1 Chapter 1

'Thanks for your help, dear…'

What?

'I really hate to do this, but I also want a good life!'

Who?

'In our next life, I promise to be your faithful dog.'

I do not understand.

'But now, it's better if we don't see each other again.'

What is going on?

'Goodbye, …'

No, do not!

…

My head hurt like no tomorrow. It was a piercing and nauseating pain that almost rendered me unconscious again. Yet, I managed to barely ignore the extreme discomfort and opened my eyes with great effort. Looking around, I found myself laying on a really hard... bed? It felt more like a plank of wood with a musty smell. I was inside a tiny room that held all sort of strange instruments.

I think I even saw a rusty knife, but my sight was a bit blurry. I blinked to focus better.

Looking down at the supposed bed, I confirmed it really was a wooden plank. It was better than lying directly on the floor, I guess. The musty smell came from the few ragged sheets haphazardly put on the plank. The light of a well-used candle barely illuminated the room, but it was enough to let me know the place I was in was not good.

At all.

Where were my-

A bout of sharp pain made me fold as I held my head and heaved. After who knows how long, the pain subsided and I managed to focus again.

As I held my head, I was able to notice my head was actually bandaged. Gingerly touching, I could feel the source of my pain was the side of head. I hissed at the pain the touch provoked. Right, so maybe the place was rough, but the person who helped me is actually good. The problem I suddenly found was that I could not remember how I ended up with such an injury, nor could I remember who did it.

Most importantly, I could not even remember who I was, where I came from, nor why I was in the tiny room. I could not remember anything; therefore, I could not understand anything.

'Leave her here. If lucky, the animals won't eat her.'

My head pulsed, forcing me to tightly shut my eyes to withstand yet another bout of pain.

What was that?

Along with this bout of pain, the voice of a woman came to my mind. The next piece of the puzzle I gathered thanks to that recent memory was that after I was assaulted, I was abandoned to my luck. Most likely in the wild, hoping to be devoured by savage animals. A chill ran down my spine just thinking about it.

My situation and condition was bad, extremely bad. Despite the migraine, I still could clearly think and conclude that the strike on my head was premeditated, that someone wanted to harm me. Why? Who would do this? What was the benefit of it? Well, since I could not remember anything, perhaps thinking of the reason was futile. I would only end up with a bag of unanswered questions.

Time to think positively!

First and foremost: nothing happened to me! I am alive! I am whole, no limbs missing. Though, I could not say the same of my clothes. Why was I wearing this… What is this?

I carefully looked my surroundings once again. Yes, the room was spooky and old, but strangely clean. So, I could confirm I was cared for for however long I remained unconscious; which greatly relieved me. I am alive thanks to my savior, so I had no right to comment on this place that was a bit creepy and about the musty sheets. There was also this weird sound. I looked for the source only to find…

"AAAAHH!"

It was big! Huge! And so gross!

With great difficulty – the pain not helping at all with my balance – I stood up and ran towards what seemed to be the door. As I was about to open it, it opened on its own. Due to my rush, I was unable to stop and bumped into something hard that threw me back and made me almost lose consciousness from the pain. I did see white.

Due to this sudden obstacle, I almost fell if it was not for a hand that grabbed me before I could meet the floor. My feet left the ground as I was carried by muscly and warm arms. The sudden movement forced me to cling onto the person who was carrying me. All shame and decorum was left in that tiny room where the biggest rat I had ever seen had been.

"You ok?" The gruff voice of a man spoke from above. My painful head did its best to move to look at this stranger.

Oh my! I even forgot about my throbbing head! From where did this handsome man come? His narrow, hooded eyes that still held a bit of sleepiness totally captured me. My eyes unconsciously traveled down his straight nose to his lips that were slightly tilted up. My, can I bite his full bottom lip? It looks really inviting.

"Big brother! We finally found the culprit that chewed on our clothes!" A somewhat childish voice that had hints of becoming low interrupted my thoughts. I did cling closer to this handsome and very strong man. Turning, I saw the ugliest animal on this planet up close and marvelously fainted.

"Hey!" No, handsome man, let me graciously rest in your arms. Take good care of me and do not let me see that disgusting animal when I wake up.

Good night.

When I opened my eyes again, natural light was coming in from a window. The musty bed had been replaced by a cleaner and bigger one, if still a bit hard like that wooden plank. The haphazard mattress made out of thick sheets helped a bit. The sheets were also better, though they smelled a bit like sweat. Manly sweat.

Oh? Is this the sheet from the handsome man? Sniff. What am I doing? Well, it did not hurt anybody, so it was fine. I guess. My head was still throbbing, but it was not like the horrible pain from yesterday, so I was relieved. The downside was that I still could not remember anything about myself. Yesterday, I had faint hopes that it was a temporary situation product of the head injury. Yet, it seemed it was actually quite… permanent?

It was a bit terrifying, to be honest. What if I never remember who I am?

I took a deep breath to not let panic set in and tried to focus on something that seemed more important at that moment than being amnesiac: my present situation.

I was laying on the aforementioned bed. Quite huge, I have to add. Beside the bed, there was a cabinet, and in front of me, there was a partition. I slowly made my way down the bed, minding my throbbing head, walking past the partition and into an open room. A room that seemed to be the living room, and that was it.

The whole house actually consisted of a sole room divided between the living room and the bedroom by the partition. This surely was a quaint house. But it was clean and quite homey. I felt some things were missing to make it more welcoming. Like… Like what? No matter how much I try to think, I really could not remember what was needed in a house to make it more lively and livable. I guess I intended to think of my past (?) room.

The problem was that I had no idea what kind of lifestyle I had before!

In the middle of my thinking, the door was opened by the vivacious figure of a tall teenager with long black hair tied in a low ponytail, and a nice – if a bit skinny – body. His face looked young and cute with his almond eyes, small nose and thin lips. His skin was the color of wheat. A shade darker perhaps. And his voice also cracked somewhere between his words when he spoke to me.

"You're awake! That's good. Wanna eat?" Without waiting for my reply, he grabbed my hand and dragged me outside. I ignored my nauseating pain, and let him led me. I needed answers anyway.

Outside looked a bit better than the simple house.

Coming right out, there was a porch where a table and several stools were placed; it certainly provided a nice environment: to eat with the view of the clean front yard. The teen left me seated at the table and briskly walked towards a small adjacent room. While I waited, I gently rubbed my temples to whisk the pain away. It was impossible, but I could soothe it a bit before the teen came back.

Walking out the room with a bowl in his hands, it told me the room was the kitchen. Although simple, the place, overall, was not that bad.

"Here. Sorry it's just a bit o' watered porridge, but it's all we've for now." The teen apologized while putting the bowl in front of me, then he fidgeted.

Indeed.

Although I could not remember much about my life, I was sure that porridge has a milky consistency and there must have been a bit more rice and vegetables. "Thank you." I still appreciated the fact he was feeding me. Maybe the headache I got was not only from my injury, but from hunger, too. The first spoonful of porridge disappeared and I only had one thing to say about it: it has no flavor.

Beggars could not be picky, so the porridge disappeared down my stomach. I was still hungry and was very tempted to ask for another bowl, but I hesitated as I was only a freeloader.

"Um, do you live alone?"

Since I could not satiate my hunger, then it was time to fish for some information!