Universal Displacement

Fires and Frying Pans

Dr. Stoyer's concerned frown told Sutton that she had given a wildly wrong answer. The last thing she wanted at this point was to stand out anymore as an anomaly.

"I'm afraid that's a bit off-"

"I'm joking," Sutton interrupted. She forced out a laugh and prayed that he'd buy it. "Can you imagine? But really, I feel fine. Practically brand new! Have any of my family called at all though? We were just visiting the city on vacation and I'm sure they'll have noticed I'm missing by now."

Dr. Stoyer's face didn't relax into an easy grin like Sutton had hoped. He eyed her carefully and, taking note of the second-by-second scans the screen was displaying, clasped his hands together in front of him.

"I think it might be best if you stay with us a bit longer for further tests," he said. "But if you give me your family's information, I can comm them for you."

"Comm?"

Sutton knew that word from somewhere, it felt recent in her memory.

Comm, comm, comm.

Use the stupid, probably obvious clues you've been given, she chided herself. She battled through the remaining fuzz in her brain to think more clearly.

Not 2014, comms, old earth, future tech screens.

Sutton felt a trepidatious suspicion slither into her list of ideas.

"Is there a hotel near, uh, near... it's like a big library? What was it- the K-something."

The doctor's face lit up in recognition then shifted to a contemplative disbelief and he nodded in understanding.

"You mean the Kelvin Memorial Archive. Of course, there are a few. Which one is your family staying in?"

Sutton stammered and shifted further on the bed. Somehow the Holiday Inn felt like it wouldn't be an acceptable answer. Dr. Stoyer leaned forward to implore her.

"Sutton, if you are having lapses in memory, that is something I need to know about. I can't help you if you don't let me."

His concern was genuine she could tell, which was a nice change of pace given the doctors she'd had in the past, but his efforts would be in vain. She sighed and leaned back into her pillow.

"I can't remember," she relented.

She already felt drained again as he nodded and stood as if preemptively knowing her answer. He made a few adjustments to the charts on the holoscreen and then turned back to her.

"I'll have the nurses run a few additional tests to check for deep cranial injuries. But it's good to see that otherwise you're seeming well."
He patted her on the hand briefly in reassurance and then gathered a small screen-like device before heading for the exit.

"It was nice meeting you, Miss Sutton. I'm sure we'll be able to get to the bottom of things."

Sutton nodded silently her head already heavy against the pillow as she watched him leave. Luckily for her, the nurse brought in food before she could fall back asleep.

When Sutton woke again the lights in the room had been dimmed and it was quiet. One of the nurses had left a cup of water by her bedside and Sutton guzzled the entire thing before coming back up for air. Her limbs still felt tender and weak, but nothing so severe that she had to be bed ridden. The holoscreen still emitted a pale blue glow as it continued to monitor her condition. One of the graphs sported a jagged line that dipped dangerously into a red zone before steadily climbing back up to a safer green, but it was what sat below the graph that captured her attention. She was scheduled for at least two further tests tomorrow. The doctor hadn't bought her story or her reassurances.