After I Have Lost My Memories

Arguments, a nighttime highway, and a truck suddenly appearing... It all shattered like glass in my mind.

"Patient in bed 12 is awake! Call Dr. Graham!"

I had just opened my eyes and was not yet accustomed to the glaringly bright ceiling when an excited female voice erupted beside me.

A doctor? Was I in a hospital?

I struggled to sit up, and the excited young girl beside me noticed my movement and quickly helped me up.

"Hello, Miss Paterson. You've been unconscious for ten days. Dr. Graham will come soon to give you a thorough diagnosis."

I glanced at her name tag. She was a newly appointed intern nurse.

"How did I end up here?"

The nurse paused, stared at me with wide eyes, looked left and right at my head, then stepped back, covering her mouth as she looked at me.

"Don't you remember? You were in a car accident and brought here twelve days ago. A gentleman was brought in with you, but his injuries were minor and he was discharged a few days ago."

Discharged? A gentleman? I frowned, but couldn't recall anything. It was as if a chunk of my memory had vanished. Seeing my furrowed brow and silence, the previously excited nurse now pursed her lips and stood to one side, until a refined male doctor entered. She quickly changed her despondent expression, ran over to the doctor, and whispered something about me.

"Dr. Graham, the patient is awake, but it seems...she has amnesia."

"Amnesia?"

The man called Dr. Graham stopped by my bed, lifted his head, and cast a worried look through his gold-rimmed glasses that glinted in the light, thumping in my heart.

"Do you remember your name?"

Dr. Graham sat by my bed, taking notes as he asked, his voice as gentle as silk with pearls sliding over it. I obediently leaned back against the headboard and nodded at him. He glanced at me, lowered his head, and continued,

"Do you remember your home, your parents, or your friends?"

Hmm... I propped my chin and thought carefully. Those things sounded familiar. Seeing me nod, Dr. Graham closed his notebook and stared at me before asking the final question,

"And...what about Justin? Do you remember him?"

Justin? The name sounded familiar, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't recall this person. After a futile effort, I pursed my lips and shook my head at Dr. Graham.

Dr. Graham watched me intently for a while before putting away his pen and saying,

"Preliminary diagnosis is selective amnesia. I recommend staying in the hospital for observation and conducting a concussion test tomorrow."

As he stood to leave, I quickly grabbed the hem of his coat, looking up at him with a slightly embarrassed expression as I stuck out my tongue.

"Dr. Graham, this ward is so large, and I'm here all by myself. It's quite scary at night..."

I admit my hint was rather obvious, and it might be hard for anyone to understand, but I felt he would fulfill my request.

Behind his reflective glasses, I couldn't see his eyes, only the mocking curve of his lips,

"Yvonne, some tricks should only be used once. Any more than that will become annoying."