Fade: Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight1

“You’re a cop?” I asked rather bluntly as I shut the doors behind myself.2

“Do you have a problem with that?” Nathan asked, obviously slightly irritated.3

I took a deep breath.  It wasn’t a good time for conflict. “No. It’s fine.” I said, leaving it at that. 4

“Good.” Nathan said as he walked over by the large front desk. “Just follow me, I need to see if anyone else is here to file your report.”5

I nodded and followed behind Nathan as we walked through hallway after hallway. Room after room. The entire station seemed empty, eerily empty. Nathan shook his head, letting out an unintentional sigh. 6

“Looks like the guys left for the night.” Nathan said. “I...I mean, there is supposed to be at least one person on duty here.” He mumbled, again, irritated.7

“I’m sorry . . . ” I said, growing impatient and slightly nervous. “But If it’s not a problem . . . couldn’t you file my report. I just . . . need some help. Anything.”8

Nathan turned around, I seemed to have piqued his attention by sounding defenseless and in need of help. He nodded and I followed him back into one of the empty rooms, he flipped the light on and gathered up some papers. 9

“Just sit down. I need to get ready first.” He said. I pulled one of the cheap chairs out and sat down, my legs and thighs were still sore from the ‘hike’ I had earlier.10

Nathan sat down on the opposite end of the rather large table, creating a noticeable distance between us . . . both physical and emotional.11

“Alright.” Nathan said bluntly.12

After a moment of nothing, I spoke up. “...Alright what?” I asked.13

Nathan sighed slightly. “Go ahead, tell me what’s going on. I’m listening.” He said rather sincerely.14

I nodded. “Some . . . of this may be hard to believe . . . ” I began, feeling stupid and nervous all at once. “But . . . I was just outside my home around . . . seven last night. I was just outside, in my yard when . . . I heard the neighbor’s dog barking . . . ”15

Nathan nodded. “You said you . . . live on Silkwood Road. Were you telling the truth?”16

I nodded. “Of course I was.” I said, annoyed.17

“I’m sorry. Go on.”18

I took a deep breath and continued. “I walked over near the fence that . . . separates the yards. Anyhow . . . I . . . I wanted to see what the dog was barking at, but when I got near it I saw these . . . Large yellow lights.”19

Nathan raised an eyebrow, almost sighing. “Aliens?”20

I shook my head. “No!” I said firmly. “I believe in that kind of stuff! It was . . . they were more like . . . car headlights.”21

Nathan nodded. “And because they looked like them . . . how do you know they weren’t car headlights?”22

“I...didn’t at first. So I walked passed the fence and into the neighbor’s yard. I...I still didn’t get a good look to see what they were coming from . . . but.” I paused. “The lights–they didn’t cast any shadows.”23

“What do you mean?” Nathan asked, stopping his pen for a moment in order to look at me.24

“What I said. The lights . . . the dog box, me, the fence. Everything they were shining on–it didn’t cast a shadow.” I repeated firmly. “So I went in closer . . . and I collapsed. I just . . . felt weak and then I collapsed on the road.”25

“In front of your neighbor’s yard, right?” Nathan asked. “By the way, what is your full name . . . and your neighbor’s?”26

I paused. “I don’t know their first names . . . ” I said truthfully. “But our neighbors are the Thatchers . . . they have a girl my age named Maggie . . . ” At least . . . I think they do. “My name is Melissa Jo Harvey. My mother’s name is Linda Jane Harvey–she isn’t married.”27

Nathan sat in front of me for what seemed like an hour. Just staring. Not writing, not moving, nothing. I couldn’t tell if he thought I was crazy or if I looked awful–He just sat there looking at me.28

“Melissa Jo Harvey.” He said. “You’re sure . . . ”29

“Yes I’m sure! It’s my name!” I said excitedly. “I’m not crazy!”30

Nathan paused, as if he wondered if I was crazy. I looked down at my shaking hands, wondering a similar thing myself.31

“I think . . . we should take you to the hospital.” Nathan said bluntly.32

“Why!?” I asked, pushing out my chair and standing up.33

“Calm down!” He yelled.34

“How can I calm down when you don’t even believe that small part of my story? You don’t even believe I’m telling you my real name!”35

Nathan shook his head. “Miss . . . it’s not that I.”36

“Yes it is!” I said, almost crying. “And my name is Melissa! Melissa Jo Harvey!” I paused, the tears flowing down my cheek. “And you accuse me of lying, when you lied to me from the moment we met!”37

Nathan paused, confirming what he had feared earlier. “How did you?”38

“You said you aren’t from around here, and you’re a cop!? You think I need to be hospitalized because I’m lying or that I’m insane–but you explain yourself, explain why you lied to me!”39

Nathan stood solemnly as he began to speak. “I lied because I thought you were someone I know. I.” He paused. “I was investigating . . . a lead I had gotten earlier today. I went down to Silkwood Road, down to . . . the house that used to below to a Miss Linda Jane Harvey.” Used to?40

“After searching the premises for a while, I decided to leave because I couldn’t gain entrance to the house. It had been locked. So I left. I was half way home when I realized I had left my badge laying on the patio. That’s why I was coming back down the road. I didn’t think you needed to know that. I guess I was wrong.” Nathan stood silently for a while . . . but I couldn’t stop hearing his words in my head.41

Used to belong.42

“What . . . do you mean . . . the house used to belong to Linda Jane Harvey. Like it doesn’t anymore?” I asked, rather excitedly.43

“That’s right. Linda Jane Harvey has been dead for about eight years.” Nathan said bluntly. “The house is vacant now I suppose . . . owned by the area to sell or bulldoze.”44

I shook my head. “You’re lying.” I said. “My mother isn’t dead–I just spoke with her before dinner!”45

Nathan stood still, not moving, just looking grim. “That’s why I assumed you were lying. If you . . . really are Melissa . . . her daughter . . . you’d know she had died. And besides . . . your last name wouldn’t be Harvey anyway.”46

I shook my head. “What are you talking about!? I am Melissa Harvey–and you just said yourself that my mom–Linda her name is Harvey!”47

Nathan nodded. “Yes . . . but her daughter’s . . . isn’t.” He paused. “Please . . . at least let me call around. Do you have any friends or family?” Nathan asked, then realizing that if I didn’t know who I was–I wouldn’t know who anyone else was either. He nodded again. “I’ll be right back.”48

I sat back down onto the plastic chair as Nathan walked around to the front desk. Is . . . it true? I asked myself. It couldn’t have been true. I knew at least who I was even if all the other things I saw were beyond explanation. I knew . . . who I was . . . my name . . . my past . . . right?49