Misty marched down the small corridor to board the plane. Her suitcase rattled behind her, and her heavy purse tugged on a fairly uncomfortable place on her shoulder. Her abdomen ached, the few painkillers she’d taken earlier seemed to be wearing off. She unzipped her purse and popped a few more of the orange pills into her mouth before continuing with the line of people preparing to enter.
In front of Misty was a small family, the mother and father seemed to be fairly young. There were two kids about the age of four, both with white-blond hair and sparkling hazel eyes, who were arguing over who would take the window seat. The mother rocked a tiny crying baby in her arms while her husband frantically searched through a bag. He glanced around anxiously, meeting everyone who stared with an apologetic grimace.
Misty bent down and lifted a light pink pacifier from the pocket of a backpack sitting on the ground next to the twins. She placed it gently in the baby’s open mouth. Her wide brown eyes stared at Misty as her cries diminished. The father glanced back and forth between Misty, the baby, his wife, then Misty again.
“Thank you,” he said, putting his hand affectionately on his baby’s cheek as her eyelids slowly drooped down. “I was looking for that.”
Misty smiled at him and the now sleeping baby.
“You’re welcome. Your kids are really cute, by the way.” The mother smiled tiredly, as if to say, only when they aren’t fighting.
As the line moved forward and Misty stepped into the plane, a cheery flight attendant said,
“Welcome! Please enjoy your flight!” She smiled at the woman, then continued down the lines of people until she reached an aisle that was completely empty. She tossed her purse onto the window seat, then pushed the handle down into her suitcase and began lifting it into the overhead compartment. It was difficult with her injured shoulder, but she was determined to get it done by herself. She had almost gotten the suitcase all the way in, when her hand slipped from it’s hold on the corner of the bag. Because she could barely support the heavy bag with her injured arm, the suitcase came tumbling down on top of her.
“Woah, are you okay?” Misty whirled around, a boy’s hands were on her arms, stabilizing her. She had fallen directly on top of him, but he’d caught her before much damage could’ve been done. She stepped away, apologizing profusely.
“Here, let me help you with that,” he said, taking her suitcase from the ground and lifting it effortlessly into the compartment. Misty slid into her seat, shaking her head.
“Thank you, I’m so sorry, I’m a gigantic klutz. Are you all right?” She babbled, shoving her purse aggressively underneath the seat in front of her, wincing at the pain in her shoulder. The boy chuckled benignly, putting his bag up next to hers.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Is this seat taken?” he asked, gesturing towards the chair next to her. Misty shook her head.
“I’m so sorry, man, I can’t believe I did that.” She put her face into her hands and sighed. The boy laughed again.
“It’s really okay, I’m always happy to help. I’m just glad you didn’t get seriously hurt.”
Misty glanced up, taking the boy in for the first time. He seemed to be about nineteen, a year older than she. His eyes were a startling frosty blue, they almost looked white. He had messy red hair and a light blue hoodie on. He was fairly tall, and when he smiled Misty noticed slightly prominent canine teeth, a trait that she secretly loved. Something about his face was sickeningly familiar. She couldn’t place her finger on where she had seen him. Was he in some movie she’d watched once? Or maybe they’d crossed paths on the street one day?
“So what’s bringing you to California?” He asked, interrupting Misty’s analysis. She blinked. She wasn’t planning on telling anyone about it until she got to her friend’s house, but something about this boy seemed very trustable. Like he would be able to sympathize with her, and never tell. She would probably never see him again, anyways, so why not? When you’re an emotional wreck, you need to vent. Misty figured she’d treat herself.
“I’m actually running from somebody,” She said. She reached over and popped open the window. Her seat was a few rows in front of the wings, so nothing obstructed her view of the runway beneath them. Forklifts with traffic cones being driven by men in hard hats and bright yellow vests bustled about. A white plane with a red stripe on the side made it’s way to the runway, then sped up until it’s wheels left the ground and it soared into the cloudy New York sky.
“Really?” Asked the boy, curiosity lacing it’s way through his features. She nodded. He waited patiently for her to continue.
“My boyfriend. Er--ex boyfriend.” She said. The boy’s eyebrows scrunched together.
“Was he hurting you?” He asked. Misty flinched, thinking, that’s an understatement. She sighed, turning her attention back towards the window.
“Yeah. I put up with it for a while, hoping so much that it would change. I really thought he loved me as much as I loved him. At first I thought, maybe it’s because he’s drinking a lot more lately. Then he started abusing me even when he was sober. It felt terrible. I think one of the biggest breaking points for me was when I realized that I had a routine. Come home from work, make him dinner, listen to his verbal abuse, get him a drink, then another and another and another, put up with more insults, get punched a few times, be forced to sleep with him even when I didn’t want to, go to sleep crying.
“A few days ago I tried to confront him. I was going to do it the moment I came home, while he was still sober. I had a plan on what I was going to say and everything. What I didn’t know was that he had invited a bunch of friends over to drink and play cards. When I got there, they… They attacked me. I couldn’t do anything. It was the most horrible thing I’ve ever had to go through. I realized that I couldn’t live with him any longer.
“I can’t believe I didn’t run away the moment he started to become so barbaric and cruel. I just couldn’t let go of the man I’d fallen in love with, the man I dropped out of school for. I left my family for him! But I guess all good things have to come to an end, right?” Misty finished bitterly. She avoided the boy’s eyes. She hadn’t planned on revealing that much to a total stranger. He touched her arm. She flinched, then turned away from the window to look at him
He had tears in his eyes.
“I’m so sorry,” He said. Misty shrugged. The plane began to move onto the runway.
“It’s unimaginable.”
The pilot told us we were ready to take off.
“I wish there was something I could do,”
The plane gained speed. The boy thought for a moment.
“Well, actually…”
The John F. Kennedy National Airport blurred by them, Misty didn't even bother trying to latch onto any of the shapes with her eyes. She just let them overwhelm her.
“There… there might be something.”
The plane left the ground, soaring into the skies. Misty’s stomach lurched, her heart rose to her throat. She hadn’t really been listening to what the boy was saying, but this statement certainly got her attention.
“What do you mean?” She asked. What could this boy do for her that she hadn’t already thought of? Her heart raced as the boy made eye contact with her. His eyes were hopeful and glimmering with light.
“I can help you.” he said, smiling. Misty almost believed him.
“How?” she asked. The boy’s smile widened.
“I can make all your memories of him disappear.” He replied with a flourish of his hands. Misty’s heart sank. He was crazy. She could almost picture it: his shiny orange hair tied away in an elaborate turban, shiny jewels draped around his neck as he shouted from a small cloth tent for tourists to come and see his magnificent abilities.
She raised a skeptical eyebrow, just wanting him to shut up and stop crushing whatever futile hope she thought she had left.
“Disappear?” She asked disinterestedly. The boy nodded.
“Disappear.”
Misty looked out the window, suddenly determined to ignore this crazy boy for the rest of the ride. She watched as the city that had never loved her unfolded beneath. She watched every bit of it become hazier and hazier until the fog had completely eaten it up. She frowned, wondering how the pilot would be able to see in this pea soup.
Her eyelids grew heavy. It felt like the clouds were suffocating her, slowly smothering her to sleep. The thought crossed her mind that this feeling wasn’t right, but the clouds inside her hushed it away.
Relax. They said.
Clear your mind.
Misty couldn’t help but obey.
The relaxation overtook her, and a strange chill formed at the nape of her neck, then seeped into her brain. It felt like she was washing her hair with a bucket of ice water. Her head slowly warmed, the tentacles of ice transforming into hot chocolate. Then, just as it has crept into her head, it seeped out. It started at her forehead and receded to the nape of her neck.
Then, all at once, the clouds within her mind cleared, the feeling of freedom crisp and bright as windchimes. Outside her window, the plane broke past the thick cover. The fog settled on the land like snow, the endless blue sky stretched out beyond. Misty blinked. What had just happened? She remembered cold, and heat. Did she fall asleep? No, she would’nt have been able to see the clouds the entire time if she’d fallen asleep.
Probably her painkillers being weird.
“Excuse me?” A boy sitting in the chair beside her tapped her shoulder. She turned and smiled sweetly.
“Yes?” She asked. He was grinning slyly, like he knew something she didn’t. She tilted her head. And looked at him questioningly.
“What city did we just leave?” He asked. That was easy. Misty had lived there her entire life.
“New Orleans, Louisiana. Did you forget?” She teased. The boy looked bashful.
“Yeah, one of us did forget.” He said vaguely. The sly look returned.
“Why are you headed to Arizona?” He asked. Misty smiled. Something in the back of her head screamed.
“My grandma lives there! I’m visiting her. She’s sick, you see. Liver cancer. She needs someone to watch over her until my older sister flies out. She’s going to college in Massachusetts, and the term doesn’t end until September ninth. I’m gonna watch my grandma until she can come and take my place.”
“Oh, how nice of you!” The boy smiled. Misty smiled as well, but it was a sad smile. Her grandmother only had a few years left in her life, and the cancer was taking more of that time from her. She knew that her time with her precious grandchildren was running short, so she’d had every one of them fly out to see her one last time. Misty knew that was the real reason she was going, and it made her unbearably sad. Something else made her sad too, but she didn’t remember.
A tear trickled from her eyes. She sniffed and looked at her hands.
“Hey, don’t be sad! At least your grandma doesn’t have that shoulder,” The boy placed a hand on Misty’s right shoulder. Pain flared up like a fire. Misty yelped and pulled away. How had she injured her shoulder?! She didn’t remember it hurting on the car ride to the airport!
Wait, had she been in a car? Or was it a bus?
Why couldn’t she remember?!
“Hey, are you okay?” The boy asked. Misty breathed heavily, nearly hyperventilating. What was her sister’s name? Audrey, Amelia, did it even start with A?! Jamie put her head in between her knees and started taking deep breaths. It’s okay, just focus on what you do know.
Your name is Jamie
You live in Louisiana
Your favorite color is purple
The boy next to you is your boyfriend and he loves you and he will help you.
A small voice in the back of her brain screamed so loud she almost heard it. Jamie lifted her head up and placed it on Jackson’s shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her protectively and waved down a stewardess. He asked her for some ginger ale, Jamie’s favorite.
She sighed. What was she upset about? She couldn't remember. She let herself steal a glance out the window, but she couldn’t see any of her hometown, it was caught under a thick layer of clouds.
“Sure is Misty out there, isn’t it?” Jackson asked, tightening his arm around her. Jamie nodded. She reached for a strand of her bright blond hair, thinking.
Pain lurched through her shoulder. She nearly screamed. What was that?! She whipped her head around and saw thick bandages wrapped around it. Black locks of short, straight hair brushed against her cheeks as she did so. Since when did she have black hair?! She turned her frantic eyes towards Jackson, but he’d changed too. Jackson had brown hair and his eyes were dull green, not shining orange hair and snowy white eyes. Who was this stranger and why was he holding her?
An icy cold sensation bloomed at the nape of Jamie’s neck and began working it’s way through her brain until it reached her forehead. Clouds covered her vision and she closed her eyes, trying to make it stop.
A few seconds later Jamie was gone, and Misty was back inside herself. Her hair wasn’t blonde, it was ebony black, and her eyes were dark indigo blue. Her skin was porcelain pale, and she was four feet, eleven inches tall. She left her parents, she lived in New York, she was flying to San Francisco to escape her boyfriend. There was a strange boy sitting next to her who claimed he could make her memories disappear, and as some sick sense of recognition seeped into her consciousness, she realized it was true.
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