The Forgotten Ones

Into the Woods

Song: Wait For Me by Motopony

Willa: 

Despite having Ethan over for dinner, they still wanted to see Ethan around more. I didn't know how to explain to them that Ethan and I are just friends. As much as it is nice to see someone I do remember, I still can't forget about my lost memories. It does feel nice to feel like I am back at high school again, asking my parents permission to have a boy around and being able to remember but I have this whole other part of my life that is different. I was different and I want to be able to remember those moments in order to figure out what happened to me. 

Being around Ethan though. It makes me feel normal. I feel normal around him. I don't have this need to struggle to remember anything with him. It's as if nothing happened to me. It's not like when I am around Alexander and all I can do is struggle. Being around Ethan feels safe. And I know my parents have no problem with him since they seemed to have enjoyed to have him over for dinner and they know him from before. They enjoy the fact that I am be me with him around. 

The thing is that deep down, I know that I can't simply just run away from my past. I can't run away or just forget about my stolen memories. Alexander is here for a reason and I have to figure out why. I have to know what happened to me. As much as I wish to keep going on with this fantasy, I have to keep searching for my lost life.

I decided that I would look through the box of things that Alexander brought over when he went over to my old apartment which I can't remember living in. My parents went out which gave me opportunity to stay back and dig into the box of my forgotten life. I did take out all of my clothes and the essentials out of the boxes but I left the rest alone, leaving them in the back of my closet. 

I was avoiding going through the box. I didn't have a lot of purpose of going through it since I don't remember anything in the box. I do recall Alexander showing me a few things from it but I don't know, it just made me a bit uncomfortable looking at those things. Plus, he was expecting me to remember something from there but nothing did happen. I just ended up pushing all of those things in the back of closet. And now here I was, sitting on the floor, staring at the brown box. 

I felt nervous. It felt like I was about to dig into some stranger's belongings and I had no right to go through it. But it's my box. MY box. Am I going crazy? I don't know. Taking a deep breath, I opened the box, taking a look at everything at everything that I could see. From the surface of everything, I could see a just a few trinkets and other smaller things. I could see a candle scented burnt wood. I can't remember myself ever liking that scent. Grabbing the candle, I gave it a sniff, suddenly liking it. I remember liking the scent marshmallow or something sweet like vanilla. But this, this smelt better. I put the candle aside and dug some more into the box. 

I grabbed a few pieces of jewelry out, some that I could never imagine myself wearing. There were earrings that were just a bit large to my liking, but looking at them, I couldn't help myself but want to wear them. They were opal and moon shaped with stars dangling from them. I dug more, just looking at every piece of items, wondering where I got everything and why I kept them. I even managed to pull out a music box that played this song from a kids cartoon, Anastasia. 

Soon enough, I had so many things laid out around me. I looked around me, finding it crazy that I had all of these things. They were just small things, yet, they had so much significance. Why would I have all of these things? What compelled me to have these things? Looking at my room and at my past that I can remember, there is nothing small in it. Nothing compared to the things that were in the box. 

The box was now almost empty, the bottom containing photos. I hesitated at first, afraid to look at them. These are photos taken from my life. Grabbing the photos, I looked at the first I could see, a photo of me. I had shorter hair, my hair more brown and my eyes brighter. I could tell that the photo was taken in a living room of someone's house. I was sitting on a couch, my feet up, my head leading against on one of my arms. I was wearing a large shirt with shorts on. I looked happy in the photo. I can't remember when this photo was taken or where it was taken. Whose house was in? Why am I dressed like that? Nothing about the photo was familiar. I flipped through the next photo, this time, it was of me and a girl. 

The girl and I were laughing, her hair brighter than mines and her eyes green. She looked beautiful in the photo. She had her arms around me and I seemed comfortable around her. We both looked happy. I frowned though. Who was this girl? And who is she to me? I turned the photo around and saw the name Jessica written next to my name. Is that Jessica in the photo? Was this girl in the photo next to me Jessica? I flipped to the next photo, this time, of me in the same living room, except this time, I had my arms stretched out as if I was presenting some big show. My eyes were closed but there was a wide smile on my face. I turned the photo and saw a date and an address written on the back with the words "New Home" written on it. 

Wait, was I living there? Was I living in that place? I turned back towards the photo and looked at the background, finding the place empty but still a bit furnished. Remembering the first photo too, it didn't seem like there were a lot of things in the place. 

I knew that my next idea was going to seem crazy but I knew that it could hold a lot of answers to my questions. I pocketed the photo, putting everything else back into the box and pushing it back into the closet. I just had to know. I need to know. If Alexander won't give me any answers then I guess I will just have to go to the next best things. I don't care that my parents and Alexander are protecting me. I need answers. 

I grabbed my phone, typed in the address and then headed out, not knowing what I was about to get myself into. I didn't care if my parents were about to get home and find me gone. I didn't care if I was about to make them angry. I just left. 

I didn't realize how far the place was going to be until I was about an hour into the trip. Even though I well enough knowledge on how to drive, my parents haven't given me enough trust for me to know how to drive. I don't think they realize that I remember everything about learning how to drive, taking my drivers test and driving to school. But here I was in, a bus, headed to a place that I don't know about. Looking around me though throughout the drive, I felt this odd feeling in the back of my head. I don't know what it was. It was like feeling of having a word at the tip of tongue but not being able to say it. 

Still though, I couldn't remember anything. I did notice though that were were in the city. I haven't been in the city in so long. Or at least, from what I remember. I was in the hospital but even then, I didn't pay much attention besides late at night when I was stuck in my own head. With it being so bright outside too, everything just popped out. There were so many out, the city bustling with people who had places to go. And here I was, going to a place that I can't remember. 

The bus finally came to my stop. I got off, my heart beating fast. I looked around, not knowing what to do next. I looked down at my phone, realizing I was standing just a few feet away from the building I needed to go to. I started walking, having some hope that something was going to feel familiar. No one looked familiar. The brick walls didn't feel familiar either. But the walk. It was the walk that oddly felt...normal. It was like muscle memory. I was walking and then suddenly, without my phone, I turned into a building, opening the door with no hesitation. It didn't even take me long to know where the elevator was, getting on and pressing the button to the floor. 

My hands were shaking a bit on the elevator ride, trying to control my breathing. I didn't want to freak out. I didn't want to look crazy either. Am I crazy? Have I finally gone crazy? I don't know. I just felt so nervous and anxious. I didn't know what I was walking into. Would they even know me? Would I even know them? All of these thoughts made me even more nervous. It was the elevator doors opening that snapped me out of my head. I stepped out, looking around. There were a line of doors down a long hall way, some with door mats on the door and others with some type of decoration hanging from them. Walking down the hallway though, it didn't take me long to find the door I needed to go to. The numbers 607 was nailed onto the door in silver letters. There was nothing on or around the door that indicated anything. 

I couldn't even hear anything. 

I raised my hand, giving the door a two knocks before standing there, my hands shaking and the back of my neck sweating. I have never felt this nervous in my life. But soon enough the door opened, revealing that same girl from the photo. 

Jessica. 

I am sorry about the long update. I have been going through a rough patch and I just started a job. I have been reading your comments though and I do appreciate all those who have followed me and have been reading. You readers mean a lot to me. Please know that I appreciate every comment and vote that you guys provide. I will try to update more often. I have just been going through some things and I am trying to figure things out. Thank you guys for everything. 

Love, Lonewriter418