Mae

Chapter 17: S̶t̶r̶a̶n̶g̶e̶r̶

Chapter 17: S̶t̶r̶a̶n̶g̶e̶r̶

I'm on my way back to the dump the boss insists on staying in, a phone to my ear with Diego on the other end. I am summoned again, and by the short message, I know it can't be any good. Over these past few months, I've gotten used to telling the boss's mood according to how long the text messages he sends to me, and short ones mean I should keep my eyes open.

"Okay so he gave you some kind of pill?" Diego asks on the other end. I can hear the rustling of paper and I know he's writing this shit down.

Good.

I pace near my car, keeping my voice low. I will have to delete Diego's number from my phone permanently before I go inside just in case the boss wants to see my phone. I won't do anything to sabotage what me and Diego are doing. I need my fucking memories back.

"Pills, plural," I say, running a hand through my hair. It's gotten longer and is in need of a trim. "They'd lock me up in...in like a cold fucking room and take my clothes away. The boss says he saved me from those people but we now know he was lying."

There is silence on the other end. "What did the pills look like, Alek? Do you remember?"

"I remember how they...how they smell," I swallow thickly. I can smell it now. "I can't explain...it's like...sweet? Not sweet exactly but–fuck. I don't know how to explain, Diego–"

"Bro, listen. It's okay. Think, just think. The smell, the colour, the shape, anything."

The shape. The shape.

"They were shaped like...grapes," I let out a breath. "I know it sounds stupid but just write it down."

Diego goes silent for a moment.

"After they got me out of there, I spoke with the boss. He said he'd give me a purpose and all that crap and then said he'd help me get my memories back. I was disoreiented, had no fucking clue what was going on and half high out of my mind, so I said okay. And then he gave me shit to do, I did them. Sometimes he'd make me train."

"Where is he staying?"

"The location?"

"Yeah."

I purse my lips, looking around, "Near St. Park street. It's an abandoned warehouse. It has a passage underground where he usually stays so if you're going to sneak in, don't forget to check down there."

Diego sighs on the other end, "Is there anything else? I sound like an interrogator, this shit sucks."

"It's fine. I–" my phone rings from a call from...from the boss? I frown, "Fuck, I gotta go. The boss is calling. He hardly does that. I'll talk to you later."

I wait for Diego's reply.

"Alek?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful."

"Okay."

I end the call. I pick up the boss's.

"Hello?"

There is a long moment of silence on the other end, "I've been waiting for the past twenty minutes, you know."

I scowl, "Sorry, sir. On my way right now."

The call beeps and I begin making my way towards the entrance of the building. Before I enter, I remove Diego's number from my phone. I've already gotten it memorised so it doesn't matter.

When I reach the boss's floor, it smells worse than it did last time. The ground is wet and the hall is cold. I fix the mask on my face and tuck my hands into my leather jacket, my body a picture of boredom and obedience as I stop in front of the two same guards and the door to the boss's room.