Left In The Fire: I Am Reborn

Nothing, I

t took away every memory I ha

memory came close to the surface, it vanished-until

ancé peeled my fingers off him one by one. Simply because their adopted daughter had suffered a t

ain and again, to wash away my memories-molding me

apologized like a crimin

icker of longing for family and lo

by force for one final memory wipe, I cal

at I want you to erase is every last scrap of lov

pte

obbed me of all my memories, it also left

iancé, Damian, told me that the violent impact

ore than a million dollars in all-to retain a p

s would put me under hypn

e rebuild the damaged ne

mind, a thick fog would roll over my thoughts, and m

ived like that, wrapped i

hoto albums into my hands, fill

nd my adopted sister, Jocelyn,

le growing up," Belinda would

ica, and you always protected her. Every good toy, every

aphs, straining to feel the deep

felt n

g, Derek took me to t

r racket and directed me t

your favorite thing," Derek sai

cause the doctors had warned that her heart rate couldn't

cket until my p

d never once held a ra

ian took me to an upsca

s the table with its white linen cloth, he wo

rbearance that I fell in love wit

ry. Instead, you always urged me to put

him and nodd

every wor

fless sister, a loving fiancée-only a brut

en I woke to a sharp, st

image flashed

ndshield shattered into a spiderweb. The

tely, begging someone to drag my legs

e image

ammed again

da, Derek, or Damian

rap of memory, they would stuff me into the car and r

surge of returning memories would destabilize m

head would throb violently for twelve full hours, an

wanted to k

k a taxi alone to the mu

d cash out of pocket for

st clipped my MRI fil

pen, he pointed to th

ntusions from your past injury have

of any kind. From a purely neurological standpoint, th

t those black-a

the accident vanish the momen

wned and adjus

taking any psychi

y receive hypnotherapy f

sion-can absolutely block the retrieval and re

sion to a patient, the brain develops an artificia

pital into the harsh gl

handbag, my hands wo

yself that the doct

o loved me so much would never

e of our biweekly visit

ove the Me

seat, scrolling through m

, wrapping my right hand tightly

ry stable," Damian murmured, his th

e, Danica. Don't think about a

at me in the r

started palpitating again after breakfast. You'd better get w

I answer

up to the clini

n behind a row of tall

d us up to the executive

oanatomical atlas," the assistant said.

minutes,

o the restro

o of my hand. "Don't be

hed, carpeted corrido

office, the heavy oak door sto

ice drifted ou

pped

his," Dr. Evans said, h

er brain to its limit. If we run Wednesday's full purge on top of another session today, there is a rea

seeped thro

ssly closer to th

he window with h

e leather armchai

right beside th

those few minutes, the

bert," Belinda said, h

asked why the passenger-side door had been replaced. If Danica ever remembers wh

ot take that kind of

Danica regains her memory, she'll raise hell and confront Jocelyn to her face-and Jocelyn's h

!" Dr. Evans struck the patient file on

four! You are sacrificing Danica's sani

oughly. "Danica is tough. What hasn't s

caught in

ard against the wal

in my legs

was calm, rational-and lac

es to the police, the statute of limitations on neglig

ar, Damian!" Dr. Evans tore

skull and massive bleeding in her chest! You sped Jocelyn to the ER in the sports car and left Danica alone on the highway to live or die on her own! If a passing truck driver hadn't h

th my feet seemed

line. A voice begging for its l

e raw, blee

ever s

lating, they left me-gravely i

mber," Damian said, his

the one who let go of her hand to car

e trustee bank. The old man-her father, two years dead-wrote the terms himself: only the marriage of his blood daughter, plus a voting-a

passes straight into the Spencer Foundation under the deed, an

written the deed three years ago-after the crash, after he

ur clinic $200,000 a year. Follow protocol. Purg

ll become a walking hu

usk," Damian said withou

t at the family dinners, I don't care. Worst case, I'll hi

Belinda ordered

this merger. Once the merger is settled, Danica the rubber stamp goe

s galas and camera flashes." Belinda smoothed her cuff. "Let Danica carry the dirty work.

aughter," Dr. Evans said, h

ild who needs me," Bel

signed whatever was placed in front of her, Belinda kept the house, the accounts, and every dollar the

ne in the d

sinfectant and lave

tear fell f

ber that had spent five years cravin

pologized, humbly and constan

atever they pu

was allowed nothing but the cheap

ble, physical revulsion rose in me-a reaction I ha

s wrong wi

mily-a family that had lo

r. Evans let out a

brain suffers irreversible damage today

er," Damian sai

moved towa

ound and slipped bac

f the waiting room and s

hands quietl

pine perfec

s calm and

nd Belinda, Derek, and Da

ignature expressio

t," she said, hurrying ov

nds and wrapped the

eatment today-one that will finally clea

p into this

ir corners, at the dazzling

sh and blood to die in a burning car-just t

" I aske

said, coming around behind the sofa t

those hands wa

ly want the old Danica back-the sunny, bright

t you,"

t on one kn

he drew out a small gold brac

it gently ar

ing so brave today,"

out wedding rings. I promise I will ta

he gold heart rest

. Hollow wi

amian," I sai

this family has paid for your treatment at this c

s written clearly in my l

o the waiting room h

ng mine for three full seconds be

g his throat. "Please come

from th

l watched me, their faces cro

into that room to have my

the docile scapegoat, sla

and stepped straight thro