Lost

Chapter 3

Everyone clustered together over a large cast iron pot. Irene leapt up and dragged me over.

"I need to introduce you to people!" She shoved me in front of a tall boy with hazel eyes and curly brown hair. He raised an eyebrow at Irene, clearly annoyed by her. I didn't mind her, though she was slightly loud and hyper.

"This is Drew." Irene pushed me forward, "be friends." She ordered and then left.

I shoved my hands in my pockets and pushed down the urge to blush. Why did I have to be socially awkward even after I lost my memories?!

"Uh...hi." Drew smiled.

At least he wasn't annoyed at me.

"Hi." I studied his face. He had a slow, shy smile which stretched across his face. He laughed nervously and scratched the back of his head. He was surprisingly awkward. I didn't mind.

"Could you...uh...tell me who these people are?" I asked quietly, scanning the group gathered around the pot of stew. Irene winked at me and I shot her a glare.

"Sure. That," he pointed to the tall guy with curly blond hair, "is Reed. And he," he pointed to the shorter boy who had interrogated me when I first arrived, "is Will."

Drew pointed out several other people. A girl with long flowing brown hair that reached her waist and dark blue eyes was named Nadia. Another girl with wavy brown hair, dyed blue underneath, was called Bree. A spunky short girl with wavy light brown hair named Jewel, waved at me with one hand, balancing a bowl in the other. The girl who had seemed in charge  was named Kate. Everyone called her Kit-Kat behind her back.

"Thanks." I smiled at Drew and he ducked his head before walking toward the pot of stew. I followed, suddenly hungry.

I was too starved to care what the mystery meat was in the stew. I was also to hungry to care that I was sitting alone. It didn't bother me, even when I finished two servings of the mysterious soup. My foggy memories didn't faze me as I listened to Kate give orders for the next day. My questionable past or the fact that I was literally surviving with a group of strangers didn't make me think twice. But then night fell and I found myself wedged in a makeshift shelter with Rachel, Alex and Irene. The night wore on and strange sounds filled my ears. The snores of other lost people. The rustling of leaves. The crackling of the fire. I tried my best to remember my past. My name was on the tip of my tongue. Who I was inside felt jumbled up like someone had taken my soul, shook it up and put it back in upside down. The core of my being, the very core of who I was, was shrouded in mystery. Suddenly, I realized that I didn't know what I looked like. What color were my eyes? What shape was my face? I sat up straight, hitting my head on the roof of the shelter.

"Unghf..." Irene stirred and cracked an eye open at me.

I winced and rubbed my head.

"What time is it?" Alex asked on the other side of me.

I started crawling towards the deerskin flap which served as a door.

"Where are you going?" Irene sat up more gracefully, not banging her head on the ceiling.

"Uh...bathroom." I lied. I needed out. I needed away from people. 

"Shhh. Don't wake up Rachel. She gets angry if we make too much noise." Alex hissed at us. She handed me her machete.

"What's this for?" My brain screamed, get out of here!

"Just in case." Alex smiled as if she hadn't just said there were wild, dangerous animals. Her teeth gleamed in the dark.

I managed to say thanks before bolting out of there. I ran softly though the camp, the machete swinging dangerously in my hand. I tore into the jungle, tripping, catching myself, running on. Usually, this is where it starts raining and the heroine runs for miles without stopping, tears streaming down her face. Truth was, I was out of shape and running through a jungle isn't easy. The air remained hot and muggy. And I didn't cry. Even when I tripped again, this time falling on my face, I didn't cry. I picked myself up and ran on. When I finally collapsed from sheer exhaustion, I found myself at the pond Rachel had taken me to. I peered into it and saw my own face reflected back. Dark blue eyes. Medium brown hair. Round nose. Not too straight but not too crooked teeth. Small ears. No tears.

The pain in my chest bloomed up and made me sink to my knees. It was like someone had switched the on button for my emotions. Everything came rushing in. I stood up and walked over to a tree.

"Who the heck am I?!" I screamed at the air, at the unfair and unpredictable world. I kicked the tree as hard as I could. It wasn't enough. I punched it. The pain in my knuckles was satisfying so I punched it again.

I desperately wanted to cry. To just sit in a corner and sob and sob. But it was like I was broken. My eyes didn't even start to burn. My throat didn't start to ache. The pain in my heart only hurt worse and there was nothing I could do about it.

And then I remembered.

Ava.

That was my name.

But the pain only spread outwards.

And no tears came to soothe it.