Subjective Awareness [Reworked]

Chapter One

Chapter One

Adel’s usually scattered thoughts singled out to one solid cry, “Brrr.” She was currently trudging up an exceedingly drawn out hill to her place of residence. Why the heck did I forget my phone on the one day I want a ride to escape this ridiculous weather? Geez, this is pathetic. The wind was being as vindictive as it always was and it did not agree well with her choice of nylon shorts and a light jacket. The air was whipping through the cavity of her tiny frame like tardy business people in Times Square, giving her a slap of bitterness every time it bypassed as if to give reproach for her being in its path.

Adel wasn’t sure why she hated the wind. There was always a kind of uncertain feeling about it. It always shook you up, no matter how strong you were before, and your footing became questionable when it hit. Also, you never knew where it came from; mostly it appeared out of nowhere in particular to rattle you. The main attribute aggravating Adel at this moment was that it was both as freezing and cutting as an ice block.

On any ordinary day, she enjoyed the three mile trek, liking the chance to unwind after a usually stressful day at school. She had no doubt that her brother Aaren would be perfectly obliged to pick her up though he chastised her dread of wind, telling her it was just a pattern of life she needed to accept. Well she didn’t much care for that. Everyone hates something; she knew for a fact that he despised sauerkraut, and his wife Kacey couldn’t stand the smell of mustard. No one was immune; there’s no right or wrong about it.

At last, she rounded the curve that signaled the end of the mound and stopped for a moment. She straightened her back from its prior position where it had been arched over, trying desperately to dampen the momentum of the wind. In her calm lapse of the struggle to find her balance she surveyed the world surrounding her through squinted eyes. To the left of her resided a park, complete with metal monkey bars, swings, and sandbox - practically anything you needed to supply the correct vibe for a quaint family locale in the suburb.

Small kids were unsurprisingly jumping in and around the play area, their laughter filling the air; the imagination emanating from their minds was almost observable to the eye. She felt like this was a safe place her restless mind could linger, and so she did. This continued for many minutes before a worthy force jolted her body forward. Her heart jumped and an involuntary yelp escaped her frigid lips and she covered her mouth in slight embarrassment. Adel whirled her head around while stepping up the sidewalk away from whatever stirred her.

Chagrin took immediate hold of Adel as she faced a man, moderately older than her, with a portfolio hanging by his side. She froze, uncertain if she should feign ignorance and apologize or simply walk away as if it mattered not. Unfortunately, the man was making it all the more difficult as his eyes probed her meticulously. She tried to influence his gaze by shifting hers but that proved difficult as she found she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Something was familiar about him, but no explanation surfaced.

Adel was quite comfortable with the fundamentals of repressed memories, but if she thought hard enough, her mind gave in with a tirade of memories that overwhelmed in her minutes. If she was trying now and couldn’t remember, she doubted he stood for much importance. However, her body refused to submit to that probability and trapped her muscles in their same state.

At the same time, the man still appeared to be studying her thoughtfully and if she didn’t know any better, she would have thought he recognized her too somehow. No, Adel, enough of that. Rein in your imagination and get home. Who knows, maybe he’s planning to stalk you or something. An instant before she was about to get on with an apology and move on, the man spoke up decisively.

“So sorry about that, I wasn’t paying attention,” he said, each word having weight due to his uncannily deep voice. He still looked like he was pondering an extraordinary consideration but Adel rejected that kind of nonsense thinking abruptly and replied.

“Oh, it’s perfectly alright. My mind was somewhere else,” she said, and actually it was true, but she doubted he would ever guess how far.

The man speculated this for a moment and asked, “What’s your name?”

Adel could not help being taken aback by this. It was odd to her that someone who just happened to run into you would inquire about you, unless of course they wanted your phone number but she couldn’t imagine that was the case. She hesitated for a minute, but before the silence became too impossible to breach, she replied, “Adel, and you?” She only asked so that it would not seem so outlandish that he requested hers.

Oddly, it looked as if he wasn’t sure whether or not to tell her, his familiar features coming together in thought. Why would you ask someone’s name if you didn’t wish them to know yours as well? This was becoming more bizarre as it progressed.

“Miles,” he answered, and it was obvious he wanted this to be over. Fine with me, Adel thought, and she whisked back up the sidewalk, forcing herself not to look back over her shoulder.

He must have gone back the other way because she heard no footsteps behind her, and that was all the more better. Nevertheless, she still couldn’t get him out of her mind. Miles. That made him stand out even more than before. Where had she heard that name? It must have been in her childhood, but the only thing that made its way through the fray was a dim room, stale with smoke. Well that described almost half of the rooms she found herself in with her father so that didn’t narrow it down.

Adel decided to shake it off; it didn’t matter, it couldn’t. She probably saw him in a marketplace or something, that’s all. A little voice couldn’t resist telling her that wasn’t true but she shut it up by quickening her pace and playing over her favorite song in her head.

Miles waited as he eyed the figure slimming as she marched away from him. He hesitated but a moment before pulling out his phone and dialing his third speed dial. The man on the other end let the phone ring for about thirty seconds before answering with a gruff, “What is it?”

He smiled, praying he was right. “Jack, I think I found her,” he said, trying to withhold his excitement. There had been several cases of misinformation which led to a dead end and an even more frustrated boss, but he was almost certain this time. Sure, he had to give up his name to completely convince himself that it was her but he was content that Adel would never remember her father’s partner. It had been such a long time ago, why would she?

“You sure this time?” Jack asked skeptically after a pause.

“Yeah, I’m almost positive,” Miles said, leaking his hope now because when Jack got his girl, he got his business back.

“Alright,” he said, more optimistic now, “Let’s get a move on then,”

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