Oblivion

Oblivion - Part 11

Out of pure joy I fly around his neck and give him a big hug. We have never been this close before and for the first time since our meeting, I feel a tingle in my stomach. I can feel my cheeks getting warm so I hold him a little longer, hoping my blushing will subside. But of course that doesn't happen, it only gets worse because I can smell his perfume on his skin now too. "Sorry..." a bit embarrassed I let it go "I've hoped for so long that my phone would be found and now you are here giving it to me!"

He laughs teasingly. "If I had known sooner that I would get such a hug for it, I would have arranged that phone much sooner." I pretend to be offended and punch him in the shoulder "Oh that's the true Jake thats hiding behind his text messages". I put my hand over my mouth, startled by my own words. Jake frowns, surprised. "I have no idea where that came from." I say apologetically. "No, it's okay. It's true." he says back with a small smile on his face.

After he showed me which pattern unlocked the phone, he left. Although I could see that he would have preferred to stay, he convinced me it was better that I would go through everything on the phone alone. And that's what I did. With trembling hands I opened the gallery, pictures of a red haired lady caught my eye first. Then I saw a man in a wheelchair, with long hair, glasses and a beard. Slowly I scrolled through every photo on my phone. Then I opened the folder with videos, the very first thing that struck me was a video where I saw that there was a fireplace, I opened it and the video played. Another bearded man was sitting by the fireplace playing a song on his guitar. When the camera turns a bit, I see the others, who I had also seen in the photos. I felt a lump in my throat, my eyes started to water. The deep sense of longing to be there came over me. I would have liked to be there, with my friends. I've played the video about ten times, and each time the same feeling came up.

The video that caught my attention next was older than the one with the fireplace. I saw a lady with a black ponytail, in the forest, jogging. When I open and play the video, I am startled by the unexpected voice. "Stay out of other people's affairs!" was the only thing that kept echoing in my mind. And then it hit me in one blow... Richy! The son of a bitch! The image of him lying on the forest ground, with the blood running from his mouth, the fear I felt and the sadness, the betrayal. I quickly closed the video, then the gallery. I didn't feel ready for these memories yet.

Was I ready for this at all? I wondered "I didn't go through everything to quit now! Damn it!" I berate myself. But I did decided I had had enough of the videos. So I opened the chat app. Until late at night I read all the messages, bringing new images and emotions that belonged to my memories. Little by little I got little bits of memory back. Not enough to feel all the connections with the people in my phone again, but I can now place who is who. And that's already a lot more than I had until now. I could compare it with vague acquaintances from the past from my youth. The only chat history I didn't dare to read was the one between Jake and me. What if I don't get that feeling back, how do I tell him? What if I don't see in him what I saw then? I didn't dare to read it yet, so I closed the phone and went to sleep.

When I woke up the next morning I got an idea. Because I want to do everything I can to get my memory back, and I also want to do everything I can to find what Jake and I had. I want to go to Duskwood, I want to see where my old life ended and my new life was planned for me. I want to see what I fought for. And I want to do that with Jake. But can I ask that of him? Would he come? There was only one thing left to do, gather all my courage and ask him.

Layana: Are you there?

It took a long time for Jake to get online, so I put my phone aside. I went for long shower, then I made an extensive breakfast. I was lost in thought of all the things I had seen and read yesterday. Last night I didn't have a nightmare, but beautiful dreams. Memories intertwined with fantasy. But then I was interrupted by a knock on my front door and I jumped up. Filled with adrenaline, I walk to the door and jerk it open, ready to fight. "Wow, are you okay?" he asks. Startled by my combative attitude, Jake stares at me with wide eyes. "What are you doing here?" I ask him just as surprised as he is. "You messaged me two hours ago. And I got no response to my texts. I thought, thinking you went through your old phone last night, you needed support. So I was worried something was up." he shrugged with his arms outstretched as in making an apology. "Oh shit! Yes!" I clear my throat, a bit in shame that I had completely forgotten that I, indeed, had send him a message.