Chapter Twelve - The Big City

The train ride to the big city wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Even though all I could do was sit and look out the window, the scenery was very beautiful. We pass mountains and valleys. I see trees and lakes. It is very colorful and full of life. After a while I wonder about what is going to happen to me once I get there. I wonder what the evaluation is going to be like and what they are going to do with me once they get the results. I try not to think about it too much.

It takes several hours to get to the big city. Before we arrive at the train station I can see the tall buildings from a distance. When we do arrive at the train station, there are people everywhere. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many people before in my whole life. When I get off the train there is a motorized vehicle waiting to take me somewhere. I look around and there are a lot of motorized vehicles here. There is more technology here than what I remember.

We stop in front of a tall building. It looks just like all the other tall buildings and I have no idea where I am. I get out and they take me inside. A lift takes me to the 7th floor. I walk down some corridors until I am stopped in front of a door. When we go inside I meet a man.

“Hello, you must be Nia.” the man says, “I’m Dr. Gourd. I understand you’ve been through quite a bit.” I don’t say anything. My mind goes blank and I’m not sure what I should do. If I tell this man the truth he’s really going to think I’m crazy.

“Do you remember anything about where you have been the last 8 years?” The man asks.

“No.” I tell him.

“You do remember Nia, Your mind has just locked those memories away so you can’t recall them. I’m going to help you unlock those memories.” The man states. I start to get nervous and it’s visible. “I understand that you don’t want to bring these memories back up, that’s the reason they are locked away but it’s important so you can heal and get on with your life.” I still don’t say anything.

“Let’s start with the last thing you remember.” The man says.

“The last thing I remember is being in the village.” I answer.

“I see.” The man takes out a watch attached to a chain and starts swinging it back and forth like a pendulum. “I want you to look at this watch and relax.” I stare at the watch. As it goes back and forth I start to feel sleepy. “Now I want you to try and remember what happened before you came back to the village.” He says.

“Okay” I respond. I seem to be under some kind of mind control because I can’t stop myself.

“Do you remember?” The man asks.

“Yes” I tell him.

“How did you get back to the village?” The man asks.

“My sister Katy brought me.” I answer.

“How did she do that?” He follows up.

“She has this device.” I tell him.

“What does the device do?” He continues.

“It lets her travel through time.” I answer.

“I don’t understand. Where did you come from?” The man asks.

“I came from the woods.” I told him.

“So what you are saying is that your sister Katy used a time machine to bring you out of the woods.” He summarizes.

“Yes” I answer.

“Okay, when I snap my fingers you will wake up.” The man tells me. He snaps his fingers and I am startled. I don’t remember what just happened or anything I just told the man.

“What happened?” I asked him.

“I just put you in a hypnotic state. It’s perfectly harmless.” He assures me.

“What did I say?” I ask. I wonder if I spilled too many beans.

“You said that your sister was a time traveler and that she used her time traveling powers to bring you out of the woods.” The man tells me.

“Why would I say something like that?” I asked, “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Well, that’s what your sub-conscious mind believes happened to you.” The man says.

“What do you think?” I ask him.

“I think your memories are fractured and it will take some time to put them back together.” He says, “There is a facility here that we would like you to stay in to help you recover.”

“You mean I can’t go back to the village?” I ask him.

“I think for your own good you should stay here.” He insists.

“Who’s going to tell my parents?” I ask.

“Don’t worry about that. We will take care of all the arrangements.” He says, “You’re job is to get better so you can live a normal life again.” Just great. Now I get to live in the big city. I don’t like this future. I want to go back to my village the way I remember it.

I am escorted to a room that has a bed in it. I look around and there is nothing else in the room. The walls are painted a soft blue. I lie on the bed and stare at the ceiling. Why did Katy have to bring me here? Why couldn’t she have brought me to the village the way it was before? Is she going to come back for me or is she going to leave me here to rot? I start getting really mad at her. She’s supposed to be my sister and sisters are supposed to look out for each other. I always looked out for her. What am I going to do? I start to really get worried.