Who I once was

Episode 1 - Restart

Tuesday 12th July 2016. 

It was 7:24pm when I just hopped off the bus in my neighborhood - Nextto. I was studying with a group of friends at the school library for our exams that are coming up in a week. With only 3 dim street lamps along the street I walk down the stairs with my childhood friend Sarah. ‘I should text mom and tell her I'm nearly on my way home.’ I thought. I got out my gold iPhone 6s that was now on 3% from using it all day to study. 'Mom I just hopped off the bus. I hope dinner isn't cold yet, I'm starving! I'll be home in 10 mins. C U later'. Finally I got home within 7 minutes after Sarah and I ran a bit of the way. When I got outside my house there was a grey van parked outside, but it was probably the neighbors car. I said goodbye to my friend Sarah who lived further down my street. She carried on walking then looked at me and yelled “Bye Anaia! I’ll see you at school tomorrow!” Then she carried on running down the street. I opened our gate and walked inside. "Mom, I'm sta-'' I couldn't finish my sentence. I saw a tall figure dragging my mom's lifeless body across our living room floor with a blood trail following her. A dark figure dropped her legs and right next to her body was my dad. He was covered in a pool of blood. I was so shocked I didn't even see the intruder who was now looking straight at me from across the living room. Although it was dark with only the table lamp brightening the living room I could see the figure was dressed from head to toe in black clothing with only his eyes uncovered. I dropped my school bag on the floor as the tall figure walked a step closer. "Shhh'' It gestured. Slowly the figure started to slowly walk towards me and I knew I had to get out of here. So I ran out the front door screaming "Help! Help! Someone help me!" I ran up the street as fast as I can towards the bus stop still screaming out for help. I saw the tall figure quickly approaching me as their jogging now turned into full on sprinting. I was weaving in and out of different streets no longer talking as I didn't want to be discovered. I was so out of breath that I stopped outside a closed unlit diary that was at least 5 minutes from my house. I was so tired, my throat was burning, my shoelaces were undone on my school sneakers and I was still starving. As I try to catch my breath back I can hear a few cats meowing in the distance, and street lamps sounding like there are about to blow. I look to my right to try to figure out which way to go and that's when I saw the tall shadowy figure standing just out of the streetlamps shine. "Come back here little girl" It was so soft I could barely hear it. "Your parents are at home waiting for you to come back! Now be a good little girl and go back home!" I could tell this was a man's voice, it was deep and husky. He just stood about 100 meters away from me staring at me. I ran to my left and I didn't stop. I knew that if I got caught my life would be in danger. As I was running I thought to myself 'Mom, Dad please don't be dead! You have to survive!' I kept on running straight until I saw a road ahead of me. I ran with the last amount of energy I had left onto the road when suddenly a car hit me out of nowhere. I flew above the car and landed on my head. I looked to the side where I just ran from and saw the man come towards me. Until the woman driving the car came out to check if I was okay and also another car driving past pulled up and they got out and called 911. I saw the shadowy man walk away into the darkness. And that's when I shut my eyes. Across town in Masleans, a Southview High school bus got into a minor crash with another car. Southview high student Anaiah Reyes called her big brother Montell. “Hey Mont, our school bus got into a crash. But don’t worry I’m fine! I only got a little scratch on my head. It doesn’t even hurt” She spoke hesitantly. “Where are you? Are you okay?” Montell asked his little sister hurriedly. “Don’t worry we’re all taking an ambulance to the hospital now” Anaiah said reassuringly. Relieved Montell asked her to text him which hospital it was when she got there. Montell went to Highridge Hospital to see his little sister. He got a call from his assistant. “She only has a scratch on her head, it’s not that serious. But postpone my meeting to tomorrow.” Montell said, demandingly. “I might faint if I see a scratch on my little sisters face no matter how tiny it is.” Montell started walking towards the hospital reception. “Thank you for your concern. I'll update you later on, just meet up with the management team for now.” Montell said. He walked up to reception and kindly asked “Excuse me, my little sister Anaiah Reyes came in an ambulance from a school bus accident. Which room is she in?” The reception lady started typing on her computer. Taking small glances at Montell and smiling. “She came in not too long ago, she's in room 32A.” The reception lady said. Montell hurried towards room 32A. There were patients on stretchers coming in from the bus crash. And doctors and parents running around crazily.  Montell looks at the name tags at the end of the hospital beds. Nicky Crane. Nyah Yooder. Rhyley Dunne. Milana Rogers. There's one hospital bed that has the curtain closed. Montell goes to open it. Anaiah Reyes. ‘Found her’ Montell thought. “Anaiah I’m here!” She has her back faced towards him. “Wake up, I brought you your favorite food!” He said excitedly. Still no answer. Montell shakes Anaiah softly to wake her up. She turns onto her back. The right side of her pillow is drenched in crimson red blood. Montell gets closer and can see that she has a deep cut on the right side of her neck. “Anaiah what happened? You said you were alright! Someone help!!” Montell cried out. 

7 days later. Detective Nate Wilkins got a call about two dead bodies found washed up on Patterson beach. His partner Leroy was already at the scene. “We’ve identified them, husband and wife. Debra and Jamal Rhodes. They have only one child, a daughter named Anaia Rhodes. She's a high school student who is currently in a coma.” Leroy said. “How's her current situation?” Detective Nate asked. “She’s unconscious and in critical condition.” Leroy answered. Detective Nate looked around the beach. ‘How unfortunate she doesn't even know her parents are dead’ Detective Nate thought to himself. Leroy suggested that something is wrong with this murder. “On Debra and Jamals wrists numbers have been cut into their skin” Leroy stated. Detective Nate leaned closer and pulled up Jamals long sleeve top. Leroy was right. On Jamals wrist was a 12 digit number. It read ‘93253793857’. Detective Nate then looked at Debra's wrist and found the numbers ‘971964317758’. “Are you sure their daughter is called Anaia Rhodes?” Detective Nate asked. Leroy went to check the records on his work phone. “Yes their daughter is definitely called Anaia Rhodes. She's currently at Clearti Hospital.” Leroy reported. “She’s a witness” Detective Nate whispered to himself. He ran to his car as fast as he could and drove to Clearti hospital. 

Thursday 14th September 2017 

429 days later. The nurse is checking my heartrate and comes to me to put in IV lines. I felt a warm touch so I moved my hand in response. As I slowly opened my eyes I didn’t recognize where I was. 2 men and 3 females dressed in doctor scrubs came to my bed saying it’s okay. Everything will be fine. And 1 man who wasn't dressed as a doctor, but in fact he had on a grey bomber jacket zipped all the way up and dark blue jeans. I realised I don't know who I was and where I was. I started crying asking for them to help me. “I don't know who I am. I don’t know where I am. I don’t know anything. Please help me” I wailed out. The man dressed up in the bomber jacket suddenly said “Don’t worry you’ll be okay” When I calmed down everyone left the room except for a nurse who was monitoring my health. The head doctor said to Detective Nate “She has amnesia, whether she gets her memory back or not is too hard to tell as of now” the doctor explained. “Her parents were murdered with a number code on their wrists. Ever since her parents died a year ago there's been 5 more murders the exact same. She’s the only witness we have. There has to be something you can do!” Detective Nate demanded. “It's out of our hands. Anaia Rhodes may be like this forever.” The doctor calming explained. About two hours later the man in the grey bomber jacket came in with the doctor. “Who am I? Why are I in a hospital?” I questioned. “I’ll tell you everything. Your name is Jamelia Wilkins. You were born on the 3rd of February 2000. I’m your father - Nate Wilkins and I’m a detective. “What about my mom?” I asked? Nate looks down at the floor. ‘Dad looks upset, maybe I shouldn't have asked.’ I thought. “Well when can I go home?” I asked my dad. He looked up and smiled. “Now my darling.” he said happily.