:: Chapter I - Just another unfamiliar face ::

Chapter I
Just another unfamiliar face

I woke up and looked into the sky. At least, that was I thought I could see with that light. It could be anything else, from a big ball of fire to a simple spark that denies dying in that wilderness of darkness. I could feel the sand spread over my body; I was lying on the ground. I tried to open up a bit more my eyes, but I realised that only one eye could be opened. And what I saw was a crow, flying against that spark: the Sun. And it seems the spark has consumed the crow. I swear I saw it burning, feathers and flesh; then falling.

Where am I? I could not remember almost anything, and didn't matter how hard I could try. I tried to stand up; then I tasted the blood on my mouth, sand... I was so thirsty. I saw blood on my hands; I felt blood coming down from my head. I was starving. I remembered the crow I have just seen falling down the sky and I thought I could even eat that thing. I was starving.

Walking on the desert is never a nice thing to do. And you can't imagine how hard it is when you are bleeding, one of your legs, the right one to be more precisely, is causing lots of pain, and your left eye is totally closed. But I still could see something; and suddenly I started to realise that it wasn't a desert at all. I could feel some breeze; I was recovering from the shock. So, where am I?

The spark was the Sun, indeed. It was rising when I saw the crow burning. Was it a crow? Was it burning? I just saw a silhouette, could be anything. I was in shock. After 20 minutes, maybe half kilometre has passed, I saw dunes: the white sand that dares to move against the cities. Or that would be the cities, the men, daring to move against the sea? I could see kites, big ones like parachutes. I could see what seemed to be people. I wasn't lost. Now it's just a matter of time to find out where I am.

Another kilometre and I can reach those people, I hope. Certainly, that would be better if they could reach me first. I cannot even cry for help; so tired. I guess they are really busy, like partying. I just need to find a way to get their attention, but my mouth is so dry that even the blood has been turned into ashes. I have nothing with me, but my wallet. Probably I don't have anything that could help me to have them looking at my direction. It will take hours to walk or craw as an animal this distance.

After ten minutes I'm on my knees. I need something! In a desperate reaction, fighting against the fear to die, I start moving the sand around me, scratching, and digging. I need to find something. Then pain again. My left hand is bleeding; not something serious, probably it was just a piece of glass... Glass! It could help somehow, I think. I continue digging carefully; I don't want to get hurt again. Then, at least for the last hour, the most wonderful thing in my life has just happened: I found that piece of glass. Removing the wet sand from it I realise it wasn't a simple piece of glass, but a mirror. That's even better, a sort of makeup mirror. I wander how it came to this place. It seems to be a private beach, or somewhere in an island. Maybe a couple, cheating their parents; or it was a young girl that came and took this mirror from her mom's purse. It's not the most important thing to think about now; I've got better stuff to do: take their attention.

Now the Sun is about 30 degrees above the horizon, it means I’m somewhere in the north of the equator; there are few clouds in the sky. I can use the mirror to reflect the Sun light against someone else’s face, like a child playing with its cat. In that case, I have three cats. At least, that's what I can see. Of course, at this distance and due to my current condition, I cannot distinguish if they are adults or not. Anyway, let's see how many cats I can get playing around with my spotlight. I just need someone to see me.

Suddenly I find out that it's not going to be as easy as I thought at first glance. There are just few clouds and we are under the Sun light. There is no way I could have a strong beam of light through the shadows; there is no shadow at all. Either some clouds move over them or I have to point this light beam straight to someone's eyes. I have to keep trying. I cannot dare to stop trying. Only few minutes have gone, but it seems to be hours for me: down on my knees, waving my left hand with this mirror. I will lie down on this beach and just wait for that crow: it has to stop falling one day. The simple act of thinking hurts now. On a great effort I try last shot; ease, wait for the right moment, when he should be staring at you… I got it! I guess I hit straight on his bastard face. The silhouettes are coming, just like the crow; I can see them coming; I can take some rest now.

It’s like a dream. No, it’s a dream de facto. I can feel the wetness on my mouth; this precious water flowing through my body and keeping me on. I’m not sleeping. I know that because I can hear people talking; nevertheless I cannot understand what they are talking about. I’m almost sure they are talking about the guy lying on their place. That’s the most probably thing to think now. I’m not awake as well. I’m in a conscience state between two worlds, where I cannot afford to stay. I don’t remember that much about what happened; I don’t even remember my name. Thus, I have to wake up and start asking questions. But ask about what? I should have checked my wallet first, when I woke up on that beach. By now I would know at least who I am.

I wake up with this voice; so soft and gentle. I can barely remember the last events of my life, a sort of hysterical amnesia, but I recall something good from this voice, as when you are a child in your first summer, enjoying a beach and feeling the breeze coming from the sea. Even better, climbing a hill and feeling the wet grass tangling on your feet. So I wake up to see this girl, at a first glance an angel: blond hair, blue eyes, with a sculptural body, surrounded by this energy. She looked at me and spoke again, just like a symphony coming into my head, thousand of angels speaking at the same time. And then I wake up, again. I realised I wasn’t awake.

And she said:

- Are you feeling better, Sir? We found you in a bank of sand, between Ameland and Terschelling. You are really lucky. That’s just a bank of sand. We went there to see the seals. Do you have any idea where you are?

I tried to speak, but my voice was fading away. A bit more of effort and I said:

- I don’t remember either who I’m or how I came to this place. I just woke up at that beach. I was so desperate that I didn’t have time to check my wallet for IDs. Have you done that? If so, don’t worry, it’s not a problem. And I’m really grateful for the help. For how long did I sleep?
- Only for few hours. When we found you, we thought you have passed away, but you were still breathing. We brought you here to have a look at your wounds. We already called an ambulance.
- Where is here? You mentioned Ameland and Terschelling. Where are those places? Unfortunately, I cannot recall them both.
- I understand. Probably only Dutch, Germans and Scandinavian people are familiar with those islands. If you want, I can give some explanation about the Dutch Wadden Islands. Ah! Almost forgot: we didn’t check you wallet, you can do it yourself, and maybe it will be of some help.

I took my wallet from my right back pocket. It was a black leather wallet with some details in metal. Actually, more expansive than I guess I could pay for. Anyway, I took from this wallet a passport and one ID card. For my surprise, both documents were from different persons, because I saw different names; and more than that: there were no pictures, no faces. Who am I?

She was looking at me, with some fear in her eyes. It should be a mortal sin to put ear in such magical eyes. I didn’t know what to tell about what I took from my wallet. I could not lie as well, the situation is already really complicated for me, and lie would only make it even worse. She told the ambulance is coming. So, I can show her what I found and the doctors can give me some sodium amibarbital, thus I can speak about what I don’t remember. I don’t have that much to remember about my fugue state, so I don’t really care. In fact, forget about her face is the only down side.

Structure of Amobarbital

I showed the documents to her and she decided to call the police as well. I agreed, because I know I couldn’t get any help from anyone if I decided to keep hiding without any reason. The passport was of one lady named Anne-Marie Leloup; she was born on 3rd August 1950, in Lille, France. It doesn’t say anything to me. Now the poor lady is just someone without passport. The ID card came from one guy, Stanley Holloway, was born on 30th January 1982, in London, England. Well, I can feel as a hollow man. Those names doesn’t say anything, doesn’t make any sense. She doesn’t know as well, and I don’t have to ask. It’s just a matter of take a look at her face, she was pallid.

The sirens are getting closer, the ambulance is about to arrive. Maybe the police are coming along with them, I don’t know. She called them both, but she called first the ambulance. Someone is knocking on the door, maybe just kids playing around.

:: Chapter II ::