The Lost Days Read Online Free

come with you next time and we won’t have to keep you so long.” Which didn’t make the least bit of sense until I thought of Uncle Attikol’s Deadly Dollhouse. And how Ümlaut hands out stacks of cash to the police. And how the chief rubbed his fingers in that subtle “bribe me now” way when he said it.
    So, they think I’m with the medicine show. Which makes me feel pretty sure I’m not from Blackrock. Also, it’s not a bad alibi. Will introduce myself as Uncle Attikol’s Amnesia Girl if I have any future police encounters.
    Still, it was all very tiring, and I am now thinking seriously of ditching this weird town. Went down to the bus station and staredat the destinations and arrivals schedule, hoping something would sound familiar and/or appealing. Nothing.
    It’s scary how, when I try to think past three days ago, the only thing I can remember is the feeling of how it is to remember. Not even the whisker of an actual memory. Do I live in a city? In a cave? In a tree house? Is it weird that I’m living in a lean-to made of a refrigerator box? Am I weird? The lady in the bus station stared at me like I was weird. Do I have parents? Friends? Pets? Do they miss me? Etc. Got myself so worked up into fake-missing people who might not even exist that I even cried a little fake tear, then got irked at myself for being a baby. No point getting sentimental untilI at least know what I’m missing. After all, I could be an orphan; or maybe my parents did this to me, maybe I’m better off without them.

    Later
    When I got over my fake-pity party, I picked up the cats at the lean-to, and then we went and roamed around the perimeter of town for a while enjoying the solitude. I kind of lost track of time, I guess. I sort of took a nap lying out there in the middle of the dust plain. When I woke up I could see all these stars. They were so great, and all I could think was, I bet I could see so many moreif Blackrock would just turn out the lights for a bit.
    Since I was already out on the edge of town, I decided to drop by ol’ psychic Jakey’s trailer and see if he was ready to cough up any interesting information about my amnesia. He was in the middle of a game.
     
    
M E :
   
Hey, Moon Child, what else do you know about my amnesia?
    
J AKEY :
   
I only know what you know. You don’t know a lot.
    
M E :
   
Do you seriously believe you have psychic powers?
    
J:
   
Hey, wouldn’t it have been nice earlier if Blackrock had just turned out the lights for a bit so you could see more stars?
    
M E :
   
….….……. OK.
    
J:
   
Also, just so you know, St. Clare’s Day is some weird local holiday they have here. I mean, you didn’t forget it or anything.
    
M E :
   
OK.
    
J:
   
Also, pretty much everyone in town works for the junk-mail company, so you might want to stop complaining about it unless you want everyone to hate you.
    
M E :
   
I said, OK .
     
    What can I say? The kid has a talent. Still, he’s useless to me.

    Later
    Fracketing bogcarts! Just when I was feeling better about my basic knowledge of the world, I suddenly discovered I do not remember the word for a baby cat. Am afraid to ask anyone. Am afraid to discover what other common words may have been lost in the amnesia. Am hoping I don’t have any casual conversations that reveal I do not know the word for a baby cat. Probably safer to avoid all casual conversations, just in case.
    Later
    I found out that Raven has a little back room with a door that blends right into the awful wood paneling behind the counter. I spent the evening sitting as far away from her as possible, pretending to read the paper, while secretly spying. Also, keeping notes on the regulars and how long they stayed. I include a sample of my data for posterity. All names have been changed, or I guess made up, since I don’t know anyone’s actual name.
     
    
G RAPEY :
   
4 hours