Τρία

I suddenly went still as I felt a needle pierce my arm and a cold liquid flowing through my veins. I whimpered as they pressed more of it into me, making my legs and arms go numb with my vision slightly blurring until I was met with darkness once again.

I woke up again feeling confused and yet refreshed, the Valium injected to me was wearing off but there were still some traces within my body; I could somewhat feel the liquid running through my veins being absorbed by my body as the blood circulated but of course that could only be my imagination. All I could do now was stare at the woman who had called me her daughter, as she fussed all over me. I had been moved out of the ICU since I had already woken up and my vitals were stable.

"My poor baby." The woman started again, she had been babying me since the second time I woke up and I was getting weirded and grossed out with the way she called me her baby.

"We should have admitted you to the Mayo clinic instead." She turned to her husband who was also looking at me worriedly. "Did you see how they had held her down as if she was an animal?"

"Honey, calm down. It was a normal response of the hospital." Looking at me the man turned and sat down on the bed. Holding my hand as he did which I had the urge to pull away. "How are you feeling sweetheart?"

I looked at him then at my hand again. I was still confused and reluctant to do all of this. It's impossible that I got into an accident and then woke up with parents all of the sudden. That was a cruel joke then if it was, playing with a person's heart and feelings by placing on things they didn't have. If this was indeed a prank, only a monster could think of something like that.

I stared at the man before sighing and pulling my hand away. It's best to stop this whole charade before I start getting my hopes up about having parents.

"Who are you?" Looking at them straight at them with a tired expression. I was expecting them to start laughing and the questions of 'how did you know it was a prank' but their reactions scared me even more.

"Nathan, How are we supposed to take her home? She barely remembers anything. The doctors here aren't doing their jobs properly." The woman said as she stood up, only then did I notice the clothes she was wearing. Sophisticated, mostly expensive looking, had an incredible sense of fashion and there was no way that woman was her mother.

"They said she had a concussion, and memory loss was indeed possible. Calm down Lauren." The man stated, as he stood up and patted my head gently. I was still confused with everything that was happening, and was about to ask another question when knocks were heard on the door. Turning my head, I saw both Monique and Lorraine enter the room sighing in relief at seeing familiar faces.

"Talia, Xavy!" I said nearly falling out of the bed as I did. Both of them smiled at me. Before greeting the man called Nathan and woman named Lauren, calling the both of them aunt and uncle.

"We'll leave the three of you be." They both said before walking out but I still heard their conversation. Talking about how I can remember the two but not them.

"It's so good to see the two of you." I said as I smiled at them. "You can drop the act by the way those two are not around anymore. No need to be afraid, how's the machine by the way? Were the results recorded?"

"Whoa, hold your horses." Lorraine said as she placed her hands up. "Calm down, what are you talking about?"

"The machine? Our study?" I looked at the two of them and they looked clueless as ever. "The... reason I got here is because of the malfunction of the machine?"

"I think you have some loose screws." Monique stated as she made the crazy sign while giggling.

"Eve, what machine?" I looked at Lorraine who looked as confused as me.

"Isn't that why I am here? And who are those people acting like my parents?"

"They are your parents." Monique said as she took out a small pocket mirror and checked her reflection. "By machine, you mean your baby Lexus LC. Your baby is safe, don't worry. By study you mean our boy hunting, we have our eyes set on our next target."

Okaaay... I don't own a car. I am an orphan so how can I have enough money to own a car. I don't do boy hunting because I don't like boys, nor does Monique like boys.

"You are here cause you fell." Lorraine said as she took some grapes and started feeding me. Okay... It's usually Monique who is caring towards me while Lorraine is more of a strict mother type. "Been in a coma for the past two weeks. Thankfully it's our summer break or else the faculty would find reasons to kick you out even if three of your family members are part of the board."

"Two weeks?!" I nearly choked on my grape. "What about my scholarship at MIT? Wasn't it only February though?"

"MIT? Wow, you must have really hit your head hard." Monique said as she looked at me as though I grew a third head. "We don't study at MIT, We go to Harvard. By scholarship you mean the favor of the board of letting you study there? Don't worry you are your grandfather's favorite; he wouldn't let the faculty kick you out. Also it's July, not February."

"Oh... then, why... why am I here then?" Maybe my experiment worked, I am not me because all of this is too far-fetched for this to be my usual life. Maybe, it wasn't a dream. I really got into this... Place? Dimension? Universe? Due to the machine... Maybe, we actually did it, but if I am here, where is my alternate self? They said if I was in a coma for two weeks she wouldn't have died, right?

"You fell while taking a selfie at the Tower Square hotel." Lorraine said as she stood up to find the remote of the television.

"We told you not to, but you know. You being you, you were stubborn so walked up to the railings and Tada." Monique made the gesture as though it was a magic trick. "You fell from the third floor of the hotel. Your arm and leg broke before your head hit it. It was bloody if you asked me."

I am now starting to wonder if Monique is really my friend here. Sighing, well it's not like I can get back now to where I truly belong might as well try and cope up here.

"Can you tell me more, about... myself, my family, our friendship." I said with a shy smile. "My memory is kind of foggy."