Through Her Shattered Eyes ✔

Chapter 16 (continued)

I slump back, hoping to run into a wall to lean against but there isn't one. Nathan grabs me a split second before my head connects with the concrete.

"Hey!" he exclaims. "Hey, are you okay? Alexis?"

I look around, puzzled. I'm already by the parking lot, the staircase behind me now.

"How'd I get all the way down here?" I ask.

"Forget about that. You all right? You scared the crap outta me."

"Nathan, quiet. I'm fine, really."

I don't want him attracting attention. Although from where we are, there isn't anybody nearby. Then, we're suddenly faced with the fact of my being in his arms.

Um...no. I straighten up and pull away from Nathan.

"What happened to you?" he asks. "Did you have a memory or something?"

"Yeah. Erika gave me another one of her memories. An interesting one, too."

"Well, you can tell me about it in my car. Have you always done that?"

"Done what?" I ask, looking at him quizzically.

"Zone out and go into an episode like you did just now? The lady with her dog said hi to you, but you merely stared at her and didn't say anything."

I cast my eyes down to the ground. "Did she? I didn't mean to do that..."

"I know you didn't. But, does that happen when you're having a memory?"

"No. It doesn't. I feel like I'm actually taken back to a different timeline but I've never gone into episodes like that before. Or at least I don't think so," I say.

"Okay. Let's get inside the car," Nathan replies.

Shortly afterward, we find his cop car and hop inside. He programs on MapQuest a route back to Fayetteville. I slump back against the seat as he backs up, realizing this is going to be a long ride home. We probably won't get there until later, later tonight.

Nathan waits almost a half hour before speaking to me. Probably making sure we're on the right track.

"Can you tell me about the memory?" he asks.

"Oh, definitely," I say.

And I tell it to him, describing the New Year's party Erika and her friend Faith were at. How they watched the fireworks and how Faith was prodding her about a guy she'd been seeing. I mention the girls going down into the room where the party was and them getting their drinks when Erika's ex-boyfriend, Ben, had shown up intoxicated. He wanted to get back with her but she told him she wasn't interested. That's when some geek stood up to her ex and told him to go fly a kite, which only resulted in him getting punched in the face.

Faith and Erika rushed over to the guy to make sure he was okay and that was pretty much it.

"Sounds interesting," Nathan says.

"You think? I just wish these memories would lead us somewhere," I respond.

"Well, she's giving them to you for a reason, isn't she?"

"Yes, but she could at least give me something to work with rather than show me scenes from her past life."

Nathan stays quiet for a minute. "Don't worry. We'll have this sorted, I promise."

I sigh, looking back towards the windshield.

Hopefully.

Settling into the seat, I make myself comfortable for the rest of the drive.

It's an hour later that both of us are caught in traffic again in Charlotte. Like in Atlanta earlier this morning, it's standstill, and I can see the aggravation on Nathan's face. I glance at the digital clock. Eight thirty in the evening. It's going to be a little while before we get out of here. Folding my arms across my chest, I lay back and look out the window at the city of Charlotte. All the skyscrapers and buildings are lit up from the inside, which makes it look nice.

The skyline is the last thing I remember seeing before my eyelids grow heavy. They soon betray me and close, darkness surrounding me.