Lost

He was never going to lose hope

Jonathan was shocked at the coldness in the man's voice. But he was desperate, so he pleaded, "please! I've being walking for a really long time, I'm tired and thirsty, could you please spare me a bottle of water!"

"Leave the gate now!" the voice answered even colder this time. He couldn't see the person. The wall was obscuring him. Jonathan was too thirsty to give up. "Please just a little water!"

"You need some water!" the man sneered.

"Yes, please!" Jonathan answered, happy the man was finally going to help him.

It took him a few seconds to realize that the man had turned on a hose and was wetting him from head to toe. Jonathan wanted to move to avoid being soaked, but needed the water so desperately, so he opened his mouth and swallowed.

He began coughing, due to how quickly he was swallowing the water. The man was moving the hose up and down his body, drenching him further. Jonathan couldn't believe someone could be this callous. Still, Jonathan tried to capture the precious commodity in his hands.

The man laughed so hard. It was funny for him to see Jonathan closing his eyes, trying not to let the water blind him and at the same time opening them, so he could see to catch the water. It was a difficult job to get the water, with the hose being swept up and down his body. The man then focused the hose on Jonathan's face. After sputtering and coughing Jonathan finally gave up, trying to get the water. All the while the man was laughing his head off.

He continued to laugh as Jonathan walks away sad and depressed that the man's main intention was to humiliate, instead of helping him.

Everything was now soaking wet. From the bandages on his head, to the sandals on his feet. Jonathan couldn't go anywhere now to seek a job. But still he continued to walk.

Walking another mile, he spotted a house, there was no gate there and seems abandoned. He walked up the house and called, "anyone home!"

When he didn't get an answer, he called again. Glancing around the overgrown bushes, he decided that it was safe to enter.

Going around the back of the house he saw a line and quickly took off his wet clothes. Hanging his shirt and pants on it, he remained in his underwear and sat down with his back against the wall.

"Hopefully, they'll be dry before anyone gets home, if anyone lives here," he said aloud, resting his aching head on his arms.

Jonathan was dreaming, "What are you doing here? it's private property!"

Why is someone screaming? it's hurting his head even more.

"Get out of here!" the voice screeched. He felt something hit his foot.

"Ouch! he screamed, jumping awake. He was not dreaming. A young woman with a toddler on her hips was screaming at him.

"If you don't leave this instant, I'm calling the cops!" Jonathan stood up hurriedly, his head swam from the quick, sudden movement.

"Do not come near me, pervert!"

"I'm not, I-I'm only getting my clothes," he mumbles. Going towards the line the woman steps out of his way, eyes blazing angrily, she continued with her tirade, "you were waiting until someone gets home to attack them weren't you!"

"No, I wouldn't do that, I'm not like that," he told her quietly. Not wanting the woman to get even more angry with him. He knew it looked suspicious to be naked on someone else's property.

"Please, just give me a moment to put on my clothes."

"No, leave now!"

Jonathan puts on his pants quickly. He didn't button it, he hastens away from her, a stone narrowly missed his head as insults continues to hurl his way. Reaching on the street, he sighed in relief, when he realized that none of the stones had caught him.

The afternoon sky began to look cloudy. "Oh, god no!' Jonathan moans when he saw the dark clouds hovering over his head.

Just as he dried his clothes, he was going to get wet, again! He really began to think that fate was playing a cruel and sad joke on him.

As he steps out of the yard, he notices a man walking ahead of him. The old man, had a small child in his right hand. He was trying his best to keep the child from squirming out of his arms, while juggling to carry a huge grocery bag in his left hand.

The man was failing miserably at trying to contain both bag and child from escaping his arms. Jonathan wanted to help the man, because the rain was coming any minute now. But he also needed to hurry and get shelter from a heavily branched tree he saw ahead.

The man had to let the bag fall from his hand, to keep the wriggling child from falling. The contents ran in every direction. He couldn't pass him now. He sprang across the street and began to catch the tomatoes from getting squashed from the on coming vehicles. The old man looked at him gratefully.

Jonathan began to feel the first few drops of rain. Still, he continued to gather the fruits and vegetables and placed them in the bag. The man rushes to a waiting car and placed the child inside.

By the time Jonathan was done putting the things in the bag he was soaking wet. He walks up to the car, not expecting anything in return. Even though he was hungry and wet, he offered the man the bag and turns away. he took it, closed the door muttering, "eveything is all wet!"

Jonathan walks up to the tree. It was some distance away from the road. He didn't hurry. There was no need to. He was already dripping wet. Jonathan was glad the tree offers adequate shelter from the rain. Sitting on a huge stone under it.

Jonathan glances around. There were items strewn all around. It seems like someone resides there or visits there often, because there seem to be a fire place. Some dirty clothes. A few dirty dishes and utensils and a big cup. A huge plastic bag, had what appeared to be clothes inside it. Jonathan wasn't sure. But he knew it belonged to someone and he wasn't going to touch it.

He took off his shirt and wrung it out and placed it on one of the branches that was hanging low. Jonathan had no idea what he was going to do for food. He had sat out this morning, hoping he would've gotten a job. But so far, all he got was getting wet. He wasn't angry, but he was a little sad. But most of all he was happy to be alive.

Jonathan promises himself no matter what, he was never going to lose hope.

The rain poured, but he was still not getting wet. Not long after he saw a woman running in the distance. I wonder if she was coming here? he wondered, watching the woman tore down the road, a huge plastic bag on her head, blowing behind her in the wind. He saw her crosses the street and came up towards him.

She was panting hard when she reached beside him. "What. are. you. doing. here!" she panted.

"I'm only sheltering from the rain. I'll be on my way as soon as the rain stops."

"You had better, this spot belongs to me!"

Jonathan wondered what the woman was talking about. Did she live here?

There were no houses here. Did she live under a tree? No he shook his head. It couldn't be. She didn't look dirty nor homeless. In fact she was quiet pretty and clean. She had removed the plastic bag from her head. And threw it on the branch, beside his shirt.

"Why are you shaking your head?" the woman asked, flopping down on the stone beside.

"You said here belongs to you, what do you mean?"

"It means what I said!" she snapped. Her brown eyes flashed with annoyance.

"What's your name?" the woman asked.

"I don't know."

"What do you mean?" she looks at him in disbelief.

"I don't remember."

"Is it because I haven't told you mine?"

"No, I really don't remember anything at all."

"Why, what happened?!"

"I don't know, I just woke up like this," he points to his head.

"Well my name is Ruth Gordon."

"Nice to meet you Ruth."

"Seems like someone did this to you."

Jonathan shrugged, "I guess, I'm not sure why someone would do this to me."

"Maybe, you robbed someone or maybe you abused your wife and she retaliated!"

Jonathan looks at Ruth with wide eyes. He doesn't think he was capable of doing either. But what proof did he have that he didn't either. At this time Jonathan felt ashamed and hang his head low. Since he lost his memory at no point did he ever thought he did something to cause his injuries.

"Maybe you are right!" Jonathan said, dejectley.

"Look I don't know what happened, obviously, but someone wouldn't do you like this for no reason at all."

"I never thought about it like that."

"What did you think about then!"

"I mostly try to remember, if I have a family, a home to go home to."

"And what happens when you think of that?"

"Nothing happens, just emptiness."

"I'm sorry, that happens to you."

He shook his head. He couldn't bear to think he could do something so horrendous as hitting his wife.

"Do you want one?" she asked, taking a chocolate bar from a little bag she had on her waist.

Jonathan smiled then. It was late evening and he hadn't anything to eat all day.

"Thank you very much!" he answered, taking the bar from her hand.