Chapter 3: On My Own

Author's note: Thank you for reviewing! I'm glad so many of you like this fic. I have been putting lines in between the paragraph breaks, but I have no idea why they are not showing up! Sorry about that.

I can't breathe.

The thought entered the girl's mind as she opened her eyes, looking for the cause of this problem. Her whole body was numb from being in the cold waters. She kicked her arms and legs, and felt her limbs following the orders. She tilted her head to the water's surface, and glided gently up to its peak.

Air!

She breathed in huge mouthfuls of it, and drew the water from her face with her hands, and stared around. She swam over to the water's edge, and climbed onto shore, her soaked wet dress feeling as if it weighed over three thousand pounds. The struggle made her collapse onto the muddy bank panting. Where exactly was she? The thought scared her, why couldn't she remember where she was or how she got there? Think, she told herself, I'm just shaken up from being in the water--- but how did I get in the water? How did I get to this place? She rubbed her face with her hands, and brought her knees up to her chest. She remembered floating in the water, as if she was sleeping, and then waking because she couldn't breathe. Maybe she had been kidnapped, and thrown in the lake! She checked her wrists for marks, and her neck. Nothing. Then her fingers brushed up against a ripped piece of clothing. She got to her feet, and stared down at her stomach. There was a huge vertical gash in her dress, surrounded by what looked horribly like blood, all the way to her flesh. Oh God, I could be dying! Frantic, she pulled the hem of her dress up to the torn part, and saw her stomach was smooth. What was going on here? She smelled the stain, but the ocean had carried away any trace of what it had been. The substance was caked on, meaning it had to have been on her before she was thrown in the water. She ran a hand up her back, and felt a tear identical to the one in front, but her skin was smooth under that rip too. She felt like screaming. She felt like shouting. Instead, she collapsed back to the earth, hugging her knees tightly. And then a sudden realization more disturbing than the rest entered her mind:

She couldn't even remember her name.

She found her way out of the forest by morning, and walked along a lonely stretch of highway. She was tired, she was hungry, and she was scared. She was hoping to find a town soon, but in either direction, all she saw was endless desert. Maybe someone would recognize her in a town, if she ever found one. Maybe her family was looking for her. She didn't really have any memories, but she had a feeling that she had been here before. Somehow, she knew she'd find a town if she kept walking. A horn honking startled her, and she turned to find an old man in a blue pick-up truck smiling at her.

"Hi, stranger," The man said.

Well, it was pretty clear this guy didn't know her.

"Hi," She replied.

"Are you headed to Wall Market?"

Wall Market… Wall Market… why did that sound familiar?

"I… think so--- yes."

"Well, hop in, I'm goin there myself. Have you ever heard of Dio's Gym?"

That sounded familiar too. Aeris nodded, and hopped in the truck.

"He's my son. Little arrogant, but hey. Got into a bit of trouble at the Gold Saucer once, but haven't we all?" The man chuckled, and pulled back onto the highway. He then realized she was soaked. "Jumpin' Giraffes lady, did you fall in your bath tub or something?"

Gold Saucer. She knew that. She knew it, she just couldn't place it…

Aeris nervously sat on her hands, trying to absorb as much water from her wet garments as she could. "Actually, I woke up in this lake, and I can't seem to remember who I am."

The man reached a hand over and put in on her shoulder. "Don't worry, someone will remember you at Wall Market."

The girl smiled for the first time, hoping the man was right.