While Time Passes Me By

Catherine...

Joanne POV

Catherine. That name sounds familiar. As I think to where I've heard that name a wave of darkness crashes over me and I pass out.

Flashback / Memory:

"Joanne! Wait up!!" I look behind me to see Catherine laughing and chasing after me. "I've got to see what's out there!" "Please Joanne! Don't. You'll be mind wiped!!" "I- I know..."
Catherine falls to the ground and starts crying. "I'll miss you Joanne" she says between sobs. "I'll remember you. I swear" with that I walk past the exit of the stone and check in with the council to get my mind wiped.

"No! You may not go! We need you! You are the tie breaker! You can't just abandon the stone!" The eldest of the council screams, trying to reason with me. "I'm going." I say sternly. "If you won't mind wipe me I will!" With that I take the machine from the desk and run out of the stone. Once out of the stone, I set my memories to adjust to certain things so I'm not just missing 14 years of my life. Some how I still am the Tie Breaker even though I erase it. I know I'm selfish for doing this, but... I have to.

I awake from my "dream" remembering everything. Catherine. My best friend. I just turned her away. Oh no! My position! Of course they need me! I try hard to remember the other member of the three but it won't come. I decide to give up and look for her. Then I think about our elements: Catherine is fire. I'm Earth. So the other member must be water. Water. Who do I think of when I think Water? I can't think I just need to find Catherine. If I remember Catherine, she should be in a Tesla. She always loved cars in the stone.

Then it hits me. Why is she here? I know she needs me but what is the reason? I just NEED to find her. I must.

I find see her car, or at least what seems to be her car, at the Apple Store. I want to buy an Apple Watch anyway, so I'll do that now if she's not here. I get out of my jeep and go inside and I feel Catherine's presence but I don't see her. I look around and I see Catherine looking at me. Inside my head I hear her voice. I need you Joanne. All of us need you. A look of confusion runs across my face as an employee asks if I need any help. "Um... Yeah I want an Apple Watch..." I say realizing it's right next to where Catherine is. "Right over hear, come get me when you find the type you want" I nod and he walks away.

I look at Catherine. "How?" I say not willing to waste time on her not telling me. Catherine says with an awkward smile "How what??" At this point I'm trying not to loose my cool because of how confused I am. "How did you speak to me inside my mind? And how did I get my memory back? And why do you need me? And why am I just finding out that I'm the tiebreaker!?" I say whisper screaming at her. She slowly starts to smile and jumps into a hug. "Oh Joanne! I've missed you so so so much! The stone isn't the same without you! But to answer your questions we should go somewhere else. Like the trees?" She smiles. She knows I love the trees. "Yeah by my house in my spot" she nods and I get into my car and she gets into hers. She beats me there naturally and I meet her by my spot. "Okay answers and show me magic. I know we have it based on our elements. How do I use mine? Not all of my memories came back."
She nods, "Okay answers: We are telepathic. You got your memory back because you saw me. You made a promise to me that you'd always remember me. And you do. I need you because of overpopulation. We can't stay hidden in the stone anymore. We must either find a habitable planet or something or develop a "cure" for the Death Cheaters. We held a town meeting and everyone is willing to do whatever is necessary. The council couldn't decide and I have been living out here for a while and I got news that the third member had gone missing and we're the only ones left until we find him"
"Him? Who is the other member??" I say frantically. "Who?! Oh you wouldn't remember. Your boyfriend from the stone. You never said bye to him. And he got depressed and I think he went to look for you." An electrified feeling ran through my body as I tensed. "I don't remember him, but we need to find him" she nods "Well since you don't really remember him I'll describe him... Um... Light brown hair. Dark blue eyes. Tall? I'm not sure how to describe him. Oh!" She pulls out a picture from her backpack of the three of us and I touch it. As I touch it I get the same feeling I got before. Then everything went black.

"Hold still Joanne!" I smile and laugh as I jump on his back for the picture and Catherine is standing next to us falling over with laughter. After the picture I pull Max behind me to a tree. I look into his deep blue eyes and I say "I'll never forget you" I run away and that's when Catherine chases after me. She knows what I'm about to do. I can't stay I need to see what's out there.

I wake up to Fabian and Catherine over me with a wet washcloth over my head. "I- I remember him..." I stutter as Catherine gets a more worried look on her face. "Joanne stay with me. It's okay I'll explain in the morning. Just c- get some rest okay?" I nod and she leaves. I look over at Fabian, "Hey could you h-help me up to my room?" He nods then grabs me by the hand and pulls me up. He carries me, Carries me! To my room. When he set me down I felt empty. Like I needed something or someone. "Fabian do you remember anything about your life?" I ask then immediately regret it. He looks down "I remember my family." Great now I feel bad for asking. Before I can tell my mouth to close it says something else: "Oh... I don't at all really..." Oh my gosh what is wrong with me. "I- I think I need to rest" I blurt before he can respond to my previous idiotic statement. He nods, "if you need me I'll be downstairs." I nod and he leaves the room. I need to get my memory back so I can find Max. Eyes on the prize. Focus. Okay. You can do this. I fall asleep and my dream is more like a nightmare.

Hey guys! How'd you like the chapter?? I've been wanting to write this story for a while so I'm getting back into it. Thanks to all my supporters and readers that are still here or still coming. Thank you guys so much! Bye!  Thanks again!