Her return

Chapter 1

Something wet was hitting my face continuously with an annoying rhythm. I frown. I then realised I had my eyes closed.

I open my eyes thinking that they felt heavy. I have to squint due to the rain that just started gaining power by the minute.

I sit and look around, trying to recall my last memory, of how I ended up with half of my naked body on the river's shore. I frown when nothing comes to my mind. Panic starts to settle in me when my mind stays blank. Where am I? How did I end up on a river's shore at the bottom of a cliff? I look up through the rain. Maybe I fell from the cliff and hit my head with a rock in the river, but it doesn't add up because the river is almost still, barely flowing.

I stand up and my hand goes instantly to the back of my head, which was throbbing. Okay, I clearly hit my head with something, but I'm still confused. How could I fall from a cliff? I'm not that dumb as to go to the edge of it when the earth beneath at the edge could give way easily?

Maybe I was pushed?

I shake my head, trying to soothe the ringing in my ears and start walking up the river. I needed to understand how I came to be alive at the shore of the river. And when I spent almost an hour walking under the pouring rain, I see the raging river thrashing from one side to another, gaining speed. Well, clearly I woke up in the quiet part of the river.

Damn. What am I supposed to do now? What if my family is looking for me? Do I even have a family?

My chest tightened at the thought and my eyes start to tear up.

I was cold, tired, confused and most of all, scared.

With no sense of direction, I start walking toward the tree line, it was the only way I could think of going, because the opposite way was the river and the cliff.

I don't know how long I've been walking, but my stomach has been growling for the most part of my journey and the emptiness of it just makes my anxiety worse.

When I finally hear cars up ahead, I start running, and I almost trip at how fast I was running. Maybe I was good at sports.

Without thinking I jump onto the dark and wet street with my arms wide open, moving them up and down to call someone's attention. Didn't even cross my mind that I might have gotten hit by a car. Thankfully, the one coming my way dodged me on time, the wheels screeching loudly until coming to a stop.

My heart thumped rapidly in my chest, shocked at what just happened, my mind still confused and clouded.

"Dear?"

I turn at the voice and look at an old couple getting out of the car with umbrellas over their heads. I try to not cry loudly at how scared I was and how sorry I was for almost causing a crash.

"I-I'm sorry" I mumble walking slowly to them, my hands covering myself. Why was I naked? I couldn't stop asking myself that. "I just don't know where I am. Please, help me"

"Oh, poor thing" says the old woman walking toward me putting something over my shoulders. She was just my height. "Come, dear. We'll help you"

She guides me into the car and I sat there trembling, not even considering that they might be... who knows, murderers? I was just glad that I wasn't under the heavy rain anymore.

The couple gets into the car and I notice how they increase the heat, which I'm thankful for.

The old man start the car and we move through the narrow street that seemed to be in a remote place because couldn't see many street lights.

"Dear, what's your name?"

For some reason, I knew the answer right away.

"Riley" I say quietly and bite my lip nervously. I felt like a robot that was just reprogrammed and left in an unknown location. I felt so out of my element it was unsettling.

"Okay, Riley. Can you tell me what you were doing on the road this late in the night with this weather?" asked the lady, as if she was trying to hold her anger toward the person who misplaced me.

"I-I don't know" I murmured a little bit scared of their reaction. What if they think I was lying and told me to get out of the car? At this prospect, I start breathing loudly and heavily. I wanted my mom. But, who was my mom? Did I even have a mom?

"Oh, darling, no. Calm down, we will help you, but you must be patient, the nearest hospital is two hours away, okay?"

I nod my head, unable to say anything. I shut my eyes and thought of my mom, whoever she was and wherever she was. The fact that couldn't remember anything was making it difficult to stay calm, but I did my best. I thought that the only way to make the time go faster was by sleeping. Lucky for me, I had no thoughts to disturb me.

***

The doctor did a lot of tests on me so he could give an answer to what happened to me. I was twelve years old, and have amnesia caused by trauma. Trauma means I hit on my head. The doctor couldn't predict when my memories will return, if they ever did. I hope they do. The mere thought of forgetting who I was before the accident scared me in ways I thought were impossible.

Later, the police asked me a lot of questions until my head started hurting. I saw the confused face he made when a told him where I awoke. He says that part of West Virginia was heavy on flora, a big forest; but on the other side of the forest, miles away from where I fell, was a secluded town. But then Mr. Dynson, the old man that brought me here with his wife , wonders if maybe I went camping with my family, but the policeman says that part of the forest wasn't a territory available to camp because there is where most of the wild animals inhabit.

He just said that I was probably running from a wild animal and fell, and that I was lucky to be alive. He was going to take me to a foster home, but Mrs. Dynson says they will take me in until further notice.

While Mr. and Mrs. Dynson took me back to their car, I could only think that despite not having any memory of my life, I knew I was lucky I have found this lovely old couple.