The Sight of Tomorrow

Chapter 1

He’s dreaming . . .

. . . He removed the rope around the pier’s five-meter foot, and sat on the stool inside the vessel. He flapped the paddle against the water’s surface, and the boat began to move easily. As if an angel of the ocean, it kept on moving until it reached far enough from the ground.

He stopped the paddle and breathed deeply. He’s in the middle of the vast ocean, and he liked what he’s seeing. The view from here was different, and the feeling was out of the ordinary as well. As if he could feel his blood streaming inside his body easily, and the enthusiasm and excitement and the greatness, all at once he could feel it inside.

But it was interrupted when he could feel the unsteady behavior of the boat. It’s moving left and right, and it couldn’t stop from moving. It was late when he noticed that it’s the water . . . the wave itself . . . it’s getting stronger in every minute he spent atop it.

Now, he could feel how his heart raced faster than he thought. He got a tight hold on his both sides, and his heart raced again into its maximum level. He’s afraid of what’s about to happen, and he’s not sure if he’ll survive. He’d never wished this, and he never will . . . but what’s about to happen is unrelenting. Promptly, he could see how the tide leveled and the surge began to form. It bumped deck into an uneasy move, and in one hit, it wrecked the boat into pieces.

He was thrown faraway, and as if a small fish lost in the vast ocean, he swum up, but when he did, a large wave hit him. And together with a piece of the wrecked boat, it hit him directly on his head. An impact, more than he thought it could be, was summed up into one shot. Now, he could feel the pain, but he couldn’t react the same way.

And it’s like there had been a sudden collision of worlds appeared, and all for a sudden, all his visions went all black, darker than an unlit universe.

❧

“He has amnesia.”

“Why is that?”

“According to his record, he hit his head too hard and it has made a slight damage on his brain.”

“Is that is . . .”

“Yes.”

“I see . . .”

“Have you seen any evidences about his past life?”

“Nothing.”

“I see.”

“I think he fell off the deck without letting anything on him.”

“I understand.”

He began to hear voices through the thin air. It was somewhat familiar to him, especially that warm and sweet voice from a woman. It’s like he’d heard it from somewhere. But his thoughts weren’t clear. He could remember some glimpse of them, however it was only a partial view after all. It’s like he’s in a dream of another dream. But there’s a part of him provoking that it wasn’t. That voice, it’s familiar. And it would never get out of his head. It’s the voice of the woman who saved his life; the voice that he heard before he blacked out. He’s thankful and would always be grateful to her.

When he opened his eyes, all of his assumptions vanished at once, and the light from the ceiling blinded him for seconds. So, it’s a dream, he thought;—and to be specific, the one in the boat. He still wondered why he’s seeing those dreams for quite some time. He couldn’t understand. Aside from being out of the world just this morning, he’s covered by confusion even more. He couldn’t get it, and he kept on asking: Was it a part of me? He wasn’t sure. All about himself, he couldn’t remember them. By the way, his thoughts weren’t clear after all.

“So you’re awake.” After his sight went back to normal, he saw a decent-looking man standing beside him. He’s with a woman, who he noticed at once. But why I’m here? The question wandered through his head, and it became the solid confusion to his mind again. What had just happened to him, by the way? They were inside a small white room, where the ambiance was a bit alluring, and however, it was strange to being with two strangers at the same time. Well, he just found himself missing a piece of him, and then he’s just going to experience a one of a kind embarrassment? Some justices please!

He nodded at them. “Om,” he groaned.

“How are you doing?” the man asked.

“I’m fine. Where am I, by the way?” he asked back.

“You’re in the hospital. I’m Dr. Gloucester. I’m the one who’d checked your situation. And it’s good to hear that you’re doing well.” Dr. Gloucester explained.

“What am I doing here?” he asked.

“Excuse me, by the way, I’m Audrey. ‘Audrey Calhoun’. I’m the one who rescued you. You fainted earlier.” Audrey, a tall woman, at least 5’8” tall, whose age running after twenty-six or seven, interrupted. “So I brought you here,” she added.

“Thank you.” He looked at her and sent a small—and no doubt—a shrimpy smile as reply. “I don’t know how to pay you back.”

“By the way, Mister,” Dr. Gloucester interrupted. “I’ve something important to tell you.” He straightened and fixed the stethoscope around his neck

He looked at the doctor’s eyes straight, wondering to what he was about to say. He felt a bit rush in. And at the same time, the worries and excitement intertwined in the fact that it would be about himself. He had to know everything, piece by piece, all of them had to be gathered on the same place at once.

The doctor took a deep breath to gather all the strength to say his condition. Although he’s used to be in this kind of situation, it’s still hard for every doctor to say how bad or good their patients’ conditions were. “You have amnesia.” Dr. Gloucester said.

They could see the shock in his face, and the wonder had always find its way to his expression. He couldn’t believe the fact that it was amnesia. And because of it, he had claimed the stronger urge to find the truths of himself. It wasn’t easy, obviously, however he couldn’t remove the reality that he couldn’t do it alone. Aside from leaving his memories from the past, he didn’t have money in the first place. “Do I have chances to bringing back my memories?” His tears dared to escape his eyes.

“Although, it was hard to accept the fact that you might have forgotten something very important from your past, time will heal everything, Mister,” the doctor said as encouragement. “Plus, you’ll be able leave the hospital as soon as possible. Tonight is the soonest. Take a rest, and let time and encouragement cover up your body, and in God’s will, you’ll heal as sooner as possible.”

“But where am I going to stay?” he asked in wonder.

“In my house,” Audrey interjected. Both of his and the doctor’s eyes hit her. It was merely shocking, however, her presence made it to the right place. And for him, he really do need her help. There’s nothing he could stand with, as of the moment. Her sign of volunteer is a huge help. “I’ll take the responsibility. Since, I’m the one who found you.” She smiled at him.

He smiled back. “Thank you,” he whispered. Their eyes collided, and the sudden execution of electricity hit them all at once. It was weird, however, the sensation was bearable and majestic.

“Well then,” Dr. Gloucester began, “I’ll leave you up here.” He clapped his hands and took a deep breath of relief. “Just get the prescription on the front desk once you signed out. Goodbye.” He bowed his head and smiled before leaving.

“Thank you, doctor.” Audrey said, and gave a sigh of relief in return.

❧

That night, they checked out of the hospital at early seven and traveled for thirty minutes across the city. It was an unusual drive sitting with both strangers, and the silence always took its place. Although both of them would love to speak, however, no one gathered the strength to begin. Nonetheless, if there’s a scenery when they had or, somehow, something strange happened, a laugh or a sigh would do. Anyhow, this was a hilarious day. First, because it was tiring and confusing, which was not only for him, but for her as his new guardian as well. And second the fact that it would be a challenge to catch up, since they barely knew each other. Some adjustment would happen for a few days, but no one knew what would happen after that. The only one sure was that it would surprise them, even in the simplest form of its existence.

After the tiring drive on Audrey’s old truck, they stopped on a small, vintage bungalow house just a distance from the road, and on the back was a small forest along the nearest beach of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. It’s made of woods, and even the weak sight could be noticed, it was held with care as it was covered with leafy ornaments all over. It’s painted brown, and vases covered at least the corners of the porch. The house was beautiful. It was standing alone the place, and other of the houses could only be seen from across the road. They were separated like a house apart, a perfect sight for a provincial place like this.

Once they entered the house, he could feel the welcoming atmosphere of the place. It was small—and stocked with many things—however, when he took his first step to the door, he couldn’t explain the excitement that ran through his veins. It’s like he wanted to live his life with this place. With how it was cared by the owner, from the looks of the house, he could see it with one sight. He’s envious. He hoped that he could be as careful and cherishing as she did.

She toured him inside, and let him be familiarized to the place where he’d live for a while, but it’s late when he’d realized that there’s only one bedroom in the house, and the other rooms were the ones where the living room and the kitchen could be found. The bathroom was separated from the building, and it was placed down from the back porch. Although he got confused by the intricate architectural structure of the place, he still found it amazing and perfect. From his point of view, as of the moment, it’s his first time to see this kind of place, especially to know that the bathroom was not connected from the house. But to be honest, it’s just weird and unusual. What if there’s someone who tried to sneak from outside?

After the touristic activity, they had a small dinner on the dining area. It was on the eastern wing, near from the back porch, where the crying of seagulls could be heard, and the overwhelming sound of their singing created a magnificent outbreak as it flowed through the waves and through the thin air as well. However, this had not affected their conversation, which still they had the awkward status. Of course, they had to talk quite much, but if someone could analyze, nobody could say that it’s actually a talk. It’s more of the nodding system, the cough, the sigh, or even the laugh. These were the ones that made up their conversation. And in the end, the silence would overcome again, and the state of awkwardness would rise once more.

The dinner passed away too quickly, and the time surpassed as well. From the window behind the bed, he could see how the moon brightens as the hand of the clock ticked by. He’s alone inside Audrey’s room, which she had offered without hesitations. At first, he didn’t want to accept the fact that he needed to sleep in here. Because he’s the guy in the first place, so he should be the one to sleep on the couch, outside. He might had been in amnesia, but the deeds that a man should do stayed inside his body. Those things were now drowning him into a total submission, while the things that had happened to him throughout the day, in action, was drowning him as well. Imagine, she’s also the one who’d lent him what to wear. Although it once belonged to her grandfather, still he should have his own stuff. But it was the truth that had been told, he had nothing to do. All at once, he wanted to blame all of these to amnesia.

He realized it now that it’s hard to have a condition like this. Aside from forgetting all the important things that happened in his life through the years, it’s hard to fight the urge to know them better. Of course, as a human being, it’s necessary to have memories. It’s the only thing that’s we’re living for. Because, what if you’re messed in a place not remembering all of your memories at once?—Like him for example. How would you react in the fact that a part of you was missing, and badly, you needed right away? The point was that: a human life would never have essence without memories, and in his situation, that’s the thing happened to him. Remember, and give in to the fact that memories were the soul of an individual. What would just happen if you didn’t own one?

He leaned his back on the headboard and gave a sigh of confusion. It’s already been midnight, and still he couldn’t sleep. It’d been hours since he’d entered this room, and that had been bothering him. If he tried to sleep, the vision on the boat always had a way to his head. And he didn’t want to see those visions again. He’s not even sure if that’s a part of himself, but still, it kept on hanging out to his head. What should I do? he asked himself. He scratched his head in confusion. He couldn’t control all his thoughts, and it’s driving him crazy.

He stood from the bed and breathed deeply. Relax, he thought, everything’s going to be fine. Once he carried all the unnecessary thoughts from his body, he walked to the side, where a man sized mirror was held by the wall. He looked at himself in it, and he could see how perfect his whole body was. From his dark silky hair, pinkish lips, and bony cheeks, a perfect vision of a young man whose enthusiasm was greater than himself. Plus, the whole vision was enhanced by the fact that a bit part of his chin was covered by short sprout of beard, and his jaw leaned sharp on both sides. From his gorgeous face, no one could notice how old he really was. Which was the fact that he’s wondering how?

He worn out his shirt, and a massive body appeared in the mirror. It was well built in. The reflection was impossible to believe. He hadn’t noticed this since earlier, and until now he’s surprised that he had this kind of blessing. And that fact expanded the possibility of knowing himself more. His packs of abs, narrow waist, massive hands, and his broad shoulders, part of him that showed his true image from the past. He’s neat and the way he looked, his past might be some of the coolest, or we can say that wealth might had covered him for years. He didn’t know, and all he could do was to ask and imply the possibilities throughout the situation. Am I rich? he asked himself, not noticing that Audrey was now standing behind the dim-opened door.

“Ugh!” A small scream was heard from outside as Audrey slipped her foot when she’s about to leave the scenery. Maybe, she’d over reacted for what she’d seen. But the time passed too quickly, and she hadn’t noticed everything all at once, and what’s sure now was she’s held by a figure of Adonis, while her right foot swollen because of an accident which was fought by sudden eagerness and relieve. She couldn’t react for what happened. And she couldn’t move her body as well. All she could do was to feel all the warmth from his bold body, while her eyes wide open.

“Are you all right?” he asked. “Does it hurt?”

She nodded. “But, not that much,” she said. “I think the muscle stretched. I just need to rest this out.” She smiled at him and tried to stand, but unfortunately, she failed. He caught her when her hands sneaked for him. She needed support because it hurts, very much. But she’s used to this. She’d been in pain for most of her life, and she couldn’t just be weak by sprain. She tried stand again, but her body was weak.

“Relax, I’ll just carry you out.” He formed his hands ready, and lifted her to the living room.

He put her down the couch, and sat beside her. “Are you okay now?” She nodded. “Don’t say you’re okay if you’re really not.”

“I’m okay,” she mumbled. “But, please, wear your shirt on. I’m not with it.” She smiled.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he whispered. He immediately ran to the room and gets his shirt. He wore it on his way to Audrey’s position, and when he reached the room, he’d seen that her swollen foot was stretched to the small table, trying to relax and not to move.

He sat beside her. “Thank you,” she said when he finally sat on the couch.

“That’s nothing, for you who had helped me all throughout.” She couldn’t help but to smile by what she’d heard. The sweetest word she could’ve ever had. It’s been years since she’d heard those kind of words. It’s nostalgic, and at the same time, unfathomable for some reason. Does he really have amnesia? she thought. For how he acted, he really seemed to have nothing. “Does your foot still hurts?” he asked.

“Not that much. I just need my spray, the pain reliever in my bag.”

“Do you want me to get it?”

“Yes, please. It’s right on the corner.”

He stood, and once he found it, he gave it to Audrey immediately. She sprayed it on her skin, and for a few seconds, the pain was gathered by the chill, all at once, all the pain was gone. She tried to move her foot, finally the magic worked on her. She was able to move now. “It’s fine now.”

“Good to hear.” He smiled and breathed deeply.

“Thanks.”

Here it goes again, he could feel it coming. After this, no one would surely try to speak again. Up to when they’re going to act like this? It’s not normal, and at the same time, it’s irritating. Of course, they had to speak. But the real one, they need the real one, the talk that people usually did. But in their case it wasn’t. So it’s a mystery for who would begin.

He breathed again and tried to open his mouth. And successfully, his voice made its way out. “Audrey, right?” he asked. She nodded without looking at him. “Do you have any philosophies about life?” he asked again. “I just wanted hear something, other than my thoughts.”

“Yep, I do. I have one.”

“Do you mind if I try to hear it? Will you bring it into being?” She turned her head toward him, and she could see his eyes clear. It’s persuading her. “I would love if you did.”

She sighed and gave it a way. It’s like she couldn’t accept it. In her college years, philosophy had been one of her favorite courses, and in that matter, she had created her own. Plus, her experiences, strengthen her favor with this. So every time a person would ask about philosophy, she always gave it a way. And those philosophy would always gather different views and reactions. Because in her way of delivering, it always find a way from her experiences; all the pain, the happiness . . . or even the anger, all of them were summoned through her words. “Life is a long way journey, where only one could be satisfied,” she said.

“It’s so deep.” He merely laughed. “What do you mean by that?”

“Well, it’s simple. People would never be satisfied even if they have it all through their lives. People always hunger to have more, and they never had satisfied at least once,” she explained.

“It’s like you’ve been into so much pain, aren’t you?” he asked. She was froze for seconds, and that word hit her, really. All the pain that she had experienced, it was brought back by those words. From the beginning up to the moment, all the pain gathered all at once, and struck her in the heart.

“No, I haven’t,” she lied. “I just think outside the box. And it’s reality, after all.”

“I see. I just wonder how you deliver those lines perfectly. It’s like it’s been from experience.”

You noticed that, huh, she thought. “Yep, other says the same.”

“But, I am just wondering . . . how did you find me?” he asked.

“Oh, that.” She breathed deeply. “It’s about five thirty, I was on the beach for some walk . . . and I saw something floating from a distance, and I wonder if what that is . . . and I found you. I thought you’re dead, but when I tried to revive you . . . like it’s a miracle, you’re back. But I immediately brought to the hospital for some checking. You know, you might drunk a lot of water . . . so I decided,” she explained.

“I see,” he said with a smile. “Thank you.”

“That’s nothing.” She smiled back.

Then a moment of silence led the way again. And the crackles of eerie covered up the whole place. But for him, at least they had a quite thing that you may call conversation. It was first time this day. And he couldn’t believe that it was him who had begun the conversation. He’s a man now, congratulations!

“But do you mind calling you Ian?” The moment of silence was broken, and the other way of conversation started again. “Since you have forgotten your name, I’ve decide to calling you Ian, rather than Mister or Sir. It’s weird.” She laughed, and after seconds, he laughed as well.

“Sure,” he replied.

“Well then, it’s official. Your name now is Ian.”

“But can you do me a favor?” he asked.

“Of course,” she replied.

“Will you help me find, if ever I have family.” His eyes looked at her with tension.

“No problem.” She smiled and stretched her hand to reach him. “Who would be the one to help you, anyway?” Then he reached her hand as well.

“But . . . do you think my family is searching for me, too?” he asked.