Chapter 4: Blank Memory

Takabi woke up in his bed. His head was pounding as he sat up. Taking a pained deep breath, he looked down at himself and groaned at his ripped shirt. Slowly, he stood, stumbling a bit. He ripped what remained of his shirt off and went into the bathroom, starting a shower.

On instinct, his eyes moved towards the bathroom mirror. The hot water fogged the glass, so it was difficult to make out the steam rising from the closing holes in his body. With a shaky finger, he moved his dominant hand towards the hole closest to his heart, about a couple inches away from the organ.

Metal was sticking out faintly, oozing more and more as the wounds healed painfully.

First came one bullet, then the next, followed by the remaining seven that were lodged deep in his skin. The metal hit the floor, and melted in quick succession. What… The hell...

Coming down into his living room a half hour later, dressed in silver shorts and a white tank top, he picked up the clothes that were lying on the couch. His eyes checked the clock, noting it was around nine at night. The kitchen light was on, and standing at the stove was Mrs. Martinez. Jewel was next to her, and both were dressed in lazy day outfits. Loose shirts, and yoga pants.

"So… Can one of you explain what's going on?"

They snapped gazes to him, Jewel rushing over first and hugging him tightly. "Oh thank god you're alive!"

"We were really worried," Rose said, walking over and wiping her hands on the apron around her waist. "How are you feeling?"

"Just… confused. And I'm very hungry." He said, walking ahead and sitting at the kitchen table. Jewel went to the fridge and pulled out a water bottle, tossing it to him as Rose asked, "Do you remember anything that happened before?"

Takabi thought back hard. He got paid that day, and went out aimlessly to do something and enjoy himself. He met a strange guy at the park and then that was it. "No… Can't say I really do." He chose to leave out the discovery of bullet holes closing in his chest.

"You came to our door and passed out on the porch. You were burning up when we found you, so we brought you here and have been watching you." A tiny wail filled their ears. Jewel stood and walked into one of the rooms by the kitchen, coming back out with a 9 month old baby. The baby had dark eyes and somewhat bright skin. No hair just yet. "What's with you, Jamie?"

Rose clapped her hands. "Oh right, you haven't met Jamie yet, have you?" She asked Takabi, and he shook his head.

Jewel handed him the baby, and the little newborn cooed at him, tugging his hair and laughing. Takabi smiled, placing the baby gently on her butt on the table. "Hello there."

Jewel walked into the living room and flipped on the television. Her eyes turned to shock when she changed the channel to the news. "Oh my god!"

Takabi picked up Jamie quickly, and he and Rose rushed into the living room.

"While Police are unsure of what to make of this tragic incident, as of now the only assumption we can truly make is that the initial robber was carrying some type of explosives with him. He caused many casualties, including one of the city's best officers, Jorge Oliveras." Next to the news woman, a picture of a man appeared. The hazel eyes and fresh faded cut looked familiar, but Takabi didn't know why. There was an incredible guilt in his stomach the longer he watched the screen, something that made his guts twist in knots.

"When will it end," Rose questioned, turning to enter the kitchen. "Day after day, it's always something. I feel like Death is just waiting around the corner a lot more often."

"No kidding, Mom," Jewel said, sitting on the couch. "I don't like this. Being scared every day. I stopped going out as much because of things like this."

Rose chuckled to herself. "To be fair. You're only sixteen. You really don't have much to go to anyway. Especially not with that boyfriend of yours."

"There's nothing wrong with Blake, Mom."

"He kept staring at my chest, Jewel." She started filling a pot with water. "That boy is nothing but bad news. I've heard things about him."

"Didn't you tell me not to judge someone based on rumors?"

"I also tell you there's a nice boy across the street from us, and you don't listen to that." Rose looked back at her. "Or… Do you?"

Jewel raised an eyebrow, then her face reddened. "Shut up!"

"What does she mean," Takabi asked, finally speaking up after finishing examining the names of the officers who were killed earlier that day on the news.

"Don't say anything, Mom! That was a personal talk between me and you!" Jewel was standing now and rushing to her mother. Rose laughed and decided to keep quiet.

Takabi looked at Jamie, the baby had her tiny fist in her mouth and was drooling on her bib. Shrugging it off, he handed Jamie to Jewel and allowed Rose to begin putting together dinner for them. He walked back upstairs and sat at his desk, looking out the window and across the street.

Mr. Martinez's car wasn't there. Must've still been out. Takabi picked up his phone from the desk, blinking at his notifications and quickly opened up Twitter. His feed was filled with people talking about the massacre of the officers. In addition to that, there were also reports of other murders around the same time. One of the posts had a photo attached.

A woman was strung up by her intestines, which was wrapped around her throat. Her limbs were sprawled out and clothes discarded from her body. A thick white substance was leaking from her private places, as well as a couple traces along her face. Her eyes, while devoid of life, obviously had some kind of fear in them. A message was written on the wall above her in what Takabi assumed to be her blood.

"The time is Nigh. She will descend from her chains and choose her warriors. Blood will reign from her first gaze, and none shall escape her furious wrath." Takabi reread the words over, unsure of what to make of it aside from some sick freak running around, raping women and murdering them gruesomely.

He kept scrolling through his news feed for about ten minutes, before Jewel opened his door and said, "Dinner is ready."

"Yeah," He nodded quietly, before looking at her and asking. "Hey. Is there any reason you were so mad at me?"

She was quiet, before she stepped into his room and shut the door. "Honestly. I was more angry with myself.. For hurting you the way I did. Think of it like this. I don't hate you, and never could. You're a great guy, and very hot…" She shook her head quickly. "It's just… Takabi, I don't really know anything about you. You were always in a place of your own, and I just couldn't keep wondering who you really were."

"I'm me," He said, unsure of what she meant. "I didn't think I did anything that made me seem different or mysterious."

"Late night walks? The fact that you knew nothing of who you were before the orphanage? Sorry, I just can't risk it if it somehow turned out you were a very dangerous person." She paused, mulling over her thoughts to think of something to ease what she said. "We can try to be friends, but there's no relationship between us anymore."

He sighed, standing. "Yeah, I got that already."

After an awkward silence, Jewel coughed into her fist and muttered, "Let's go eat. Mom's waiting." She left the room, leaving Takabi standing there, unsure of what exactly he should think.

A new worry was placed in his mind. She mentioned how he couldn't remember anything before the orphanage. He couldn't remember anything after meeting that man in the park. A blank slate. Not to mention while he was talking to that man, he felt something in the air. Something he couldn't identify. It resonated with him subconsciously, making him uncomfortable. "... Who was that guy… Did he have something to do with what happened to me?" His eyes glanced at his phone. "... Or these murders?"