Remember Me (ONC2020) ✔

Chapter 6

Solara's wide eyes darted from her sister to Runan, and her jaw slackened. "What do we do?"

"Start with the body in the patient chair," the pompous 'Nesito' Solara had dragged along said. He'd been of little use so far other than to make her uncomfortable and to dodge Runan's last question. Runan suspected Mem-Stem could control its clients' minds.

Lunita's face blanched. "Caldozza's dagger, what happened?"

"He's just unconscious. You're better off downstairs. Thank you for the warning," Runan said in a firm voice. Solara confirmed his words with a nod.

Lunita slunk down the stairs, only glancing back once.

Solara hugged her arms over her chest, hands resting on her biceps. "What do we do?"

The arrogant man stroked his goatee. "We don't have enough time to hide his body, nor do we want to leave it here and get you arrested."

Runan shook his head. How could this vulture justify hiding Ju'rah? Did he never consider how Ju'rah's family would feel or what Ju'rah would have wanted? Just because his soul escaped his body didn't mean he was a worthless lump.

"Maybe it's time we asked for help," Solara said.

"No, you'll get the three of us arrested and the two of you will be charged with memory tampering. If they pin his despondent state on you, it could be a life sentence or death."

Solara leaned against the counter and her red face crinkled. "We should have called them right away."

"It wouldn't have made a difference. You didn't cause this, I know it, Mem-Stem knows it and won't admit it. Unfortunately, the police will take Mem-Stem's word over yours. He should have gone to Mem-Stem instead of you."

Solara nodded with wide eyes. Runan cleared his throat. "None of this helps Ju'rah. He doesn't live far from here, maybe we can get him home somehow and text his family from his phone so they check on him and take him to a hospital."

"That's not an awful idea, his memories were inaccessible so you should be safe." Ernesito tapped his expensive shoe on the flooring until Solara glared at him. "We've been working on memory grafting at the lab. If either of you has a memory of walking from here to Ju'rah's I could try to implant it in Ju'rah's mind to activate some of his muscles to make the walk."

He looked to Solara, and she squinted, looking off in the distance. "I can't remember where he was living."

"His brother's old place," Runan said.

When Solara shrugged, Ernesito turned to Runan. "You're closer to his size and build. When was the last time you made that walk?"

Runan ran his hands through his hair. The last time he'd left here and gone to Ju'rah's was ten years ago and nothing he wanted to relive. He glared at the stupid cap then looked at Solara.

"Ten years ago," he breathed.

"That's far too old. Unless you lost your virginity on that walk, I doubt it was memorable enough to use."

He gazed at his dirt-crusted shoes. "It's vivid."

Ernesito handed Runan the cap and grabbed Solara's tablet. "It better be. We have little time."
After a deep, shaking breath, Runan put on the cap.

"We'll start with these stairs. They can be trickier."

Runan imagined the crash in Solara's office and then agreeing to meet her downstairs for noodles. His heart raced as his past-self prepared to see her beauty for the first time in years and to face rejection. Instead, she greeted him with compassion and light confusion.