Shadow Of The Past Trilogy ∞ THE DISPLACED

62 ∞ the chosen one

Day Sixteen ∞ Early Saturday morning

"I REMEMBER EVERY THING... except how I came here." Mickmi's eyes and cheeks shone at Danny in the floodlights.

"Mi..." He had to clear his throat and swallow. The lump in his throat just wouldn't give way. He didn't know what to say. All those names, all those people she'd left behind in a world in unimaginable crisis... How could anybody as sensitive as Mickmi survive such sorrow and guilt?

"I can... because you are here," she responded softly and closed her eyes, allowing the tears to flow in silence.

He rubbed the back of her hands with his thumbs, his thoughts in a turmoil.

She remembered.

She remembered who she used to be. But she didn't seem to have changed.

"Who are you now?" he said.

She blinked and raised her gaze to meet his. "I am Mickmi Wamba."

So she was still refusing her original name. Danny didn't know if he should be happy or sad about that. He drew a deep breath, pulling his practical side together. 

"Do you know why—how—you remember being in two places at once? On my truck? The cougar when you were sleeping? Why you have double memories?" He had so many questions.

Her brow furrowed. "Nay."

"What about how you got your scars? They reappeared again."

She glanced at the marks on her right shoulder and shook her head once, the furrow deepening.

"So it's not quite all back then. But that's okay." He squeezed her hands. "How about your... I.A. sinnesband? I saw it... activate."

She met his gaze. "I am able to access all its functions now." Her voice was steady. "I contacted my vessel."

"That's good."

"It moves West by transport. It is occupied."

Danny nodded. "That must be by your—"

"My guide."

"Yeah." His head was still nodding. "What made you remember?"

A hint of tension fleeted across her face. "I dreamed, I had the key..."

And a nightmare of memories woke you up. "Okay..."

They fell silent. There was a lot to consider. For a long while, they sat knee to knee, hand in hand, regarding each other as grasshoppers and frogs continued droning their symphony, occasionally accompanied by cicadas. The night air was gently warm on the skin. In the kennel at the side of the house, Zorro started his agitated, guttural growl-whine.

"Mickmi," Danny said eventually, "have you decided what you're going to—"

—Daniel.

His eyes widened at the voice in his head. He opened his mouth to tell Mickmi, but she beat him to it.

"She is here."

—It is time.

He took a deep breath. "I guess it's time for you to meet her," he said.

They rose together, still holding hands. He studied her, she seemed calm.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded once.