BEYOND

7

Gienne {22nd day of first moon, 754Q}

"Gienne, you should take some rest" , said Mrs. Higgins with concern.

Gienne still couldn't convince herself that she is now in a strange land among strange people, she found it hard even to talk with them, and it felt weird that even though she was talking their language as if she is a native, she found it really hard to read it. Things were bizarre and right when she thought it could not get any weirder, Mrs. Higgins whose name she learned from one of the other maids, insisted on she get some rest and maybe even visit her friend Jane, who lived in Ottingel .

But she did not know how to get to Ottingel nor did she know anyone here. She had to tell these people the truth, that she was not Gienne, but someone else who is trapped inside her body. But she kept her mouth shut, it's better not to tell them the complete truth; instead, she decided to act as if she had lost her memory. its much better to accept the fact that one have lost memory than the fact that you are possessing someone.

"I really can't remember anything, where am I?"

Mrs. Higgins couldn't believe it, 'why is this girl acting odd all of a sudden, she does not even remember her name, it's better to send her off to her hometown, and maybe staying with her friend would eventually bring back her memory. It must be the shock of losing her only family, her mother.'

Mrs. Higgins always was kind towards Gienne as she was the daughter of her friend, Betty. Gienne's mother used to work in the Cavendish estates, but when she was diagnosed with an unknown disease, the doctors recommended her to move to another place with less cold climate .Gienne's mother moved to her hometown Ottingel, hoping to recover from the disease. But a few months later, there came a letter telling that Betty was terribly ill, by the time Gienne and Mrs. Higgins reached Ottingel, she had passed away and was buried.

Ever since that day Mrs. Higgins knew that Gienne was left alone in this world with no one to rely own, but never had she expected something like this  would happen to her, her first thoughts were, after a few months Gienne will recover from the shock, but things were getting worst day by day. She felt that she had to do something to help Gienne to get her out of this troubled situation. But memory loss, that was something that she had never expected, Gienne was not herself, she could not even remember her own name, even the physicians were helpless, they too could not explain the reason for her memory loss.

 'it must have been the shock', that's what they told her, 'but something like this had no medicine, the only way to regain her memory was to get her interact with her old friends, or take her back to her hometown so that she could gain her childhood memories', that is what they told her.

"I will take you back to Ottingel, a few weeks there will help you to regain your memories" said Mrs. Higgins looking at Gienne.

"But I don't know anyone there" said Gienne with a confused expression.

"Listen to me Gienne, I will take you to Jane, your childhood friend, and Robert will also come with us, you don't have anything to worry, you can take rest, it will help you"

Gienne just couldn't grasp what was happening around her, it was as if things were already planned out for her, she didn't know what to do, and maybe this trip will help her to know more about 'Gienne'.

The next day as she was about to leave for Ottingel along with Mrs. Higgins , a tall man, who must be in his twenties, came towards her. "Gienne, how are you feeling today?" From the way he talked to her, she knew that he must be a friend of Gienne.

"I am sorry, who are you?" asked Gienne

"Oh, I am Robert, your friend" Robert could not believe that she had forgotten him, her friend. When he heard that Gienne had lost her memory, he never thought that it was serious enough to make her forget everything. "I work here, we were childhood friends Gienne, you, me and Jane, remember?"

"Where we? I don't remember anything." She felt like she was doing something wrong, making these people believe that she had lost her memory, well not her but 'Gienne'. She knew at some point she will have to tell these people the truth that she was not Gienne but someone else. But for now she had to keep this act, she must learn about this world and find a way to get back to her own.

"Have you prepared everything Robert?" asked Mrs. Higgins

"Yes, I think it will take us at least one week to reach Ottingel, if the weather is not against us" replied Robert

"Come on Gienne, we better start our journey now" Mrs. Higgins was in a hurry.

They were going in a carriage, from the moment she stepped foot on this world she knew that this land was more like the Middle Ages, the technology here were not as advanced as in her world, the culture, clothing of these people, the system of having nobles, barons and lords, everything was completely different from what she was used to. But she could not ignore one fact, despite being a mere maid she was being treated with kindness by her 'boss', or maybe the lady of the house, Mrs. Cavendish was kind enough to lend a carriage for the whole journey, to help one of her servants, 'Mrs. Cavendish really has a kind heart', thought Gienne. Gienne entered carriage. Her life had taken a new journey, Life will never be the same for her again.