I couldn't feel my hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho entered her room?\u201d<\/p>\n
The detective listened to the radio.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo identification yet.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen find out.\u201d<\/p>\n
She signaled to the officers.<\/p>\n
We ran.<\/p>\n
Daniel was ahead of me.<\/p>\n
I followed with the detective.<\/p>\n
The drive back felt endless.<\/p>\n
Every red light became unbearable.<\/p>\n
Every passing second seemed stolen.<\/p>\n
When we reached the hospital, security had already sealed the corridor.<\/p>\n
A nurse was crying near the nurses\u2019 station.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is my daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n
She pointed.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe's inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
I ran.<\/p>\n
Emily was sitting upright in her bed.<\/p>\n
A nurse stood beside her.<\/p>\n
She looked frightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom.\u201d<\/p>\n
I grabbed her.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you okay?\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid anyone hurt you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho came in?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at Daniel.<\/p>\n
Then at the detective.<\/p>\n
Then back at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought it was you.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe person wore your coat.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked down.<\/p>\n
My coat was gone.<\/p>\n
I had left it at the clinic.<\/p>\n
Daniel stared at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cMercer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
Emily shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot him.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen who?\u201d<\/p>\n
She pointed toward the hallway.<\/p>\n
\u201cHer.\u201d<\/p>\n
The detective turned.<\/p>\n
A woman stood several feet away.<\/p>\n
She was one of the nurses who had been treating Emily.<\/p>\n
The nurse's face went pale.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou.\u201d<\/p>\n
The detective stepped toward her.<\/p>\n
\u201cStay where you are.\u201d<\/p>\n
The nurse raised her hands.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn't do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily began crying.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe gave me the medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n
The woman shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel moved forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou gave her the bottle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was following orders.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhose orders?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked toward the floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cMercer.\u201d<\/p>\n
The detective arrested her.<\/p>\n
As officers led her away, she shouted something.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don't understand!\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone stopped.<\/p>\n
She looked at Emily.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wasn't trying to kill her.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt cold.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen what was he trying to do?\u201d<\/p>\n
The nurse swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was trying to make her remember.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRemember what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first night.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at Emily.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat first night?\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily closed her eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember.\u201d<\/p>\n
She whispered.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room became silent.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n
Emily looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I was eight, Dad took me to the clinic.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought I was taking you for tests.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou left me there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI was outside.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMercer told me you were gone.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel covered his face.<\/p>\n
Emily continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said you didn't want me anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at Daniel.<\/p>\n
He looked shattered.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe told me you signed the papers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI never did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened next?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe gave me the medicine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her voice trembled.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen it started hurting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr. Harris stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMinutes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what did Mercer do?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wrote things down.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat things?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much I cried.\u201d<\/p>\n
My chest tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wasn't treating you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was measuring me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel began crying.<\/p>\n
\u201cI should have stayed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou didn't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI should have stayed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wanted you to.\u201d<\/p>\n
He nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
She reached for his hand.<\/p>\n
He took it.<\/p>\n
For a moment, neither spoke.<\/p>\n
Then the detective entered with the evidence bag.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe found something else.\u201d<\/p>\n
She placed a small recording device on the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was hidden beneath Emily's bed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel stared at it.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's his.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMercer's?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
The detective pressed play.<\/p>\n
Static filled the room.<\/p>\n
Then a man's voice.<\/p>\n
Mercer.<\/p>\n
\u201cSubject reports pain after administration.\u201d<\/p>\n
A pause.<\/p>\n
\u201cMemory suppression remains effective.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another pause.<\/p>\n
Then:<\/p>\n
\u201cMother remains unaware.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt sick.<\/p>\n
The recording continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cFather has become unreliable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at the floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cNext phase will require controlled recall.\u201d<\/p>\n
The recording ended.<\/p>\n
I stared at the device.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow long has that been there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAccording to the technician, at least several weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Emily.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was listening to you.\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wanted to know if I remembered.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I heard something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked toward Daniel.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad told someone to stop.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore we left the clinic.\u201d<\/p>\n
He slowly remembered.<\/p>\n
\u201cI argued with Mercer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told him I was taking Emily away.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he said?\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said if I left, Mom would be next.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt the room go still.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never told you because I thought he was threatening me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was threatening me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you had access to her medical records.\u201d<\/p>\n
I shook my head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn't.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at the folder.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause you worked for the hospital.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
Years ago, before Emily's symptoms became severe, I had worked briefly in medical administration.<\/p>\n
I had forgotten how much access I once had.<\/p>\n
\u201cMercer thought I could find something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou think he targeted Emily because of me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at Emily.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he targeted both of you.\u201d<\/p>\n
The detective's phone rang.<\/p>\n
She answered.<\/p>\n
Her face changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
She listened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
A pause.<\/p>\n
\u201cSend the photograph.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seconds later, an image appeared on her screen.<\/p>\n
It showed Mercer entering a rural property.<\/p>\n
Behind him was a white building.<\/p>\n
I recognized it.<\/p>\n
It was the address from the file.<\/p>\n
The facility where children were supposedly transferred after their memories returned.<\/p>\n
The detective looked at us.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to go.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel stood.<\/p>\n
Emily grabbed his sleeve.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad.\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon't leave me again.\u201d<\/p>\n
His face crumpled.<\/p>\n
\u201cI won't.\u201d<\/p>\n
I took Emily's hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe're all going.\u201d<\/p>\n
The detective hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou shouldn't bring her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know where the children are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone froze.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you say?\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember the building.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMercer showed me once.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you see?\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cChildren.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart stopped.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow many?\u201d<\/p>\n
She closed her eyes.<\/p>\n
Then whispered:<\/p>\n
\u201cSeven.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut there were only six names.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked toward the folder.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was one more.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
Emily's face changed.<\/p>\n
She looked terrified.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was me.\u201d<\/p>\n
I couldn't feel my hands. \u201cWho entered her room?\u201d The detective listened to the radio. \u201cNo identification yet.\u201d \u201cThen find out.\u201d She signaled to the officers. We ran. Daniel was … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":323,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-331","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-best-one-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=331"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/bestonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":343,"href":"https:\/\/bestonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/331\/revisions\/343"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/323"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=331"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=331"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestonestory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=331"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}