Six months later
It's been a long time coming...but I've finally done it. My daily routine of singing in public places allowed me to earn enough money to not only pay for my basic necessities, but also to pay back the money that I took from Oswald. Therefore, I went by a bank to convert the cash to a check and then mail it to Van Dahl manor. I included another letter to assure him of my safety and that I still cared for him. A cynical side of me chastised me for not allowing him to forget me and move on, but I couldn't help it. It was strange, I was certain that if he found me that he would kill me, but despite that knowledge I still missed him. But I couldn't risk going back yet. Not till I recovered all my memories. That task was proving impossible, even with the books that I read. I knew that I couldn't afford a therapist or psychologist at this point, so I was stuck. If I knew where I lived before, that may help. But again, I hit a dead end with that.
Though I had managed to be hired by various clubs and theatres for performances, my days were still spent performing on the streets. This afternoon I was performing in a park a short bus ride from my motel. I started gathering the money that I had just earned after my last song. Once I zipped up my purse, I looked up and saw a poster that caught my eye. It had a man with long, dark, wavy hair and wearing a top hat; which struck me as unusual in this city. His image was staring intensely while he was holding up a pocket watch next to his face. The poster said, "Come see Jervis Tetch! World famous hypnotist! Watch him unlock the mind!" This last statement piqued my interest. Maybe I should ask him if he can help me. I made a mental note about where he was performing for the next several nights, and I started walking toward the bus stop.
My path was well populated, but I still had a strange feeling. As I walked, the sensation of someone watching me was overwhelming. I was again feeling the anxiety of my first day in the Narrows and I started walking faster. My ears strained to hear if I was being followed but with the noise of the city, it was impossible to tell. I turned into an alley to cut through, hoping to lose whoever was following me. But after walking halfway through, I suddenly felt a hand grasping my wrist. I screamed, causing whoever was behind me to yell in pain before collapsing. I also heard shattering glass all around me. Immediately after, I heard a mixture of screams, yells, and expletives. I turned around and saw a thin, sallow man with filthy oversized clothes. Blood was pouring out of his ears, causing me to gasp and cry out. His face was frozen with a look of shock, his mouth gaping open and his eyes bulging out. I was afraid to touch him, and I started to retreat when I heard someone yell, "Hey!"
I looked up and saw a woman yelling, "What? What happened here? Are you okay?" I didn't stick around long enough to answer her. I started running back out of the alley, dodging her as she quickly stepped out of my way. In that moment, I couldn't even focus on where I was going. My feet pounded on the pavement, my lungs were burning, and my mind was whirling. Everything was a blur as I dodged traffic, countless people, trashcans and lamp posts. As I continued to run, my thoughts kept rotating between: I killed him, he's dead, what have I done? What do I do now? Oh God I'm a monster! This last thought made tears cloud my vision. Finally, my legs gave out on me and I fell to the ground. I barely heard the comments around me reacting to my fall as I fought to catch my breath. After a few moments, I finally lifted my head to see where I ended up.
A large building towered above me with a large sign lit with thousands of small bulbs reading 'The Grand'. As I pulled myself up off the ground, I couldn't help but wince at the pain on my kneecaps and my hands. The name of the building reminded me of the flyer I saw earlier featuring the hypnotist. What are the odds? I asked myself as I tried to wipe dirt off my clothes to make myself look more presentable before entering. As I walked into the lobby of the hotel, I saw another copy of the poster from earlier. The man's face looked intense and mysterious, causing me to be curious and cautious at the same time. He may be my best chance, I told myself as I got into the elevator.
Half an hour later
The room in which the performance would be held was quite stately and made me feel quite underdressed, but I wasn't there to impress anyone but to talk to Mr. Tetch after the show. I got a water from the bartender and did my best to disappear in the crowd. At this point, the show was finally beginning with the hypnotist stepping out on the stage and introducing himself in a grandiose manner. His suit stood out from the checkered pattern and his mismatched tie brought attention to his thin face. His eyes surveyed the room and he picked out several volunteers, all of whom he was able to thoroughly embarrass without their knowledge. It seemed harmless and provided laughter throughout the room. I, however, couldn't find the humor in it. For some reason, I found the whole thing rather disturbing. So I hoped that it was just staged and not real. Then why are you here? It has to be real if you want to get your memories back, the cynical part of my mind reminded me.After a few more displays of his skills, he brought a man to the stage and made him stand on the back of a chair in a death-defying display. I gasped and reached toward him unconsciously to stop him from hurting himself. This seemed to catch Mr. Tetch's attention and he smiled at me, causing me to wish I could disappear. Maybe this isn't such a good idea… I thought, but what choice to I have? I can't wait any longer. I need to get my life back.
Afterwards
Once the performance ended, I asked the host to direct me to Mr. Tetch. Though he looked at me with skepticism, he obliged with my request and led me to his dressing room. After knocking, the occupant requested that we enter. "Ah!" Mr. Tetch exclaimed with enthusiasm, "Please, come in, come in!" The host left and the hypnotist encouraged me to sit in a chair next to a small table. We introduced ourselves and I noticed that the table had a nice tea set and said so. He smiled and offered me a cup. The china was quite elegant and gave me a sense of comfort that seemed to sooth my heart. "I hope that you like Earl Grey, I find that it does wonders for the soul after a hard evening's work." He chuckled at his joke as he poured from the matching teapot. Once we both settled in our seats, he asked me why I wanted to see him. "Thank you for seeing me unexpectedly, Mr. Tetch," I began, "I apologize for taking up your time, but I hope that you can help me." He sat back in his chair and replied, "Well, I don't know how a humble performer such as myself could possibly help you. But, if you'll tell me your situation, I'm sure that I can give it a try."
Half an hour later
During my story, the man before me seemed rather disinterested until the words 'Indian Hill' crossed my lips. After this, he seemed to devour every word and once I finished, he put down his cup and clapped his hands together with enthusiasm. "Very good, I will be more than happy to help you. But I do have one question, before we begin… Do you happen to remember a young lady with blonde, curly hair named Alice? She's my sister and I'm very worried about her." He reached into one of his vest pockets and pulled out a photo. As I examined it, I noted that they both had similar features. But the name and the description weren't familiar to me at all. For the sake of repayment, I took a moment to search the library of my mind. However, it was in vain. Therefore, I was forced to admit that I didn't recall this person. His face seemed to deflate a bit upon hearing my answer, but then he forced himself to smile once again and said, "Well, perhaps she'll climb out of the looking glass soon enough…"
"Now…let us begin." He reached into the pocket of his vest and brought out the same pocket watch. The face of it looked rather elaborate, like a starburst in the center surrounded by miniature mirrors in a circular pattern. If I knew him better, I would have asked if I could examine it closer. However, before I could do so, he said, "Listen to the watch, the way it's ticking synchronizes with your heartbeat…" I followed his instructions, and indeed I could feel my heart slow down to match the ticks. He then continued, "Look into my eyes…" They were a deep brown, much like melted chocolate. "Not above them, not around them…but deep into their center…" Much to my disbelief, their pupils started to grow until they completely eclipsed the irises. I couldn't even see light reflected in them; their darkness seemed to continue to grow till I was surrounded in an empty void. The miniscule ticking grew into a gong in my head, but instead of wincing from the volume, it felt like a cocoon enveloping my entire being.
"Now…let's begin…" I heard his voice say like a whisper in my ear. "Your mind is a pool of water. Now dip your toe in the water, your feet, now your legs…" The longer he spoke, the higher the water seemed to reach up my body. Eventually, the imagery reached above my head, and just when I thought that I couldn't sink any deeper, the sky seemed to reach a mile above me and the depth pressed into not only my skin, but every atom in my entire being. Instead of flashes of memories, my past became reality to me. My childhood, my teenage years, college, my family, friends, everything came back to me. As much as I wanted to celebrate, the darkness wouldn't allow anything to come to the surface. Fear started to grow in my heart as I heard Tetch's whispers again, "Now…You're back at Indian Hill. Every face is before you. Find Alice." The faces appeared one-by-one in front of my eyes. They came slowly at first, then faster and faster. Eventually they came so quickly that they blurred into a monstrous animated mask that opened its mouth wider and wider to swallow me whole.
"Do you see her? Do you see my Alice?" his voice strained intensely in my ear. My mouth formed the word "No…" without my control. "Damn…" I heard him breathe. "Well, there's more than one way to skin a cat…You and Alice…" He pointed at the photograph in my hand and my mind memorized its image instantly, "Are the closest of friends…you met while at Indian Hill and you've been separated. Now you long to find her and reunite her with me. Once you see her," he continued, "You will call me and tell me her location." "Yes…" I replied, again without my control. "Very good. Now, when I snap my fingers, you will awaken. One, Two, Three." He snapped his fingers which sounded like a shotgun blast to my ears, causing me to jump. "Well, Ms. James, tell me how you feel." Where previously recovering memories would be difficult and sometimes painful, I was now able to see my past. I saw my family, Ozzie, my students, Maroni… This caused me to feel a twinge of emotion and I was suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude. I nodded and took his hands into mine, "Thank you Mr. Tetch! Thank you!" "Please," he replied, "call me Jervis. After all, you and my sister are close friends, are you not?" he said with a grin.
