"Perhaps you can be of more use to me, Jacob. You do not mind if I take a little more, do you? Just enough to make you more... reliable."
To Ingrid's surprise, the phone was picked up almost instantly, and on the first call, too. She wasted no time with small talk - there wasn't time for that now.
"Andrew, we need your help."
"My... help? What do you mean?"
"It's Carrie. Me and Connor think that she's planning something."
"Carrie?"
"The girl who erased Connor's memory."
"But what do you-"
"This is serious, Andrew! I-I'm sorry, but... I can't explain it to you now. We just need your help. We can't do this alone."
There was a long pause and Ingrid found herself gripping her phone tighter with every second that passed.
"I can't."
"What? Why not?"
"I just... can't, Ingrid."
"Look, I know that you don't really like me, and that you think I'm annoying, but-"
"No, no, it's not that!"
"Then what?"
Silence.
"What is it, Andrew?" she asked, almost yelling.
"It's Jodie. She's back. But... she's different."
Now it was Ingrid who was lost for words.
"Different how?" she asked finally, not sure if she would like the answer.
"I don't know. Just different."
Ingrid's next question made even her own skin crawl.
"Different like how Connor was?"
She heard a loud bang on the other side and the sound of hurried footsteps. She called his name, but there was no reply. She was about to hang up when the phone was picked up again.
"She says she remembers who I am."
Andrew's voice was calm and unconcerned, but Ingrid couldn't share those feelings.
"What is it about her that's different?" she repeated.
"I told you, I don't know. She just is. I'm sure it's nothing."
"No, Andrew, I don't think it is. Just, think! There has to be something that's different! You wouldn't have said anything otherwise. Is there anything... missing?"
"Missing?"
Despite the calmness in his voice, Ingrid could tell that this had meant something more to him. She felt her cheeks burn as she tried not to panic.
"Please, Andrew! Tell me what's different!" She was almost shouting now.
"Ok, ok! I guess she's a bit less... affectionate."
"In what way?"
"I dunno, I can't-"
"IN WHAT WAY?!"
There was a moment of stunned silence. Ingrid felt Connor's hand on her shoulder, but he said nothing.
"She doesn't seem to... love me... anymore."
Andrew's voice was quiet, barely more than a whisper. His trademark casual tone was nowhere to be found. Ingrid opened her mouth to speak, but Andrew wasn't finished: "I'm sure it's... nothing, Ingrid. She's just... tired from her trip. Even though that was a few days ago... But, I'm sure she's..."
His voice trailed away slowly. He sounded heartbroken, which was an emotion that Ingrid - up until this point - thought he didn't possess. It brought back painful memories for Ingrid, and she felt her hand shake as she remembered when Connor had called her his "friend". She knew now that this had been a side-effect to his memory loss, but at the time it had been like a stab in the heart. She swallowed hard, focusing back on the present.
"Andrew? Are you still there?"
"Y-Yeah, I am..."
He sniffed - Ingrid guessed that he was crying, which again wasn't usual behavior for Andrew, but in the circumstances it was understandable. "I'll help you and Connor. Anything for Jodie..."
"Thanks, Andrew. And don't worry. We'll help Jodie. I promise. Me and Connor will be round yours straight away."
Ingrid wasn't even sure if he had heard the last part, for he hung up halfway through her sentence. But that didn't matter. What mattered now was finding Carrie, and making her pay for what she had done. Ingrid was determined.
YOU ARE READING
The Memory Machine 2
Horror*Sequel to The Memory Machine***** It has been months since Connor regained his memory, and it seems like Carrie's threats were nothing but a bluff. But as the days go by, Connor can't help but notice that something isn't right. His friends act like...
