The Royal Engagement

Chapter 11

A distant but prominently familiar shriek stood out in comparison to the multiple merge of screams in the background...

Who was it? It felt as if she had heard that voice a thousand times over. That calm, smooth and comforting tone like silk, twisted into a wicked and agonizing contortion of pain and fear.

It felt wrong. She didn't even know who this person was but, it made her feel personally attacked. As if someone close to her had been taken away. Someone she cared for dearly...

Whose voice, was it?

Something warm trailed up the underside of her arm. It felt oddly reminiscent and soothing. The heat that radiated from it felt comfy and safe, like the arms of a person you trust your life and love with. Someone you know will never betray you or hate you...

But, why was it turning cold? It felt liquid and dead – as if the life was drained from it. The warmth that made her want to hold onto it forever now repelled her away in a sickening sense of apprehension and disgust. Why was that? What even was it?

She wants to know what it is. What it looks like.

Open your eyes, then. You need to see this.

But why? Why was it necessary to open her eyes? If she opened them, she would have to wake up from her slumber. And, she didn't want to do that yet. It felt so nice and relaxing. Nothing was here to make her feel sad and hurt anymore. She loved herself, and it was only her here. There was no one else here to hate her. Everything was perfect and happy, why would she open her eyes?

You're forgetting... You're forgetting everything and everyone...

Forgetting? What was there to forget? Who was there to remember? There was no one worth remembering... All they did was hurt her... All she felt was dejection when she was around those people... What could she possibly be forgetting?

Don't you want to know the person in front of you? The one that makes you feel the opposite of everything you said you felt before?

What person? She doesn't know this person. And, she doesn't care!

You've forgotten them too... Don't you want to know what you're missing? What the good things you've forgotten are? Is this really all you want? Darkness? And emptiness? Just...you?

Tell me the truth... You feel worse than before, don't you? Is loneliness and isolation really better than hurt from other people?

YES! It is...

Is that all you think there is? You've forgotten everything about yourself. You don't know who you should know, who said the bad things, who said the good things, who you love, who you don't...

You don't even know who you are, do you?

Who she was?

Who was she?

...

A sudden switch went off in her head. Her conscious suddenly self-aware to the nothing that consumed it. Everything was in her mind. And, this was her mind...

Empty...

No memories, no identity...

She had forgotten everything about herself and her life. She needed it all back! She wanted to know who she was, where she was, the people she knew! The good things that made her happy and not only the bad thing that made her sad!

But, how?! How does she get them back?!

I already told you... Open your eyes... The very first thing that impacted you the most...