I sit for a while, considering everything that has been going on, but I can’t sit much more. I need to get up and get in contact with my wife or find out where I am.
I head out and down the hall to the reception desk. A woman about my age is there. Someone that I do not recognize. “Hello, I’m Doug. I’m in the room just down the hall”
“I’m Lisa. We all know who you are Doug.” She’s smiling at me while giving me some light banter. “What can I help you with today, Doug, with no last name?”
“It’s about the stone, isn’t it?” I lean in a little over the counter to engage her banter on a bit more personal level. “What would I have to do so that even the elements know my name?”
“That’s just it, Doug.” Now also leaning in, as if the conversation is secret and private, grinning all the more. “You already have done something. Saving children in the middle of a kidnapping. Fighting off one of their attackers, two others dead. Guarding the children until help arrives. Some real news-worthy hero stuff there, Doug.”
“Yea, sorry, I don’t remember any of that. Talon said I had a shovel.”
She cuts in and continues “That only adds to the intrigue. You’re a hot topic and our local hero right now. I’m probably going to hear about it, from saying anything to you. Amnesia, hero, mysterious identity. You’ll be running for mayor if you don’t watch yourself”. Upping the banter.
“And here I was just trying to go home” I smile.
“What may I help you with?” There’s a little fire in her eyes and a smile that knows she got the better of me this round. She’s waiting for me to say something.
A little more serious “I want to find my wife. To know where I am. How to get back home. Normally I would just search the net, or look on a map. I know Officer Trailbreaker is looking, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to do things myself.”
She tells me. “Maps I can help with, but they are the children’s maps without any significant detail. That will at least get you started. Would you like that?”
“Yes please.” I reply and she leads more down the hall, just on the other side of the lunchroom, to what looks like a classroom size children’s activity room. There are a variety of books, games, and stuff that would be common for places like this.
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She locates and gives me a couple of thin large colorful books that are of maps. Smiling she nods and heads back to her desk. I sit and flip through what I have been given.
The maps are definitely not photos of Earth. Some are more cartoonish than others, nothing you would use to navigate anywhere with. Not Earth, not anything I know.
Time passes, a few more hours I would guess. Just sitting there flipping through different books. Watching the different families and people come and go. Thoughts to myself about what am I going to do.
----------------------------------------
“Here you are.” I hear Jenn as she finds me sitting in the room. “I was looking for where you had gone.” Pulling out a chair and sitting to the side of me at the table, her eyes scanning over the books. “Anything interesting.” She asks.
“Just looking for anything familiar.” Slowly shaking my head from side to side.
“Let's put these away for now and see what they are serving for dinner” she coaxes as she begins to clean up and put away the books.
I help her finish, then accompany her to the now transformed dining hall. We are given a choice between a meat-centered or vegetarian menu. I choose meat, Jenn a vegetarian. Just as we are served and begin to eat, Jenn’s mother, Lilly comes by.
“Jen honey, could you take over for Lisa, for a few minutes. I have to talk to her.”
“Ok” Smiling, Jenn gets up and just slightly rolls her eyes.
Lilly casts a glance at me as she walks back with her daughter. I know she is trying to take a read on me. I am oblivious to the situation. I am unaware and clueless. Happily eating my meal as the world passes a senile old man by.
I know exactly what Lilly is doing and it pisses me off a little for whatever trouble is coming Lisa’s way. She was gauging me for a reaction, to let her know how much potential harm Lisa caused by talking to me. Thirty-plus years of marriage has honed skills in me that are simply legendary. ‘Smoking-hot micro bikini babes on the beach while my wife is staring me down to see if I notice?’ Nil, nothing, just like that stone tablet. Lilly, you’re out of your league if you’re trying to get a read on me like that.
I watch Jenn as she moves from table to table, helping the different people and families out. Not looking at her as much as just being aware of the people in the room. Again, mostly families and a lot of older people who have come out for the meal. Jenn does give off a certain childish air and demeanor walking between the tables. Like a kid, a little too bouncy in her steps.
One of the children a few tables over is having a little trouble eating. A couple of parents are sitting next to him, a younger brother maybe nine or ten on the other side of the mother. The boy is having a little bit of a problem holding a spoon, the food falling off from time to time. Odd, I notice, because the rest of the family is not eating.
Suddenly there is an uncontrollable noise from one of the other children in the room. The sound shocks me into heightened alertness and clarity of thought, like nothing I can explain. “HA!” I also blurt uncontrollably out of my mouth. The blue ID hanging around this boy’s neck. All the old people. The name ‘Community Farms’. This is some kind of ‘Home’ for Special Needs children/nursing home! “HAHA.” I uncontrollably blurt out, thinking to myself that everyone is now going to be thinking I’ve got Tourette's syndrome.
I hold my wrist up, elbow on the table, staring at my blue ID band. “Do they think something is wrong with me?” I unknowingly say to myself out loud.
Jenn is back in her seat looking questioningly at me, asking “Everything ok?”
I turn a shocked look at her “It’s blue” I say. ‘What the Hell?’ I think.
The expression on Jenn’s face shows me she knows exactly what I’m talking about.
“Not a zero.” she says quietly to me, as much as to herself. Recovering herself, she continues as she tries to reassure me “That is just a temporary ID. The identifier showed no name or rank, I asked. This is what the city gave until your proper ID is found and verified.”
I am not responding, still lost in thought. Jenn goes through some of the ID colors, what they mean, and the differences when they are metal. I still have my wrist up, showing her it’s blue.