Nocturne of Nightmares: A Retelling

Prelude

     I HAD ALWAYS HATED the sun's glare. Its golden eye watched me like it wanted my smile, but that merely reminded me of what I was lacking. Anna was different – or maybe, she was as normal as everyone else – she lived for the sunshine. Even now as we walked home together, I observed how she turned her slim and spotless face skyward, soaking up the rays like a sponge. When Anna came back down to earth, she looked at me with a frown.

"Ahh, why did we have to get homework? I wanted to spend the weekend shopping, not doing assignments!" she sighed disparagingly, and I chuckled, though I did feel her pain. Unfortunately, our English Lit professor didn't differentiate between Fridays and Mondays.

"Yeah, I wanted to catch up on my TV shows, too."

We talked about our reworked plans for the weekend until we reached the intersection of 7th Street and Genius Avenue. This was where we parted.

"Well, I'm going this way," said Anna.

"Alright, see you." I waved goodbye as she crossed the intersection, and waited a while before I was on my way, too.

Anna and I had known each other for a few months at most, since the start of our classes, but I already considered her one of my best friends. After graduating high school, most of my old buddies moved far away for university, while I hadn't left my hometown. We talked a lot online, but...

The sun beat down on me as I walked towards my home. There's that reminder again – the feeling that something's missing. The memory of high school had me thinking of my childhood, even though I knew I couldn't remember any of my friends from way back then. The fact was that I didn't have any memories of when I was a child. Did I have friends? I wondered as I unlocked the front door. Did I have hobbies? Did I get a bunch of toys like other kids? Whenever I found myself thinking about these things, I felt an indescribable emptiness.

My parents had told me that my amnesia was something they had to deal with a lot when I was growing up. They'd taken me to doctors and had several tests done, but I was a special case. No one could do anything to 'fix' me. Then one day, I just stopped forgetting. Now, I could see as far back as my eighth birthday, at least to some extent, but every moment before was lost entirely.

"I'm home!"

"Hello, Ziya!" my parents greeted me in unison, though their voices came from separate parts of the house.

"Something smells great!"

"Doesn't it?" asked Dad, an eager grin on his face as he sank onto the living room couch. "Your mom's making curry."

As if on cue, we heard flip-flops slapping on the floor and turned to see Mom poking her head out from the kitchen, her ladle in hand. Mom's black hair was pulled into a messy bun, which bobbed gently as she spoke.

"I filled up the bathtub for you, so clean up before dinner."

"Okay!" I replied, but she had already returned to her cooking.

With the scent of curry spurring me, I grabbed what I needed from my room – pyjamas, undies, and towel – before bathing. It was true that I felt a little empty from time to time, but whenever I saw my parents and thought about everything they did for me, I felt so lucky. I could remind myself that the memories I did have were great, that I was happy.

As I got dressed, I heard Mom announce that dinner was ready. I came downstairs shortly after, grabbed my bowl from the counter, and joined them in front of the TV where we talked about our respective days and laughed when Dad fanned his tongue because the curry was 'hotter than last time,' even though it was not.

Once my parents had retired for the evening, I started cleaning up in the kitchen. By the time I was done, the clock read 9:45, which was important because that meant my show would be on soon. I climbed back onto the couch, snuggling myself in one corner as the TV commercials ran. Slowly, I felt my eyelids getting heavy.

No! I blinked my eyes hard, and then opened them as wide as I could.

9:57.

"It's almost time," I thought, slapping my face lightly. "You can't fall asleep now, Ziya. You've waited a whole week for this episode!"

9:59.

I need to know what happens next! But the television started to distort, the images askew on the screen, when out of nowhere, the ringing of bells seemed to echo in my ears. As I pondered the sound, my vision went hazy, and all I could see was a mysterious bright light. Despite my efforts to fight it, I felt myself gradually dozing off.

Before I knew it, my eyelids drifted shut.