Blackness. Everywhere. A void of emptiness.

I don't know how long I sat in darkness, staring blankly into it. Time was irrelevant here. There was nothing to gauge it's passing; only darkness. Sometimes my mind was able to pull a few thoughts together, but eventually they drifted away and I had no recollection of them. After staring into the empty expanse for a while, I was able to remember a few thoughts. Soon, thoughts turned into concepts; people, places, and other moments of time frozen on this black landscape. I started to notice the same faces over and over again in my mind; laughing, crying, arguing, smiling…

Eventually those faces became people. They were a weird bunch. But they became familiar and comforting as I started remembering who they were. One by one, they slowly came into focus. Ayako, Monk, Masako, Yasu, John, Lin, and Naru. Memories floated to the surface, which started to elicit emotions. Once I saw all of these people and felt my love for them, I knew that something was wrong. Where are they? They aren't really here. But where is here? Where am I? How do I leave?

When I started to ask myself these questions, I suddenly wondered about myself. But realized, I don't remember who I am.

That's when the panic set in, and the darkness was no longer a peaceful void of emptiness. It suddenly became unbearable and terrifying. It pressed in on all sides, suffocating me. The questions continued to spin around my mind asking themselves over and over again. Where was I? Where were the people I cared about? Who am I to them?

Who am I?

I don't know how long I sat in darkness before I remembered my friends, but trying to remember who I was felt like years in comparison. I started to hyperventilate when I focused too hard. My heart pounded in my ears as the silence within the darkness pressed in. When that happened I thought about my friends again and tried to remain calm. After unsuccessful attempts of remembering my own identity, I chose to focus on them instead. Their antics, their arguments, previous conversations we've had. Little by little I felt like I was learning about myself the way they talked to me and acted towards me. I could tell that they cared for me just as much as I cared for them. As more memories floated to the surface, 'friends' seemed like such an underwhelming term to describe how much these people meant to me… it's as if they were…

Family

Family was the perfect word to describe this group. They made me feel loved and wanted. Memories of conversations, celebrations, and precious moments floated by and warmed my heart. As time passed on I focused on these memories, afraid to let them go for fear they would return to the darkness, never to be seen again. I held onto them like they were my compass; pointing me in the right direction and the only thing able to help me find a way out of this world of darkness. By focusing on them and replaying them over and over again they became more vivid. I realized that they kept saying a word that didn't make sense to me. Mai. Mai?

I mulled over the word and tried to take in context clues. I noticed that when the word was said, they looked at me, or I responded to it. It seemed like an important word. Then it clicked. Mai! Me! That's me! I'm Mai!

The moment I remembered my name, the memories started to flood back faster and clearer than before. They fought for space in my once empty mind, but I held onto them for dear life. Slowly I saw myself reflected in every memory.

My name is Mai Taniyama. I'm an orphan, I live and work in a bakery, I'm a paranormal investigator with physic powers, and I work with my friends - all of whom I love and consider to be my family.

As the memories started flooding back faster and faster my head began to spin and a dull ache began to spread. The pain in my head throbbed, harder and harder until I had to squeeze my eyes shut. Suddenly the black expanse around me brightened, and even with my eyes squeezed closed the blinding light broke though, burning my eyes through my eyelids. As suddenly as the light had come, pain in every fiber of my being accompanied it. Everywhere hurt. I just wanted it to end! It was unbearable!

Stop. Make it stop, please.

Through the pain, I thought I heard something.

"-ai. Mai!" It was quiet but it was there. I definitely heard it. My name. That's my name! I had to hold onto that one word. Mai. I couldn't forget. My gut screamed not to forget. The screaming in my mind and my body were so intense, that suddenly everything disappeared, and became black once more. I felt like I was sinking back into the darkness all over again; drowning in it's inky blackness, ready to consume all of me.

Mai.

I can't forget...