediately brushed it of as deja vu. He arrived late for school and the lecturer wasn't pleased with his behaviour for the previous days. He apologised and told the lecturer how Jess had been kidnapped and it was messing with his head. It was a good excuse. He used it all day to find good faith with lecturers.

He spent his day well and the only thing that made him sad was the fact that Allen didn't come to school so he had no one to hang out with. Xolani had been keeping an eye on him and he confirmed that Panashe's mind had been successfully mind jacked. He never recognised Xolani as he walked passed him on several occasions during the school hours. He had also ran past Mellisa who got shocked at how calm and ignorant he was to everything.

Panashe spent the whole week alone and his mind no longer felt estranged whenever he did something. On a Monday morning he arrived at school earlier and started with his assignments before anyone could disturb him. Since he had no phone he used the college's computers. He enjoyed the quiet place for a moment before students started crowding into the small lab proving to be a problem and a noisy bunch.

He walked out of the room after he had uploaded his assignments and headed for class. On his way he met Allen and Mellisa. He greeted them but Mellisa flinched as he extended his hand and it confused him.

"Sorry about that dude but she is a shy one." Allen felt it necessary to explain it as to keep Panashe unaware about these two.

"It's okay. I wouldn't like strangers too."

Panashe said and walked away but Allen was confused. He knew that the two had seen each other once but Panashe was acting strange. Even his mood wasn't that of the person he had seen the last time.

"Something is very wrong with him. Sorry Melli but I have to check on him.", Allen left Mellisa alone and went to see his friend and they had a lengthy conversation before the lecturer came. Panashe didn't even know or reacted whenever Allen mentioned Nhamo or witch. The only thing he was interested in was passing his classes and hoping that the police find Jess soon. Allen was heartbroken seeing his friend who was feeling normal but he didn't try to remind him of anything anymore and left.

"So, how is he?", Mellisa asked as she searched the black market hunters list.

"He has completely forgotten about all his achievements. I feel sorry for him. To have his memories taken like that."

"Well maybe it's for the best. He betrayed Munashe after all. Also his hunters ID is no longer available on the market board. Guess his VCB was destroyed."

"Well maybe it was for the best but he just wanted to find his aunt."

"It's a shame but he got what he deserved for being such a psycho. He even has several reports from the police about him being violent. "

"He is a good fighter. I once saw him take out this brawn called Ron and that's when we became friends. He always knows how to handle himself in a fight."

"Well whoever trained him was mistaken. This psycho shouldn't even be allowed on the streets, he avoided going to jail because this Jess person always pitched in for him. What a waste."

"Jess is Panashe's only relative." , Allen spoke out as he felt hurt by Mellisa's words. After that exchange they both went quiet and Mellisa shut off the holographic projection of the board. To the digital witches, one enemy had been disposed off.

Panashe arrived home to find the refrigerator empty and he realized he no longer had any money. Hungry and desolate Panashe sat down on the floor in the kitchen as he tried hard to think about any possible solution to his predicament. There was no solution but to get a job. As his stomach growled with hunger streams of tears started running through his face. 'I am alone. I have no one.', his mind started tormenting him as the harsh reality settled in. He couldn't find a reason for him to have been the one who ended up alone in the world. His father had abandoned his mother and his mother later also abandoned him leaving the burden upon Jess who wasn't even related to them.

Panashe wondered where Jess was and what she was doing. Maybe she was already dead wherever the kidnappers were keeping her. Before he could get up to walk to the couch Panashe fell asleep on the floor. The hunger had made him weak.

As the city of Mbare slept the UAEC where scouting Mellisa's apartment from several rooftops hoping that Nhamo would show himself.

"Captain. I don't think Nhamo will ever come here. It's been almost a week now since I have been observing the target. We need to bring her in now.", the man who had been keeping his eyes on Mellisa's cried out.

"Negative. We wait a little longer.", the captain ordered.

After several hours on the rooftops the UAEC members were getting bored and that's when their radios went off.

"Team one come in. Another lab has been attacked by Nhamo and a man or creature who has psychic abilities or something. The report from the security team says that they kidnapped an astrophysicist and killed off the remaining men in the building."

"Calm down. When did all of this happen?", the captain asked as he stood up from his position.

He was looking into Mellisa's apartment and the young lady was also looking out her window. She freaked out and closed the blinds which alerted the team that saw everything unfold.

"Team one, move in. Don't let that target get away. Airship we require air support. Tonight we get answers."

Mellisa was panicking in the apartment as she packed her armour into a backpack and all of her gear. She switched on her VCB and called the leader of the digital witches who didn't pick up.

"Come on. Come on.", her thoughts were scattered and her body trembled with fear of what the UAEC will do to her this time. After she was done packing she took her phone and called Allen who picked up the phone.

"Allen. Thank goodness. I need your help, the UAEC has been spying on me....", Mellisa didn't get the chance to finish her call as she heard the dial tone indicating that the phone call had been cancelled. Allen had abandoned her at this crucial point and she fell onto her knees. Tears started forming in her eyes as all the power departed from her body. The footsteps she heard gathering at her door gave her the motivation to jam her VCB and phone into the backpack and threw it out the window that led to the alley.

As she guided her body out the window something grabbed her leg and dragged her back into the apartment. She was sent crashing into the wall before a kick found its landing zone on her stomach. She felt like vomiting but nothing came out as the pain spread throughout her nervous system. She saw the next kick coming and decided to avoid it. She knew fighting back wasn't going to effective since the UAEC team was all wearing armour. Her only hope was running but that didn't go well because the door was covered by another soldier and the ones who had attacked her kept cornering her.

Her mind was now telling her to fight back and that's what she proceeded to do. She launched herself towards the man guarding the exit and did a faint kick towards his helmet. When the man covered his face she pulled in her leg and sent it straight for his torso which forced him backwards leaving a small opening for Mellisa to escape. She seized the opportunity and escaped from the room into the hallway.

Her escape was now very certain as she ran towards the hallway window. She was willing to ignore the pain as she jumped crashing into the window which gave in and shattered into several parts. The UAEC members were shocked by her manoeuvre and stopped at the window as they her dive roll onto the street. Mellisa didn't feel any pain as she erected her body and started limping away from her landing zone.

"Don't move or I will shoot.", another UAEC member came out of the ground floor holding a pistol. He had to proceed with care because several people had been awakened by noise and they observed the streets. The UAEC didn't want to tarnish their name so they resorted to a more friendly way rather than shooting her legs and crippling her for life.

"Target has been apprehended captain.", the man spoke as he forced the young lady on her knees and waited for the airship to arrive.