Who you once Were || Volume One|| RuthTheNerd

Chapter Three- Lola

"Am·ne·sia," The AI said, pronouncing the word very carefully. "A partial or total loss of memory." 

Nadia scrolled further down on the holoscreen, looking for different results. The soft light being emitted revealed her worried expression. Sighing, she glanced back at the silent girl sitting on one of the high stools, one elbow on the marble island in the middle of the kitchen, cupping her face.

Nadia turned back to the holoscreen. "Search for, 'Amnesia food remedies," She commanded. A speedy search commenced, and the screen read the first result that popped up.

"If you still have some form of amnesia, drinking alcohol and eating sugar will not help. Eat more protein, especially foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, such as tuna and sockeye salmon. Try and stick to an anti-inflammatory diet," The holoscreen suggested. Nadia felt a spark of determination and began cooking a meal for the amnesiac sitting nearby, who was eating another jelly and cheese sandwich.

Nadia had been in the middle of cutting up a fresh pink strip of salmon when the girl spoke again. 

"I..." She paused when Nadia glanced up at her. "I think I remember something. A name," She said.

Nadia set the fish down into a pan, a sizzling sound heard straight after the meat was dunked into the oil. An enticing scent wafted up to Nadia's nose, but she paid it no attention. "A name? Who's name?"

The girl twiddled with her thumbs. "Lola..? Lola. Yeah.." She reassured herself.

Nadia grinned. She hadn't even given the girl her food yet and she was already remembering a few things. She was sure all the memories would come back soon enough. However, a name was not very much. "Lola?" Nadia asked, tasting the name in her mouth. "Do...do you know her last name?"

The girl shook her head. Nadia began to frown, but it was halted by what the girl said next. "No...but I remember where she lives."

Nadia's grin grew wide. "Really? Could you...take us there?"

The girl nodded. 

Nadia pulled some strips of fish out of the pan and took out some warm almond sauce. "Alright." She looked at the elaborate meal she'd made, picking it up and placing it in a portable container. "We'll eat this on the way there."

The girl wasn't on the stool anymore. Now, she was tapping her fingers over the holoscreen, pinpointing Lola's location. Nadia just smiled and looked around for a small jacket suitable for the girl, and ended up finding a forgotten denim shrug in the back of her closet. After the two were outfitted, they left the apartment building and walked out into the bustling city.

Even though the girl was good at masking emotions, Nadia could see she was in awe. She wondered where this girl could come from that didn't have that many people. She certainly wasn't the best at talking, but that was probably because she had amnesia and couldn't remember anything about herself. 

Nadia tugged the girl along with her, purchasing hyperloop tickets as they walked. Large buildings made even larger shadows beneath them. Fountains spurted water into the frisk air, and delivery drones flew overhead with packages clasped in their claw-like hands. Huge holoscreens attached to building sides displayed news shows or popular holodramas, the color and flare adding to the clamor of the city.

After some time, they arrived at the station. Nadia had received a few texts from Delilah, but she continued forth without checking them.

The girl shrunk against Nadia, hating large, loud crowds of people waiting for the hyperloop on the marble platform. She clutched parts of her delicate dress in one fist while holding an ice pack in the other. It had been a weird request, but the girl had insisted she have something cold with her.

A silent woosh was heard as the pristine hyperloop came into view. The magnetic speed train was sleek and efficient at navigating through the system of tubes it was designed for. Before, it had been quite expensive and only available to the wealthy, whereas now it was available for all common civilians.

"I've seen these," said the girl, looking up at the train with familiarity. 

Nadia smiled, knowing that the girl was remembering more about herself and where she came from. "That's good," Was all Nadia said.

She felt the girl's gaze float away to a figure behind them, wearing a dark blue hoodie. Nadia frowned. The outfit looked familiar, even though it shouldn't have. Maybe she'd seen it in a shop window.

The girl, however, noticed something else about the stranger, something that served to pale her face. She tugged on Nadia's dress. "Can we go?"

Nadia raised an eyebrow at her sudden hurried expression, but she complied and the two walked towards the train. 

The thin doors slid open, revealing plush seats that each held two people. The crowds filtered, the figure following in close behind them. Nadia had now noticed and was walking with a higher sense of urgency. The stranger walked faster to match their pace.

At this point, they were running to the doors that were slowly closing, sliding in on the last second, to the surprise of the seated passengers. A faint bang was heard as the stranger failed to enter the train. A loud rip followed, and Nadia glanced down to see that the girl's dress was torn, the nightgown now only reaching her knees. The girl frowned as the sat in their seats.

"It'll be fine," Nadia said, although when she heard those words being spoken to her, she never really felt better. "It'll be easier to walk, anyways." And easier to run from that stranger, she wanted to say.

Who was that person? And what did they want with them? She knew it had to do with the girl, but what? Nadia's head swirled with confusion.

She was sick with being confused. She needed answers, now.