Daily Prompt #2

Hello again fellow Prosers! Here is day two of my daily writing prompts. Don't forget to tag me in any pieces you write based off of these prompts as I would love to read your works! :) Now on to the story!

I sat on my bunk, staring at a picture of people I didn't know. There was a middle aged man in a thick blue sweater standing next to who I assume is his wife in a classy summer dress with her blonde curls blowing in the wind. From just a glance, one could have easily mistaken her for Marilyn Monroe. They stood in front of a house that I can't remember ever seeing in my life with a beautiful lake off to the right side.

I gingerly turned the photo over in my hands, the edges of it charred and crumbling. The back read "Mom and Dad~Summer home~2012." Even though I couldn't recognize either of their faces or that house to save my life, I knew that was my handwriting.

I sighed, instinctively running my fingers along the scars on my arm. I have stared at this photo for hours, hoping for something to come back, some kind of memory to float to the surface. To possibly remember a summer camping trip where we went swimming in that lake or a birthday party held on that wooden deck, anything.

I looked up as I heard my door open. I watched as Mackena stood in front of me and leaned against the door frame. She claimed to be my sister, but I couldn't even remember her.

She nodded to the photo in my hands. "You looking at that picture again?" She asked.

I silently nodded, running my thumbs over the photo.

She let out a breath as she pushed herself off of the wall to come sit beside me on the bed. She placed a protective arm over my shoulders as I imagine an older sister would do. Still, I flinched at the contact and she hesitantly dropped her arm back to her side.

"Look, Shay, I know it's been a rough couple of weeks, but I promise that things will get better," she assured me.

"How?" I asked, turning my head to look at her. "How can you be so sure? It's been over two weeks since you've brought me here, I'm still not exactly sure where 'here' is by the way, and in that time I haven't regained a single memory. The last thing I can remember is waking up in a fire. I-I thought I was going to die...." I trail off as I again touch the burn scars on my arms.

I feel Mackena rest a hand on my shoulder and I look up to see concern in her eyes. I brush her hand off again as I stand to face her. "I mean the only reason I trust you is because you're the one who pulled me out of that burning building! But that's it. That's all I know. I don't even know if you're telling me the truth about being my sister!" I feel my breathing quicken as the walls of the room seem to close in on me.

Mackena stands and takes me by the shoulders, shaking me slightly. "I am your sister, you have to believe me on that. I would never do anything to harm you."

"Than who are these people?" I ask pointing to the man and woman in the picture. "I know that's my handwriting. 'Mom and Dad,' so you have to know who they are. Who are they? Wha-why aren't they here? Were they with you in the fire-"

"Shay, enough!"

I took a step back in shock. Mackena had never raised her voice at me before; she mainly treated me like some wounded animal.

I looked at her, eyes cast to the ground, and I began to realize. "You know what happened, don't you?"

Still not meeting my eyes, she mumbled, "Yes."

"Than tell me! Why can't I remember anything? Why is it that every night I wake up in a cold sweat from nightmares of that fire you found me in? Why won't you just tell me-"

"Because you don't need to know!" Mackena snapped.

I stood there, just staring at her in disbelief.

Her gaze still on the ground, her chest heaved as she appeared to struggle to breath. "You-you shouldn't have to know....it's not fair...." she rambled.

"I don't need to know? It's my life," I spat. "I want to know. I deserve to know. How could you know all this time and not tell me?"

She finally looked up at me, her eyes heavy with sadness. "Sometimes memories are the worst form of torture," she choked out.

I stared at her for a moment, trying to process all that she had just said. I shook my head, trying to sort it all out. "I can handle whatever it is that you're keeping from me," I tried to explain. "I jus-I just want to remember something."

Mackena averted my gaze once again, only giving me a weak, "I'm sorry," as she exited my room.

I fell back onto my bed, tears starting to roll down my cheeks as I clutched the singed photograph of complete strangers in my hands.