Memory Is But A Vision... (Pt. 1)

Five Years Ago…

She had been searching through files and boxes of documents when he walked into the room and found her. So focused, she was, that she didn't realize she was not alone until it was too late. A hand wrapped around her neck, gripped and forced her head to the side as a stinging sensation shot through her skin. All she could get out was a small gas as she fell onto her side.

With all her willpower, she looked up and saw a familiar face - a face she thought to be dead - and darkness took over…

It was the chill of the air that caused Loreen to wake up with a soft moan. Something felt off - wrong - and it wasn’t just the cold telling her this. No, there was some kind of odd feeling in the air. That familiar face flashed through her mind and she started to sit up, only to realize she strapped down to whatever surface she was lying on.

“What is this?!” She snapped, anger rising. “Where am I?! Thrane!!!”

“Calm yourself,” The deep voice of Thrane spilled into the room as the groan of a door could be heard. It was soon followed by the audible click of a lock as footsteps grew closer and closer to her. They stopped close to her and a face soon loomed over her, eyes narrowed.

“What is this, Thrane?” Loreen seethed and tried to break free, only to realize the restraints were too strong for her. It didn’t help that a type of collar was latched around her neck, holding her down. Any time she tried to raise her head, she would choke herself.

Thrane settled a hand on the table, fingers tapping at the metal that was making Loreen feel so cold. Amber colored eyes gazed down at her with aberration and disgust. He did not answer right away, taking his time to see all of Loreen’s faults.

“This is the end of you,” He finally told her as a man in medical clothing walked over, pushing a machine with him. “If you look, you can tell what this is. It is, after all, something you helped me make.”

Able to turn her head, Loreen saw what he was talking about. It was an odd machine they would connect to her spinal cord and entire nervous system. It was used to make people forget everything - nothing would be remembered but the horrifying pain it caused. They had gotten her to make it for some experimental contract, something she’d paid little attention to.

The question she refused to ask was answered as if he could read her mind. “I’m going to use this on you, Loreen,” Thrane explained in a chilling voice as he stepped away and touched the machine. “You’ve served your purpose…”

A sick and cold feeling sank into her stomach as nurses walked into the room and they all got to work. Thrane took a step back, his amber eyes cold, no emotion on his face. For a human, he was more monster than any meta or Loreen combined.

Soon, all she would know was pain…