Trails of Secrets

27. The Lost Boy

He blinked. What was he seeing? 

A girl. He knew that. But why was she there? 

Is that tape on her mouth?

His eyes widened. Oh no. She's in trouble. 

He looked around, panicked. 

I'm in trouble. 

He couldn't just run and leave her there. Besides, she might know who he was. 

                                                           ~~~

Annalise tried to talk through the tape. Help me. Please, help me. 

The boy walked closer to her. His blue eyes displayed fear. He knelt by her side and ripped the tape off her mouth. Annalise yelped at the pain but quieted herself. Cry later. 

He freed her from her bondage and she opened her mouth to thank him. 

"Shh. Let's get out of here," he spoke. Annalise nodded. Introductions later. 

They both scurried through the barn and looked around outside. Annalise didn't see anyone, but felt a dangerous presence. 

"Let's go," he spoke again. 

They ran. 

Annalise didn't know where they were going. But running seemed like a good option. Her legs were sore from sitting so long, so it felt nice to stretch her legs. 

She quickly ran out of breath, and surprisingly, so did the boy. While the two rested and caught their breaths, She inspected him. 

Annalise wasn't quite sure why she had called him a boy. He looked to be in his twenties. Not Liam's age at all. His hair was a light brown and his blue eyes were almost lost in a forest of freckles. 

The boy seemed to have regained his breath. Annalise decided to stop thinking of him as a boy. I'll ask him his name. 

"What is your name?" she coughed after the question. Her throat was dry from breathing so hard. 

The boy shifted his feet. "I don't know. We'll talk about that later. Let's keep moving."

And off he went, leaving a fully confused Annalise behind. 

I don't know?

                                                         ~~~

"What is this place?" Annalise wondered aloud as she entered a tree-house-like building. It was similar to that of the barn she was just in, but it was more homey. Welcoming. In a nature-like way. 

"I'm not sure," he responded. "I found it like this before I came across you."

"Interesting," Annalise hummed as she found a spot to sit. The boy sat in front of her, taking in her appearance. 

"So, um, hi." The boy gave a cheesy smile. Annalise wanted to laugh. Finally, someone as awkward as her.

"Hello." And they both sat there, staring for way longer than they should have. 

"What did you mean by 'I don't know'?" Annalise finally asked. The boy looked confused for a moment. Then, he seemed to connect the dots. "Oh, my name. Yes. that's right..." he took a deep breath. "I don't know."

"Don't know what?"

"My name."

"How can you not know your own name? Were you never given one or something?"

"I don't remember it."

Now it was Annalise's turn to look confused. "How can you forget your own name?" 

The boy whimpered, "I don't know! I just woke up one day, and forgot my name! I forgot everything! Everything!"

She sat still for a moment, taking this all in. So, amnesia. How interesting. 

"Well, you need a name." 

The boy tossed her a look. "No kidding."

"How about Frank?"

"Do I look like a Frank to you?"

"To be frank, no."

"Haha. So funny."

"How about Steve?" Annalise thought about the man at the ice cream truck. I haven't gotten ice-cream in a while.

"Not Steve. That sounds like an old man name."

"Steve isn't that old!"

"Who's Steve?"

"You."

"I'm not Steve!"

"Then who are you?"

"I don't know!!!"

Annalise crossed her arms. "Darn, I thought that would work. I was trying to trigger your name from your memory but I guess I didn't."

The boy shrugged, "Thanks for trying, I guess."

"How about...Archibald Demetrius Fernando Giovanni the Second?"

"Who's the first?"

"I don't know."

The boy stared at Annalise strangely. "Has anyone told you that you are a little weird?"

Annalise nodded. "Many, many times."

"Just making sure."

"You know what, all things serious, I actually like the name Noah."

The boy narrowed his eyes. "Noah?"

"Yeah, Noah. I like it. It sounds peaceful. Noah."

Noah shrugged. "It's better than Steve."

"Steve is a very nice man!- er, name!"

They debated a little while longer about whether Steve was a good name or not, and they eventually gave up. Instead, they talked about Noah's current situation. 

"How long ago did you lose your memory?"

"Yesterday."

"Yesterday?"

"Yep. I woke up yesterday morning with no knowledge of where I was, who I am, or what I was doing there. I don't know anything."

"Anything?"

"Anyth- Oh wait. I do remember one thing..."

"Do tell."

"Well..." Noah began. "It's really strange."

"All the better."

"I remember seeing myself digging a grave."

Annalise stopped everything. Stopped breathing, thinking, talking- everything. What did he just say?

"You saw, what now?"

"Myself. Digging a grave."

"Like, you watched yourself- as if you were looking in a mirror- dig a grave?" 

"As if I was looking in a mirror."

"You do realize how creepy that sounds, right?"

"Do you realize how creepy it feels? Knowing that somehow, I saw myself digging a grave? Yeah, I know how creepy that sounds!" 

"Creepy."

"Yep."