Nara felt like she was drowning. Something pressed in on her from all sides. She tried to force her way through, but it dragged her back down. She couldn't breathe. She could barely think. Something was sucking the life out of her. Or sucking something out of her. Suddenly she broke free, and she saw all around her a great white expanse. She looked back, and saw the great blackness that she had broken free from. She felt tears rolling down her cheeks. She was free.

Nara opened her eyes and blinked a few times. Up above her she saw a slanted wooden ceiling. She followed the grains and cracks with her eyes for a minute, then turned her head to the side. A curtain was in front of her, separating her bed from the rest of the house. She heard hushed voices and other sounds from the other side of the curtain. She was lying in a bed, a rough wool blanket pulled over her. She felt like her whole body was made of heavy stone. It hurt to even breathe. She lay there, listening to the voices.

"I always thought you were crazy for always going into the cursed forest," said a woman. "And now I'm sure of it. None have entered or exited that forest except you for nearly a decade years, and then this last time you show up with that girl! Where'd she come from? Don't tell me people are still living there?"

"No," this time a man's voice. "People are not still living there. Like you said, no one has gone into or come out of that forest but me."

"And that girl! Where'd she come from?"

"I really am grateful that you could give her a bed for a day or two. She just needs to regain her strength."

"You really aren't going to tell me anything about her, are you?"

"No, I'm not." The man's voice had taken on an amused tone, and she heard the woman huff.

"Well, I have a mind to turn the both of you out of my house!"

"I know you wouldn't do that, Boka. Your heart is too big."

"Well, just you at least! Honestly, you drive me insane with all your secrets and such! Why can't you just come out with it?"

"If I told you all my secrets, you'd have nothing to wonder about."

"Oh, so you think I have nothing better to do than wonder about you all day? That's it, get out! Out I said!" But Nara heard the joking tone in her voice, and the man started laughing, the woman joining in.

Nara wondered who these people were and how she had gotten here. She struggled to remember something, anything, from before... but all she remembered was a hazy figure, untidy brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a long wool cloak. A boy. All she could remember was him. But wait... her dream, where she had been drowning in the blackness, then broke free. She remembered the feeling of freedom, of relief. Now all she felt was exhaustion. What had happened? She didn't know. Maybe the man and the woman could tell her.

Despite the heaviness of her limbs, she rolled over, and pulled the curtain aside just a little. She looked out into a small room. A large cooking stove sat against the far wall, with a large pot set on top, its contents simmering. Shelves lined the walls, filled with an odd assortment of items. In the middle of the room was a large wooden table, and sitting at that table was a woman, with long blonde braids and green eyes, with a spotless white apron over her brown dress. Sitting opposite her with his back to Nara, was a man. The woman, Boka, as the man had called her, saw Nara peeking out from behind the curtain, and her face split into a wide smile.

"Well, look who's woken up!" At her words the man turned around, and Nara gasped. It was the boy. But he wasn't a boy anymore. He had changed, grown older. But he still had that untidy brown hair, and those kind eyes. Nara stared at him, wondering how this could be. "Well, come on, let's get some food into you!" the woman said, getting up from the table and ladling a large portion of whatever was in the pot into a bowl. 

Nara pulled the curtain aside completely, then carefully sat up, but when she tried to get up off the bed, her legs immediately crumpled beneath her. But before she could hit the floor the man was suddenly there, his arms around her, holding her up.

"Woah, here, let me help you," he said as he lifted her up and gently sat her down on a chair at the table. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes I'm fine." Her voice was hoarse, and her throat felt extremely dry. The man noticed, and handed her a cup of water, which she gulped eagerly. The woman set the wooden bowl in front of her, which was filled almost to the brim with a thick stew. Nara took the wooden spoon the woman offered her, and began to scarf down the warm food. "Thank you," she said in between bites when she remembered her manners.

"You're most welcome. Looks like you've had a rough time of it, dear. And it smells like you could use a bath!" Nara stopped eating, looking at the woman. A wide smile was spread across her face, and she let out a bark of laughter. "I'm just teasing! You really don't smell that bad, though you look a mess." Nara could feel the layer of dirt and ash covering her skin, and she knew her hair must look like a rat's nest. "Not to worry, we'll get you cleaned up as soon as you're done eating."

"Thank you," Nara said again, very grateful to this woman that had opened her home to her. She continued eating, sneaking glances at the young man sitting beside her. Who was he? Why did she remember him, but nothing else? She wondered if she should ask these questions, but he hadn't told Boka anything, so why would he tell her? He probably had his reasons. Every time she looked at him, he was looking back. It was like he was waiting for her to do something. But what?

"How do you feel?" he asked suddenly, catching her with a mouthful of stew. She quickly chewed and swallowed, then paused.

"Weak. It's like I haven't moved in a long time, and I'm trying to remember how and find the strength to do it." She stopped and looked at him, waiting for his response. His brow furrowed, and he seemed to be troubled by what she said. "Is there something wrong with me? Please, what happened? I hardly remember anything."

"What do you remember?"

"I remember... you. But you were much younger."

"...Anything else?"

"Just a dream. I was trapped in darkness, then I suddenly broke free."

"And that is all?"

"I can remember nothing else." He seemed to mull this over. Then he quickly stood up and made his way over to the door leading out of the little house.

"Perhaps that is for the best. I will leave you to it, Boka. I will go and make preparations for our departure." With that he opened the door and went out. Boka had a scowl on her face.

"It seems neither of us will know what happened. Oh well, he must have his reasons. Finish up your stew dear, and we'll get you cleaned up."

Nara ate the rest of her stew, then followed Boka to another room in the back of the house where a large wooden basin stood.It was already filled with heated water, and Boka told her to take off her clothes and get in. Nara obeyed. 

The hot water felt really good, and she scrubbed and scrubbed with a bar of homemade soap to get all the grime off, while Boka raked a comb through her hair over and over again until all the tangles were gone. As Nara was scrubbing her neck, she noticed something odd.

There was a slight bulge in her skin where her collar bones almost met. She ran her fingers over it, but she didn't know what it was. Nara also noticed cuts in the palms of her hands that looked quite fresh. She wondered how she had gotten those, too. She wondered if she would ever know. The man didn't seem to want her to know what had happened. But for some reason she trusted him. If he didn't think she needed to know, then maybe she really didn't.