Chapter Thirty: Oblivion

I felt water all around me while I reawakened. I opened my eyes to a pitch-black, starry sky. My arms were outstretched to my sides, and I was lying down in the Reflecting Pool. All my wounds were healed, and all my blades were back in their respective sheaths.

Sitting up, I looked around the area. Nobody was to be seen, but streetlights were on. So were the lights in the memorials. Wading out of the Reflecting Pool, I began to walk down the street. People seemed to be back, though. Meandering and drifting, I eventually made it back to Washington State.

Three months later…

After I got back to Washington (which took about a week), my family asked where I'd been. I said I'd run away. True, I was grounded for the rest of summer vacation, but… eh.

Nothing remained of my journey, save my coat and black mark. My trench coat was torn up and ragged, and of course my family asked me where I got it. I replied by saying I'd bought it during my 'rebellion.'

Nobody ever saw that black mark on me… I never wear sleeveless shirts, so nobody ever will. Despite my exploits, nobody else remembered anything of that journey. I asked Jason, Amy, and Serenity about it when we got back to school.

Nobody else knew anything about that. They were completely oblivious to what had happened. I was the only one who knew anything about that year.

Regardless, on Halloween, I wore my old, ragged trench coat. They seemed to know something about it, as if it were a far off memory.