What Does It Take

(Audible breathing can heard) "Wake up" "Huh?" In the midst of my nap, I heard a gentle voice. As I open my eyes, I got showered by rays of light coming from a window. Its like having your face get enveloped by a blanket of pure white. I covered my eyes with my right hand, and close my eyes for a second. A moment passes by, and I open my eyes again. I peered from the gaps between my fingers. The light seems to be blinking. I stared at it for like, ten seconds. And then I realized I'm inside a moving vehicle. A train. I find myself lying on the passenger seat, my head tilted towards the window. There is a faint silence all around me. I can barely hear the low churning noise the train is making. It felt.. weird. I got up and looked around. Nobody else is inside the coach. Just me. I face towards the window to get a good look outside. I could tell that it is late in the afternoon, judging from the angle of the sunlight illuminating my surroundings. The cityscape looks blurry for some reason, but it didn't bother me. While staring blankly at the window, I suddenly felt a slight headache. Like a sting, small yet sharp. I rested my head on my left hand, trying to think of something... Then, it hit me. I... I can't remember my name. I can't remember who I am. I don't know how I got to this train, or why am I here. My heartbeat went up to eleven. My hands combed my hair, my fingers stroking through and almost pulling it. I could feel my breathing becoming heavier. My eyes went darting from left to right, my mind in panic mode... And then, it stopped. I calmed down. My emotions just went poof. Its unnatural, and yet I felt nothing. Nothing. I closed my eyes and leaned against the seat. A few seconds later, I hear a voice over the speaker. "Arriving at Solace Terminal. I repeat, Solace Terminal. Please check your belongings before exiting the train... Please remember." The voice sounds female. A young, yet chilly voice made the same announcement twice. But what caught my attention was the last part of her announcement. "Please remember." As I was pondering at the meaning, the train doors opened up. I notice that I have a shoulder bag with me lying on my feet. I grabbed it, stood up, and made my exit. The Terminal is empty. Odd, there should be some people lounging around here. At the far end there is a security guard. I walk towards him for some questions. "Hello sir, uhm may I inquire about this place?" The guard is an old man, probably in his forties. He looks grumpy at first, but when he look at me he let out a friendly smile and replies, "Oh, mister. You're new here aren't you?" "I beg your pardon?" "You'll find the stairway to the left, down that hallway. Be careful on your way out." I shrugged my head and went left. As I walk past him, he said something else. "Good luck sir." I turned my head towards him, and but he's already left. He is heading towards the train. Standing there in confusion won't get me anywhere, so I decided to head towards the stairway to exit the terminal. The moment I step out of the stairway, the full view of the sunset embraces me. And there I found myself in the heart of the city. Cars cruising back and forth, stalls and people line up the sidewalk, and skyscrapers gleaming with the orange hue of the afternoon. I am a stranger to this place, and yet for some reason this all feels familiar. I felt the bag on my waist. I open it up to inspect the contents. There's a pack of tissues, a black pen, and a dark brown notebook. No, it looks more like a diary. It kinda looks worn out, but there is a sense of pride in it. I couldnít explain but I feel strangely attached to it. There is a name inscribed on the cover. It could be my name, or somebody else's. I flip it open, and skimmed through the first few pages until I stopped at the ninth page. There is something written. "If you are reading this, then that means you have lost it again... Your memories." My eyes widened. I can feel sweat running down my nape. I continue reading the page. "It will be hard, but within this diary lies the clues to your past... And the key to your future." It ended there, so I turn to the next page. "Make your way to the address written below. That's the first step." Below the phrase is a sketch of a map. It's roughly scribbled, but I could make out the details. Then I notice something written at the bottom of the page. "Good luck." I let out a deep sigh, then closed the diary and placed it back in the bag. I have no recollection of my identity, and the reason why I'm in this place. But it seems this diary contains the answers. I tighten up my shirt, adjusted the bag, and look forward. "I guess I gotta go to that place. Let's do this." I cross the road, my heart riddled with feelings of uncertainty. But I know there are answers waiting to be found at the end of my journey. As I pass through the crowd, I smiled.