Broken Recollections (Closed)

[Melodia]

Three Suns After the Fall

 

She awoke trying to scream, her eyes wide with panic, and yet only a harsh gasp and a heavy painful cough came, wracking her body as she tried to sit up. As she collapsed back and wheezed, her senses began to focus. She was clearly in a bed, that much she was sure of. She had been sweating, and the sheen of it was clear as her chest heaved, each breath painful and taxing. As she scanned the room with minimal movement, she caught sight of an elderly woman sitting across what appeared to be a small hut. She was in a set of gray robes and her hood was lowered, showing her white hair, and she rocked in a small wooden chair, knitting something indiscernible. She smiled softly and didn't look up as she continued knitting, rocking the chair as though this were a normal occurrence.

 

"Relax...you're still recovering, dear. Likely to hurt y'self sitting up like that." Her voice was kind but weathered.

 

She breathed deeply as she lay there, red hair spilled out beneath her head. Her voice finally came but was a husky whisper. "Wh-what happened to me?" She gulped painfully. The elderly woman stood and moved beside her, grabbing a small glass of water and nodding. "Try to drink this...slowly, dear, slowly." She took the glass and it felt like every part of her hurt, and she gingerly moved to a slight sitting position. The water was cool and burned her dry throat but was welcome as she breathed deeply, coming more and more into focus.

 

"Found you three suns ago. Unconscious. In bad shape." The old woman spoke plainly. She sipped more water and tried to recall what had happened. Her expression turned tense when she suddenly realized, and with a panicked look to the elderly woman, asked, "Wait....do you....do you know who I am? I don't...don't know..." She began to tremble and look even more panicked before the elderly woman gently patted the woman's hand.

 

"Calm yourself dear....you're name...I saw it on a business card I found on you...is Melodia." She gave the younger woman a sad smile. "And you have asked me those same questions for three days now."

[Melodia]

Ten Suns After the Fall

 

Gasping for breath she awoke, laying in a soft bed, the sounds of a bath bubbling nearby. She was in a bedroom and dressed in sleepwear. As she caught her breath she looked around confused, sweat covering her face. She caught sight of a large piece of paper with the words, in large bold ink:

 

READ THIS WHEN YOU WAKE UP

 

She picked up the paper and read the lighter text underneath:

 

Don't panic. You won't remember, but your name is Melodia D'janz. You've had an accident and your memories are...broken. Your task today is to remain calm, head to the market in town and purchase a journal. Nothing fancy, but a sturdy one. One that will last. Purchase it and begin to write down things that you learn, people you meet, places you go. And keep the journal close. This will be your memory book. Because when you wake tomorrow, you will forget. Keep it close...keep it safe.

 

Melodia looked around the room and stood, walking with a strained face, one trying hard to concentrate, and opened the divider to the other half of her room. On the table she saw the journal, opened and a pen lying inside and she saw she'd begun to make an entry....about herself. Sitting next to the journal was a ring, a bonding ring and she picked it up with a frown. Catching sight of herself in the mirror she saw fading bruises and wondered how they'd gotten there and why her body ached. Her red hair was a mess and she wondered whether a haircut was in order at some point.

 

It felt like hours had passed, the waves of confusion and lost memories flooding her. She sat down on the sofa and took the pen, looking at the ring before jotting down notes on the page, confused by her state and wondering how she was going to cope with this.

 

She paused and looked around. It was familiar and yet not. She stood and wondered how long she'd been like this and decided that today was the last day she would wake up like this.

 

She walked back to the bed and crumpled the paper up and tossing it into the trash. She sat back down and began to take notes, jotting down details and questions and other thoughts, knowing she would never wake to a piece of paper like that again.

[Melodia]

Twelve Suns After the Fall

 

Every single face was foreign to her. She sat on one of the benches in Limsa, her small leather-bound journal and pen in hand and her leg bouncing gently up and down nervously. She scanned faces, clothing, voices and everything was a disjointed blur to her. She gripped the journal tightly and sighed.

 

The good news for her was the journal worked. She indeed woke each day since she'd gotten it not knowing who she was but the journal was always there and she always started her day reading it, getting her mind calm before she engaged in anything. She was currently testing herself; how long she could wait before her panic and curiosity took control. The wind had tousled her hair and she gave off a hushed frustrated growl, opening the journal and taking a deep breath as she saw her name. She flipped the pages and saw the names she'd seen in an appointment book in her room, still unfamiliar despite having looked at them so many times. She mumbled them quietly as her fingers traced over the names, as if willing the mystery people to emerge straight from the book. "Nebula....T'caska....Vetiver.....Floria...." She closed her eyes trying to imagine who they could be and nothing came. It was a blank white space where something should have been.

 

She closed the book and as the wind swept her red hair again she stood up, slipping the journal inside of her jacket. Her fingers brushed the ring inside her pocket and she closed her eyes. A smile crossed her lips. "Time f'r a drink. Least it'll help me relax." She headed to the Drowning Wench and as she passed the Yellowjackets, the courtesans and other escorts, she felt something in her mind. Not knowledge....familiarity. And this bothered her, because she couldn't pinpoint whether it was a negative feeling or not.

 

Sitting in the Wench...more drinks and notes in the journal.

 

And the hours rolled on as she waited for the time to come.

 

The time to return home and sleep. Where she would lose it all again.