Like the moon

HANNA

My apartment wasn't much, but it was my home. Two bedrooms, a large living room with a kitchenette and a dining room made up the space. I had lived there since I was nineteen. When my grandmother died, I used my inheritance to buy this place. I was alone. I was an only child and my parents died in a car accident when I was five years old. My grandmother had taken me in and cared for me, but she had passed away six years ago. I had paid my way through medical school and, six years later, I found myself in my apartment with a box full of my work stuff, wondering what the hell I was going to do.

I tossed the box onto the kitchen island, took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. I let the day's events sink in, but I couldn't get my head around the idea that I wouldn't be going to work tomorrow. That was going to be a problem. I couldn't get much done today, and besides, I had to get ready for a night at the Crypto.

But first, I was going to treat myself to my favorite food.

I picked up the phone and walked over to the couch, waking my sleeping Burmese and plopping down on the plush cushions. Chase looked up at me with narrowed eyes and gave me an irritated pout. He was a very cranky kitty.

“Red Salamander , how can I help you?” said a soft voice over the phone.

“Hello Nandy “I said as I scratched Chase's ear .

Ah, the lovely Hanna . do you want the usual?

“Please can I have a double helping of shrimp crackers?”

She laughed. “What a bad day you've had?”

“The worst.”

“I got you, honey. Double shrimp crackers, coming right up.”

“Thanks” .I ended the call and carried Chase in my arms. He whined about being mistreated, but promptly settled into my chest when I stroked his long white fur on his back.

I told him all about my day, about how Dr. Kang used the hospital as his own little playground and about my walk home that I really don't remember doing.

Wow, that's weird. I remember walking out of the hospital and onto Jackson Avenue, but then nothing until I walked through my front door.

A stab of pain shot through my forehead, making me cry out in shock. Chace fled my embrace as I slumped forward, images parading before my eyes.

Icy eyes.

Leather gloves.

Blood stains.

Two orbs like the moon.

You saw nothing...

Then, as quickly as it had started, the pain disappeared and with it, the lingering images.

What the fuck was that?

What didn't I see?

I tried to bring the images to mind, but the harder I tried to remember, the more my head hurt. I couldn't manage to hold on to any image firmly, and it was like chasing smoke caught in the breeze. Impossible and frustrating.

I groaned and let myself fall backwards into the soft embrace of the couch. This day was turning out to be the worst.

There was a knock at the door and I was overcome with relief. I was looking forward to eating my weight in delicious Chinese takeout. I walked heavily to the door. “Hi Nandy . Thanks for...”

Mery was on the other side, takeout bags in hand and a smile on her elfin face. “It's party time!”

I shuddered. I loved this woman, but sometimes, it was just too much.

“What's wrong?” she asked as she crossed the threshold.

“Nothing. I just have a little headache.”

She set the takeout bags aside in the kitchen and poured them into a couple of bowls. “Would you rather stay home tonight?”

“No. I want to get something fun out of this crappy day.”

“Speaking of disasters “he said with eyes full of mirth , ” Dr. Kang is pissed.”

I arched my eyebrows. What an interesting development. “Why, the Pampered Prince doesn't have his needs met?”

Mery chuckled. “Word has gotten out about your meeting before the Board and people are starting to question Dr. Kang.”

“Right.” And so it was. If anything good was going to come out of my departure from Misthaven Hope Hospital, it would be that Dr. Kang would be a little put off. I just hoped it didn't make him a worse person.

“You should have seen his face when a nurse told him to get something,” Mery said cheerfully, her cheeks rounded like a hamster's as she gorged herself. “I thought he was going to burst a blood vessel.”

I wish I could have seen it. Still, I worried that antagonizing him would make it worse. “Be careful. That guy's a sticky prick, but I wouldn't put it past him to do something horrible if you pushed him too hard.”

Mery tapped the chopsticks. “Well, then the Board won't be able to look away. They'd have to do something about it.”

“At someone else's expense?” I blurted out, and instantly regretted it. ”Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. This headache is a bitch.”

“Are you sure you want to go out?” asked Mery softly as she placed her hand over mine.

“Yes, I do. This day has been... weird.”

“Weird?”

I frowned and fiddled with the chopsticks on the table. “Have you ever done something you don't remember?”

Mery stared at me, frowning with concern. “What do you mean?”

I pursed my lips for a moment, hesitating whether to tell her everything. “I don't remember how I got home.”

I guess I wanted to tell him everything.

“It's okay...” Mery looked worried.

“I remember leaving the hospital, getting to Jackson Avenue, and then nothing until I walked through my front door.”

We all feel dissociation at some point, like when you're driving somewhere and suddenly realize you've arrived at your destination. It's not uncommon.

Trust Mery to go into doctor mode. “I know, but this feels different. There are flashes...”

“Flashes?”

Of images. Things I'm trying to remember, but I can't quite remember them.

“Is that what's causing your headache?”

I bit my lower lip and nodded.