I

It was a dark room, with a lonely barred window and one could say that they would feel trapped and secluded in that space,another could say that it would make you feel disconnected from the world outside their window. But I would would say that the room keeps me away from danger and across the room I see a dusty cot that hasn't been in use until I arrived that is, and lastly on the wall directly opposite of where I sit there is an iron door. I am confined in this room or in a sense I do not leave the room for fear of unknown dangers; suddenly I hear the squeal of a door opening and shutting on rusted hinges, jangling keys which sound as though they were being swung back and forth and banging into their leg, and an ominous sound of footsteps and as each moment of silence passed, a footstep would echoe, getting closer and closer in turn. A sense of dread passed over my being making me shiver in it's presence, the footsteps were getting closer and I became aware of a fear of the footsteps, and time almost seemed to stand still with an intensity that you could choke on. The footsteps stopped moving just outside of the door, my dread intensified. I'm on the verge of tears, thinking that my end is somehow near. Suddenly the clicks of locks being undone and padlocks being dropped sounds in the expanse between me and the now unlocked door. A silence hangs over the room like smoke, the door starts to open and streams of light start to pierce through as the door is pushed open, my fear escalates which causes my heart's rhythm to increase in an uneven tempo. The door hits the wall with a loud thud as a blinding light comes rushing through into my gaze, making me squint in the gleam. Then a figure step's into view, but all I could make out was the silhouette of a young man, he starts walking toward me almost rushing, and then everything became pitch black.


I woke up gasping and coughing, then I looked around, only now realizing that I was in an unknown place. A warm light was being illuminated from the other side of a glass window. Sound came to me then, and I heard beeping, I swiveled my head from side to side trying locate the source of the noise, it came an assortment of strange machines, and as I was contemplating what the noise's purpose was, a middle- aged woman walks in wearing blue scrubs. She see's that I'm awake and sitting up in the bed staring at her. She walks over to where I am sitting and asks in a gentle voice,

"Hello dear, how are you feeling this afternoon?"

I stared at her blankly not entirely understanding what she meant by "fine afternoon", because from my point of view it had been a bit odd to ask someone or really anyone that kind of a question the moment you woke up from sleeping for...for...um.

" Sorry could I ask how long have I been asleep for, and where exactly is this place".

I gestured with my hands indicating the room. She then looks at me for a moment and then asks.

" Do you know what your name is?"

I stared at her feeling insulted, because of coarse everyone knows their own name.

" My name is...is...".

what is this I can't recall my very own name. Why can't I remember it? Wait maybe I'll recall if think back to the day before... how come I can't remember, why can I only recall darkness?

"Why can't I remember who I am and what I did yesterday?"

The woman's face softened.

" Well, how to put it... well your name is Schuyler and two months ago, you and your whole family went on a boating trip over the holidays..."

"Then why can't I remember any of that incuding my own name?"I interjected.

"Well I need to continue for you to know those answers." I nodded in response.

"...But something happened that caused the boat to swerve or maybe a motor problems which made it to crash into a nearby rock formation so quickly that no one had time to react, or at least that's what I've been told by some witnesses of the accident."

"Is my family...um...alright?"

"I'm afraid that everyone but you Schuyler perished, because the boat's engine caught fire and exploded, but I don't know what technically happened, I'm only telling you what I heard happened, but it was a miracle that you came out of the explosion with only minor cuts and bruises."

Why was I the only one to survive the crash? Wait I don't feel any pain.

"How long ago was the crash?"

My voice cracked on "crash" from lack of use.

"It was two months ago on the 27th of July."

I felt the weight of my life come crashing down, I looked up at her wearily.

"I was in a coma for two whole months..."

Where do I go when I'm released? Do I have a place to go back to? These thoughts echoed in my mind until I heard the abrupt knocking come from the other side of the door. The nurse got up and opened the door to let in a young girl who looked about my age carrying a vase of purple irises. She stepped inside and saw me looking at her blankly, as though you would a stranger. She placed the flowers at my bedside and then turned and faced me.

"Hey, you don't even recognize your own best friend?"

I continued to stare at her blankly, she then turned to the nurse questioningly.

"What happened to her, she can't even seem to recognize my face?"

The nurse replied with,

"She has amnesia from the shock of the explosion."

The girl came towards me with an intent and pulled out a chair to sit on. She flipped it around and folded her arms across the back of the chair and promptly sat down. Then her features became a little saddened by my memories or in this case my lack there of.

"Hey, you really can't remember my name?"

"Yeah, I really don't know who you are, so could you...um, explain it to me since...I seem to be incapable of doing that as of right now."

"Okay, okay...hmm, well my name is Arrianne, how's that for a start?"

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Publication Date: 04-14-2012

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