Dividing line

Billions of people, one man

Chapter 25: Billions of people, one man

How could this be happening? How can I not even remember? It was all so confusing. Those people in there, why did they seems so familiar? Why did they feel like family? All I could remember was my name, Sapphire. Everything else seemed so... distant, it was like I was trapped in my own little world, no escape, no one to rescue me. I stopped running away and turned around. Those people, something was off about them. It was as if... they weren't from well, here.

"Are you lost?" I jumped at the sound of a voice in front of me. A man in a hood looked at me, expectantly. My eyes marveled at the glimpse of his face I could see. He had soothing brown eyes and dark brown hair. He cocked his head to the side, as if inspecting me. "Are you deaf?"

"... no," I replied, looking away from him. Suddenly, I found myself wondering about this man under the hood. "Who are you?"

"A... friend, let's just stick with that," he replied after a minute hesitation. He beckoned me to follow him and started to walk away. I decided it would be best to keep my mouth shut and follow. It's not like I knew what else to do. This man seems like a trustworthy man but I still didn't know who was. What was I supposed to do? I didn't know anyone I, didn't know where anything was. Who else was I supposed to trust?

We walked for a good hour before I couldn't stand it and had to ask.

"Are you like those... people back there? I mean, like, part of my past or something?" I asked waiting for an answer.

He kept walking and only took a glimpse at me. I realized his shoulders tense at the words "like those people" and "my past". Thu subject obviously made him feel uncomfortable, but I couldn't help but wonder.

"I can't blaim you for wondering," he said with a sigh. "And yes... I was part of your past, but that doesn't matter now. What matters now is keeping you safe, now that you don't remember your... weak"

The words seemed to come out of his mouth like poison. I don't know how, but I could feel his pain as each word came through your lips.

"He's going to be after you, and Joseph won't be able to take care of you anymore," this man I knew only as a friend spat out like nasty food. My mind was jumbled and confused. Joseph? He? Who in the world would be after me?! I'm just an average girl! Who does this guy think I am? Does he think I'm this amazing hero or something? If so, he's got the wrong girl.

"Who's after me? Joseph? I just want answers!" I almost screamed at the man. He grabbed his head, as if in pain then seemed to realize something and turned around. He sat me down on a fallen log and put his hands on my shoulders. This made me feel uncomfortable yet safe.

"Ok, fine. You're right, you deserve answers. Just... right now, you don't need to know. All you need to know to know is it's going to be ok, I'm going to make it ok... for you," he replied taking my face in his hands. I tried to pull away but my body yearned for his touch, his warmth. He held me close, then walked away waiting for me to follow... and I did.