Astro turned the corner onto North Rainbow St. and stared at the apartment complex. It was a giant brick building at least 6 stories tall, with a single ominous door leading into the living space. A sad attempt at a playground stood outside, nothing more than a single ladder and a slide leading directly into a large rock. One of the windows on the second story was smashed in and several on the first story had graffiti on them. Astro took a moment to look at the outside with a look of genuine uncomfortability before shaking her head and pushing open the door.
Inside was a thin hallway painted a nauseating dark green with ruined, boxy wooden trim. A spot of black mold could be seen in one of the top corners, next to some water damage. One of the locks was busted open with bolt cutters and a dirty syringe lay in one of the corners. Walking through the rooms, the doors started at 1 and counted upwards. When Astro made it to the 4th floor, she finally spotted apartment 23. Astro stared at the faded “23” painted on the brown wooden door in yellow. Finally, she worked up some courage and knocked. A defeated (or maybe pained, it was hard to tell) groan could be heard from inside the apartment and a loud thud on the floor. After about 10 seconds, Astro knocked again. Finally, after some movement, the door creaked open and a girl’s voice echoed throughout the hallway. “What do you want…”
Astro stared at the door answerer. It was a skinny woman with an oversized black hoodie and grey sweatpants. Her hair was a shoulder length black, irreversibly knotted and tangled from weeks of noncare. In her right hand she loosely held a large handle of Red Star vodka. Upon seeing Astro, her eyes widened into shock. “ASTRO!!!” she yelled drunkenly, dropping the bottle absentmindedly onto the floor with a loud thud as she leaped into Astro. Astro could only try to brace for impact before she slammed into a large hug so hard that even with the bracing Astro almost fell over backwards from the impact. “Where were you? I’ve been worried sick! We’ve ALL been worried sick!”
Astro awkwardly let the girl hug her. After almost 20 seconds of drunkenly sobbing into Astro’s crop top, she stepped away pulling Astro into the apartment. “Oh Astro you have no idea how much I’ve missed you. Here sit down on the couch” she said to Astro, although not really as a suggestion as she pulled Astro down with her before collapsing into Astro’s lap to continue her drunken sobbing staring up into her eyes.
Astro stared awkwardly downwards into her drunken, distraught eyes. I need to tell her. But- damn this is gonna be hard. It was a while before she finally spoke. “I… have something I need to tell you.” The girl looked up into Astro’s eyes and, now no longer sobbing but still drunkenly distraught, asked “What is it, Astro?” Astro paused for a second before replying “This is gonna be hard, but… I think I’ve lost my memory”
The girl looked up into Astro’s eyes not comprehending what she was saying. “...What?” she choked out. “I woke up last night in the middle of the woods with no memories. I don’t know what’s going on or who anyone is, including myself” Astro reasserted, holding the girl’s head in her hands. “You… don’t remember? You don’t… remember me? I- I, I’m Nyx!” Astro didn’t say anything. “I’m… Nyx Novolsky!” Still no speech came out of Astro as she stared caringly down at the sobbing drunk girl in her lap. “I’m Nyx Novolsky. Your girlfriend, Nyx Novolsky. The Nyx Novolsky who ran away from her Playa Vista home to live with you and love each other forever Nyx Novolsky!” She stared up at Astro who racked her brain harder than she had ever racked it before. Finally, she responded.