Temporary

Chapter 1 - Hazy Memory

I awoke clutching at my chest. Small rays of moonlight, peeking its way from the holes of a broken roof. As I lay here, in an unfamiliar place, I wondered where I could be. I couldn't remember anything before the dream. Everything seemed unreal, however, the void within me lingers. I can feel the nothingness within me. Now I guess, I know why. With this seemingly memory loss of mine, I felt confused, but to my surprise I didn't feel anything else. I didn't notice immediately what I was in for, wrapped up in black bandages all over my upper body, while I'm wearing an unusually comfortable black pants. I assessed my physical condition for any injury, but found nothing.

I started to unwrap the bandages on my left arm, and noticed something odd, a dim light being emitted from under the wraps. Unwrapping the bandages, I was astonished and even more so confused. I was covered in luminescent marks, peculiar but familiar. I know not what the marks are for, or I knew but could no longer remember. I tried rubbing the mark, but it didn't fade realizing that my effort of removing whatever it is that marked my body is wasted, I thought of putting the bandages back on. Without lifting a finger, as if my thought was heard by the bandage, it wrapped itself back as how I first saw it, the bandage having a life of its own, obeying my thought as if it was a part of me. Amusingly, it didn't seem quite odd for me, as most people would think about it later. Could it be because I lost my memories? No, it was something else entirely.

Sluggishly, I stood up, my first thought was to check if there are any clues as to what happened, where I was, and who I am. Scanning the vicinity around me, I seemed to be in an abandoned warehouse. Checking the spot where I awoke, I found a golden bracer with symbols, as familiar as the ones on my body. Instinctively, I wore it on my left arm, as soon as the lock snapped in, I felt something immense dissipated within me, a feeling that is not my own being suppressed. Now, there are more questions in my mind. Having one final look at the place I have awaken and after being satisfied that nothing else is of interest, I started to walk, heading somewhere I know not where.

Outside, with a full moon, lighting the night sky, giving light to my surroundings, I realized I was in a sea port. Strange as it seemed to be, looking at the moon gave me comfort... a feeling of serenity. I stood basking in the moonlight, trying hard to remember, even a glimpse of what has happened. I didn't notice that I already had started walking aimlessly, thinking about who I was, and where I came from. Did I have a name? Did I have a family, friends, people whom I cherished and who might be worried where I might be? What was I doing ending up in that abandoned warehouse? Did I have a life before that dream? The more I try to remember, the more evasive my memories become.

As I kept on walking, I passed a couple of huge crates, dozens of them. They had the name of Grandeur Group Companies. Must be a large enterprise with all of these crates here. I wonderwhat time it is. With the chill breeze on the air, perhaps, it might be around midnight. After reaching the road, I was a sign on the wall - Land Corp Pier - I looked for a place where there are lots of lights, setting my destination, I continued to walk hoping that whatever is at the end would give me the answers.

I passed some shanty houses on the way, and took a jacket from a clothes line outside one of them. The place looked impoverished, shanties created from scraps, ply-boards here and there, some have rusty roofs, walls made from sacks. Indeed, this place clearly has a very poor environment. I passed a store with drunkards finishing of a bottle of gin. They were laughing and loud but ignored me as I went by. It was a wonder for me that people with such desperate situation would be able to waste what little resources they have to drink. It wasn't my problem so I continued on.