Message in a Bottle

Torn looked up at the gray sky. He was back in Haven City, taking a stroll around the port. The water was strangely calm. It had been 3 weeks since Janovah disappeared, and they had no leads to finding her. Everybody seemed to have given up hope of finding her. Torn still had hope...she was alive. He could feel it. It was a dull ache, that started strong but was fading. There was an image burned into his mind, it came to him in a dream.

The dream was a blur, he could not remember it well. They were on top of a tower, one very similar to the one in the Forgotten Lands. He saw her falling. Falling off the tower. Her appearance was different somehow. But he was sure it was her. Everything inside him, in his mind and soul told him it was Janovah.

He stopped walking about half-way down the port. He spotted something...a bottle. Citizens, always littering. The water was already crapped up badly enough by the Baron. He crouched down and reached into cold water and pulled out the bottle. It was strangely shaped, transluscent purple. There was a scrap of paper inside. His curiosity got the best of him. He smashed the bottle on the ground. Shards flew everywhere. He picked up the scrap of paper and opened it. What he saw made his heart skip a beat.

I don't know why I'm writing this, I just am. I remember my name but I can't spell it. I think's it's Janova or something. I can't hardly remember anything. Ever since they started hurting me I've been forgetting. I remember a name, I think it's a name, "Torn". That word or name or whatever makes me feel good. All I have is this medallion thing, I don't know what it does. I'm real scared, I hardly remember who I am. I remember I had a friend, I think it was girl, and I think she is dead. The bad man who hurts me makes me call him Master, although I swore he had a name. Din, Tin...something like that. I didn't used to forget, until I hit my head. Then I started forgetting more and more as they hurt me more. I'm going to put this in a bottle and throw it off the tower. Maybe someone will read it, and maybe they'll write back and help me remember.

He reread it in a blur of tears. He held them back, he didn't want to cry. Her writing was like that of a child's. The paper looked old, so by then she had probably forgotten everything. She was like a lost little child around a bunch kidnappers and murderers. Then he realized; this was a lead. He knew where she was, and that, at least at the time it was written, she was alive. When she had said that they "hurt" her, she must have meant they were torturing her. She was in trouble.

He folded the scrap and pocketed it. He ran, against the cold wind. He was going to the fortress to show them. It began to drizzle, and evetually rain. The rain was ice cold, but there was no time to worry about that. The Fortess door slid open automaticly as he approached it, and he did not slacken his pace. He ran inside, down several dark hallways and eventually came stumbling into the command room. Samos looked at him like he was crazy, and if Onin could see she would probably do the same.

Torn: ...found...note...thing...in...bott le!
Samos: Great yackow horns! What are you talking about!
Torn: I found a note thing that Janovah wrote. The Dark Makers have her!

He pulled it out the note, unfolded it, and read it out loud.

Samonuske looked around the strange enviroment. There were big tall towers stood everywhere. Nobody was around. It was all quiet...quiet. Samonuske liked quiet. She just had to find the man. The man she had to break. She was not in a killing mood, though. So she turned around to a wall of a strange gray building and stratched into it. It made a bloodcurdling noise. Bad noise, BAD! She hissed at the evil sound. But there was work to do. She began to walk, on two legs. She was slow that way, but Master said to look normal. What was normal? Running on all fours made more sense. It was faster.

Water was dripping from the sky. The sky had sprung a leak. Wasn't somebody going to fix the leak? The water was cold and making her wet. But wet gave her a somewhat alive feeling. Wait, she remembered what this was. Rain, it was called. She decided she liked rain. As she walked, she found a large blue building. She couldn't read well, but a sign on the wall said "Fortress". Two doors slid open on their own. She entered a room, dark and scary, with no rain! She walked more, finding a dead end room. But then a voice caught her. It was impossibly gruff...and familiar. Then a single word registered in her mind.

Torn.

Torn looked at the black-haired intruder. They were in a darkened warehouse room, empty and unused. It was a small room. The intruder had her back turned.

Torn: Who are you? Turn around slowly. I have a gun.

He withdrew his pistol from his holster and pointed it at her.

Samonuske: I don't know my real name...I am called Samonuske. I forgot my real name a long time ago. And I can only obey Master.

Master? Forgetting?

Samonuske: I am here to break someone. He is strangely familiar somehow, like your voice. Please, tell me, I must know; what is your name?

He hesitated...could it possibly be? That was impossible. He knew very well Janovah was blonde and tan, not pale and black-haired. He decided to tell her his name, what harm would it do?

Torn: My name...is Torn.

The girl turned around. He gasped and dropped his gun.

It was Janovah.

Janovah: That name...I wish I knew my name.

He couldn't believe he didn't catch it before. The voice...it was the same lower, clean tones as Janovah's. Her voice was smooth and even, just like Jak's. Her face was almost the same; clear complexion, soft-looking. Her eyes were grayer, lacking life, but still looked blue. But her hair was dead black. Her skin was paled, but still had hints of color.

Torn: I know what your name is.
Janovah: What is it? Please tell me!
Torn: Janovah...

Her face was confused and afraid. He wanted comfort her. He reached a hand to touch her face, just like he used to do, how it comforted her in other situations. But she leaped back, looking more frightened. She hissed, and growled...like an animal. She crouched on all fours, and began to lash at him with the newly grown claws on her hands. He was scared, and confused like Janovah appeared to be.

Torn: Stop it! What are you doing? Janovah, it's me! Torn! Please, stop, I love you!
Janovah: But Master says nobody loves me. Master says I'm worthless, and I don't deserve to be loved. Master says I must break you, so good Samonuske must do it.
Torn: He's broken you...that bastard...Master is evil. You must not trust Master.
Janovah: Not trust..? But why? Master gives me a home. Master gives me food.
Torn: Master hurts you. I have a better home for you. You have people who love you. See? Master lied.
Janovah: You said that you love me...why? Why don't I remember you?
Torn: You hit your head. You said so.

It was trying to talk to a lost toddler. But even still, he had an urge, an urge he wanted to fullfill. He crouched to her level. She appeared to have lost the murderous fire, and was now in a state of wonder. He dared try to touch her face again. She didn't leap back or withdraw, but shuddered slightly. He stroked her carefully, to test for her reaction.

Samonuske...Janovah...whatever she was called, was in a bind. She was trapped, backed against the wall. The man she was supposed to kill was with her. Torn. Why did that name seem so familiar? He was petting her, like Master did, only soft. It was so comforting. She begged her mind to release her from the blank. She wanted to remember. But his next actions woke her memory from the dead...He kissed her.

It was sudden but it seemed so slow. My whole life was flashing before me. It was too fast, I still couldn't remember everything. But I remembered Torn. And Master...so confused. Who did I love? Who was I supposed to love? But I all I knew is that I was with Torn, and I was happy I was I was there.