Living History

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"Do you know the man in your memory?"

I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. Rhenyan waits a few moments, then squeezes my hand.

"If the block is too hard right now, you can just nod or shake your head." I nod in understanding, then he asks again: "Do you know him?"

I nod.

"Is he your father?"

My father? What? I start to shake my head, then shrug. "I don't know."

"Your mother knows him, right? Judging by your memory. Would she tell us?"

I shake my head. "If he's- important in any way, they'd have wiped her memory too."

He nods. "Do you know what he looks like?"

I can see him, in my mind. Like a blurry photo. But the moment I focus on one thing, like his hair color, it fades away. I shake my head.

"Had you ever seen him before that moment?"

I nod. I'd seen him a few times around our house. I figured he'd been looking for Mother. Now I'm not so sure.

"Do you know what he does? Where he works?"

"How would I know that?"

"A lot of ways. The way he talks. Any insignias or emblems he may have worn. A bag or hat or shirt logo."

I imagine him again the last time I'd seen him. There was a logo on the shirt, and though I can't quite make it out, I think I know what it is. Hesitantly, I nod.

"Okay. Is it magic related?"

I nod.

"Magic teaching? Like a history teacher?"

I shake my head.

"Magic enforcement?"

Enforcement. Like police? "I- don't think so," I say, shaking my head. It's still hard to speak, even to say I don't know. Just how large is this block?

"Okay. Was he a builder?"

I'm impatient. "He-"

Energy pulses in my mind, and I stumble. Rhenyan's hand tightens around mine, keeping me up. After I straighten, he loosens his grip and keeps walking.

"It's okay. Don't get frustrated. I know what it's like to work around a block. Trust me."

I take a deep breath and try to relax my neck and back. Rhenyan squeezes my hand again.

"So he's not a builder?"

I shake my head, then get an idea. "The second one," I say before he can ask another question. He knows immediately what I mean.

"Magic enforcement?"

I open my mouth, stop, then nod and shrug at the same time. He chuckles.

"Was he like a police officer?"

I think about the symbol I saw. Part of the police force, but not an officer. I look at him. He seems to know what I want to say.

"Not an officer?" 

Laughing quietly, I nod. It's really no wonder they found out about me. They're both so smart.

"Was he... like an office worker? Paperwork, phone calls?"

Technically yes, but that wasn't his main job. I half shrug and open my mouth again but almost instantly start coughing. Rhenyan's hand tightens and steers me around the forest floor until I can breathe again.