The kiss of the sun on my skin warmed my aching muscles. I continued to climb through the thick brush, my weakened body screaming for rest. But I couldn't. I had to keep going towards whatever was calling to me. I had come too far now to turn back. I lost track of how many hours I had been walking, but the night was nearly completely erased from the sky.

I sighed loudly, finding that the darkness that consumed my surroundings, lighting it with sprinkles of hope, was more satisfying than the heat of the sun. The vivid colors encompassing me filled the void of what the sun had taken from me, but something that hid behind the daytime urged me to find it.

After I gave in to a quick break to drink some water and have a snack, I pushed on, impressed at what my body was capable of. There was a strength in my muscles that carried me almost effortlessly through challenging terrain after being refueled. The fatigue I felt from not moving for so many days melted into a painful burn that I welcomed. For the first time since I emerged from the crash, my heart was pounding because of exertion rather than anxiety or fear.

At the top of the mountain, I spread my arms wide, taking in a large breath of fresh air. I felt so alive. Taking in my surroundings, a small cabin caught my eye. With a grin, I made my way down, somehow gracefully sliding and leaping over the uneven terrain. The pull I had been feeling subsided when I stepped up to the door.

Raising my hand up, I gently knocked. When there was no reply, I tried again with a little more force behind it. The door creaked open, so I stepped inside.

"Hello?"

I waited for a reply.

"Is anyone here?" I tried again more loudly.

When I once again was met with silence, I looked around the room.

The thick layer of dust covering everything informed that no one had been here for a long time, but some trained part of me that I was unable to recall begged me to search thoroughly throughout the cabin. After canvassing every room, I set my stuff down and began clearing out the layers of the forgotten past.

The cabin wasn't much, but it was more than enough. There was a bedroom, washroom with a bathtub, small kitchen, and a fairly large common space. Once the dust was cleared, the sun poured through filling the space and my heart. I had found a home.

I quickly settled into my new life, easily surviving off the land. As my body grew stronger, my mind slowly worked to repair itself. While I still couldn't remember details of who I had been, more faceless dreams flooded my nights when I slept. Some had been bad, but most were good. I had been loved, though not necessarily by the usual definition of a family. And while I was generally happy, the dreams were often filled with a sense of longing for a different outcome.

Though I was fairly secluded, from time to time I would see someone passing in the far distance. They rarely noticed me or my home, and I resisted the urge to call out to them. I needed to know more about myself before I allowed anyone into my life. Even if that meant spending a lifetime alone, it was better than people getting hurt due to a past I was unable to recall.

Nearly six months after making the cabin my home, I woke with a start. Something was coming. Something dark. It called to me, pulling me from the comfort of my bed. I instantly dropped to my knees and covered my ears as a loud rumble shook my surroundings. Bright lights blinded me, lighting up the area as if it were daytime. I heard a hiss followed by a thud, holding my breath for what might come next. As the sounds of clanking footsteps started, I scrambled to grab a weapon.

When my door slammed open, I spun, throwing a knife directly at the dark, masked figure looming there. He simply flicked his hand and sent the metal clinking into another wall. A familiarity pricked at my senses, but I couldn't recall anything specific.

"Get out of my house!" I shouted, the fear slipping through my attempted confidence.

He halted in front of me, his long cloak flowing around him as he tilted his head. I held my breath, trying to find something else nearby I could protect myself with.

"No. You're coming with me," the metallic voice said.

And then, it all went dark.