"Come with us, Amanda." Robert repeated as I was staring at Freddie. He pulled me by my hand and I faced forward, blushing.
"Sorry, I just wanted a good look at him. He seems... Interesting."
They looked at each other with warm smiles, and both took my hands and led me out into the garden lodge of the house. Everything was stunning- the sun was shining brightly and everybody seemed so happy. In front of me was a giant white marble fountain, spitting out water, in many thin streams, into a wide, deep mote surround it.
As I got closer I gazed upon the pink, white, red, orange, gold, and black koi fish that swam gracefully through it. Leaning over it, I placed a finger tip in the water, and the koi kissed, and nipped it lovingly. It made the three of us giggle.
"This used to be your favorite place to be. Whenever you were missing from your room, we would always find you here, feeding and caring for the koi and keeping them company." Robert smiled
"Robert, do you recall that half purple, half silver koi fish she found in the river?" Jimmy bursts
"OH JIMMY! How could I forget? Amanda, you found a beautiful, and rare koi fish one night, and you came to Freddie at night begging him if you could capture it from the river for the mote. He did come with you, and you took it to the mote, with him by your side. He should still be there."
I curiously looked about around the mote for the rare koi they spoke of, and behold, I saw it, circling back to face me. I looked into his eyes for a moment before he came to the surface, hoping to kiss my finger. So I gave him my finger, and he did so.
"It's amazing how these koi communicate." I smile towards Jimmy and Robert "I can actually feel the happiness of this one."
"Yes. This one loves you. Ever since you went away, he would look at everyone who passed by. If it wasn't you, he would splash them with water. He must sense that it's you."
"That's touching..." I look back down at the koi, who was still looking up at me through the water. I'd move my finger around in the pond for him to follow, and it made me laugh.
"Shall we keep going?" Robert asked
"Sure... Goodbye little koi. Go and play with your friends."
The koi seemed to understood, for he turned around and started tailing another fish. The sight impressed me.
Robert and Jimmy led me past villages, where the people gasped from the distance. Some even came to me, stunned. Either, they noticed the horns, or maybe they were lucky to see me alive and back. Either way, I didn't know any of these people. But I was happy to see so many people effected by my presence.
"This is where you went to school. Dr. Dragonsyn was your only teacher. You took Photography, The Study of Earths Wonders, Chorus, and Arts. But your favorite class was the Earths Wonders. The Universe, in particular. You were always so fascinated by what could be out there... It was a lovely sight."
"What do you mean, 'were'? I still am! The world is so small, but the universe is so big, and we are just one universe in a whole cluster of... Who knows how many! There's got to be life out there, somewhere! We just aren't searching enough to find it!"
They both look at me as my smile grew, and eyes glistened. A tear rolled down both of their eyes as they sighed, almost blissfully.
"You're right, Amanda. There really is no telling what's out there." Jimmy replied, looking down with shining eyes.
"Is it a good time to go see the teachers?"
"No, I don't think so. They have classes right now." Robert shrugged.
"I'm sure they miss me."
"Oh boy, do they... Im sure they won't mind, Robert. Sit her down at the bench, I will go get them."
Robert and I retreated to a nearby school bench made of old rusted wood and metal. We sat down patiently as Jimmy enters the school. Moments later, Jimmy comes back out, and so did another man. He had big round glasses, and short, but blond mousy hair. Jimmy pointed to me and the biggest toothy grin appeared on the mans face. He headed over within moments, eagerly waiting to see me again. But I don't recall anything about this man.
"Amanda..." The old sounding voice spoke, as he rubbed his eyes. "Is that really you? My star student has returned?" He spoke slow and shakily. He must have been very old.
"I... I'm sorry... Who are you?"
"Oh... You don't remember? I'm Dr. Whinnyford Julius Dragonsyn, I'm the man who thought you about the wonders of the world! But I understand if you forgot, my dear..."
"I don't remember Heaven at all, sir. Apparently these are my memories."
"Oh, but they are! You were always the first one in my class, and the last one to leave. You always helped me clean up around the room before the rest of the students arrived, and you'd pick up after every child who made a mess of their things. Oh Amanda, you were such a help in the classroom. Hold on, I want to get a better look at you, let me get my better glasses on. I'm wearing my reading glasses, oh how I apologize." Shakily, the old man took of his reading glasses and folding them, put them in his shirt pocket. Then, out of his pant pocket, he picked out his black glasses case.
"It's been years! It's so hard to believe you were gone do lon- Oh no!!" His shaky hands suddenly dropped his glasses onto the ground, and without hesitation, I retrieve them for him.
"Thank you, sweetie." He replies with hazy eyes as he takes the case open and unfolds his more expensive pare of glasses. Putting them on, his eyes got much bigger. But his smile soon fades into worry as he looks my way.
"What's wrong?" I ask nervously
"You... Upon your head! Are those r-real?!" He puts his hand, now trembling harder, ontop of my head to feel the points that are horns. "W-what are these from?"
Coughing to grasp attention of the old man, Jimmy puts a hand over the horns. "Dr. Dragonsyn, as you already know, Amanda went missing. But we kept that reason hidden for too long. Will you keep our secret?"
"Oh bloody hell, Jimmy! You can trust this old kook!" He says, laughing
"Amanda was... Kidnapped by Mr Lambert... And brought to Hell... Her memories of Heaven had been erased, and each time we attempted to restore it and bring her back here, he'd give us the slip, and she was gone. Now she has no memory of anything. Nothing of her memory before her time here, and in Hell can be restored. So what we are doing now, is hoping that these places she loved most will revive her memory. But there is little chance of success..."
"Amanda... Is this true?" Dr. Dragonsynasked, putting his hands upon my head, feeling the horns again, hoping they were fake.
"Yes, it's true... I... Don't want to talk about what happened down there. But yes... It's all true. And these horns are real, and they hurt when you tug on them. So please don't..."
"Oh! Sorry! Im terribly sympathetic to what happened to you. You are ok now, correct?"
"Yeah, much better. The things they did to me made me feel sick, but I'm all healed up."
"That is good. I'm glad you are back. Well, I must be going, dear! I've got a room of wild kids to attend and teach! I hope to see you again, and maybe, just maybe, you can help me like you did before."
Giggling, I give him a hug "Maybe, if my memory comes back."
"It's sad..." He interrupts "That you've lost your memory of anything. You don't even know who your father is, do you?"
"No... Why, don't you?"
"Hahaha! Of course! Everybody here knows! Why, this is why we're all so glad to see you back, my dear! Especially Sir Freddie!"
"Is... Is Freddie my father?"
Jimmy and Robert look at each other before giving serious looks toward Dr. Dragonsyn, and he just stares back.
"Well! I'm sorry, I've said too much! Got to get back to class now!" Off the man went, slowly limping to get back to the school. I just turn to the two angels in suspicion.
"What are you two hiding from me?"
They both sigh, and take my hands, they lead me away from the school, and into a nearby path leading into a dusk forest. We walked so far that I couldn't find the way to the entrance anymore.
"Why won't you tell me what's going on?!"
"Listen sweetie. Sit down, we need to tell you some things." Jimmy and Robert sat themselves down on a thick tree log, and I too seat on a stump, with crossed arms. It seems as though they were working up the courage to tell me. The wind blew gently, and the smell of nature calmed us all down in this tension filled moment.