Ian isn't looking for trouble, so when he wakes up in a hospital unaware of what has happened to him, he refuses to find out the truth. Why would he want to remember something that might be too much to handle? The past is the past, isn't it?
But the...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
July 12, 07:20 AM
I'm going to the alley today. I decided to leave in the morning and pretend to go jogging because I don't want my parents to know where I'm going. It's Sunday and I forgot they are home. I had to get creative. I'm a terrible liar, so I was prepared to run out of the house avoiding any conversation with them, but when I got downstairs nobody was there. They must be still asleep. Convenient because I was about to starve, so I'm having cereal for breakfast while I prepare myself mentally. It shouldn't count as breakfast, it's just sugar. It's a snack, people.
„Having second thoughts?" Nora asked me last night again. Wow, she really knows the right thing to say to make me feel guilty about wanting to chicken out.
Yes, Nora, as a matter of fact, I am thinking about changing my mind for the twentieth time and going to a hypnotist to make me oblivious to your visits. You have to admit it's a masterplan. She doesn't hear my thoughts, though, hopefully. She's a fourteen-year-old, but a scary-looking one.
11:40 AM
I was getting increasingly nervous the closer I was getting to that alley. As I was walking down the street, I thought about changing my mind and going back a couple more times. Who knows what memories it might trigger, I'm really fine with forgetting. But at the back of my head, I could hear Nora talking about people being in trouble. Oh, quit it, Nora, I won't go back. I'm just... considering my options.
I was passing by so many people that I couldn't help but wonder what an odd place it was to beat someone up. The city is always crowded, even in the evenings. It's just hard to believe that no one heard people fighting a few feet away. Or maybe they just didn't care. Whoever did this to me must have been pretty confident that they wouldn't be caught. Or so reckless, and then they just got lucky.
I stopped before entering the alley, only fifty yards away from the movie theater. It's so close from here, how come I didn't make it there that night? I reached to my pocket to grab my phone, thinking it would be easier to just take pictures and analyze them later at home, but I forgot that I had crashed the camera lens the day before. Oh, well, I'm gonna have to rely on my memory once again.
I looked at the screen to check the time. 8:11. I didn't like that time. I waited for 8:15.
The place was very narrow and yet, somehow, pretty well lit. Physics, couldn't explain it even it was a matter of life and death. It didn't look that bad during the day, but I could definitely imagine how creepy it must be there at night. The feeling of concrete walls cooling your skin, each step echoing through the darkness and the smell of rotten food in the air. Although the smell's there all the time, unfortunately, so I had to take a shower after coming back because I couldn't get it off my hair.
Tons of trash bags lying around next to a half-empty dumpster. I have a theory that people don't know what dumpsters are actually for. I thought it must have looked exactly like that on July 1 because I was told I had been found right next to a stinky pile just like one of those, looking like a trash bag myself. I mean, the lady who found me had mistaken me for one at first.
I stood there, in between garbage, and suddenly I felt... foolish. I didn't know what I was doing, I went there without a plan and no memories were triggered, nothing was clicking in that empty head of mine. I let out a long sigh and said "Ugh, what am I even looking for? Signs of blood, DNA samples, footprints? And what would I even do with that? Besides, there's nothing in here!" I paused and noticed a tent lying a few feet away from me and added, a little too loudly "And someone threw away this ugly tent but didn't even bother to take it down first. God, I hate people!"
A cat I hadn't noticed before hissed at me, warning to keep it down, or else. I decided to do as I was told. Mainly because I was glad it was only a cat and not a person. But then I heard someone coming my way. My first impulse was to flee in case it was someone not very friendly (I didn't need more bruises), but my body just froze. I have the most useless natural instincts. Well, it turned out to be a homeless lady, who lives in that tent that I had just very loudly made fun of and expressed my opinion of how ugly it was.
„Do I know you?" she asked confused after lecturing me about not insulting other people's homes. I still feel guilty even though I apologized a hundred times. I can't believe I'm capable of poking fun even at the homeless.
„No, sorry, I don't think you do. Look, I have to go, but again, I'm really sorry for being rude."
"No, no, I do know you. Your face is still a little bruised up. Aren't you the boy I found here about two weeks ago?" Can you believe it? What was the chance of her being there? I know, I know, pretty high chance since she lives there, but I had no idea it would be that simple.
She showed me the exact place where she had found me, and there was no way I could have figured that out by myself. There were no signs of anything, really. I told her that I don't remember much from that day and asked her if she could help me remember. It's sad but I think she was just happy to talk to somebody, she seemed excited.
"There's not that much to say, I'm afraid. It was late, and usually, I'm already asleep at that time," she explained "but earlier that day one of my cats passed away and I was so upset that I couldn't sleep. At first, I heard very slow, but very heavy footsteps, but I figured it was some drunkard, as usual, so I didn't think much of it. But that person was really struggling with something, judging by the sounds, and after a minute or so I think they tripped over one of those metal trash cans because the noise it made would wake up the dead, that's for sure. And then they ran away. Probably thought the sounds would draw too much attention and got scared about someone calling the cops on them. When I walked outside I saw you and called 911. Yes, a lot of homeless people have cellphones. The rest I think you know better than I do." She must have seen my confused face because she added: "Oh, you don't like what you hear?"
"No, it's just... I was kind of hoping you have seen their faces, something that would lead me to those guys who beat me." I tried not to sound disappointed, she was trying to be helpful. "I'm sorry for asking so many questions because I know from the police that you were pretty scared when you saw me and even thought I was dead, but do you remember anything else?"
„I'm sorry, I don't. And sorry for thinking you were dead, but when I got closer to you, you looked so bad. There wasn't really that much blood, although strangely, your mouth was covered in mud, and maybe that's why I couldn't see you breathing."
Oh, my, it's not strange, it's bizarre. Not the thing about dirt covering my mouth, I already know what it is. I remember Nora giving me that muddy potion to drink to send me here. So whoever beat me up that night, must have done it right after I had traveled back.
Ugh, I need a break from thinking. My head is about to explode!
