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The chairs and the outside tables were already stored, there was no one at the cafe but me and Damian. The sea was calm and the beach was almost empty, apart from a few couples watching the sunset and a family near the rocks. The orange sky and the pink clouds still manage to leave me speechless every day, even after five years of working in this place. I close my eyes shut so the tears don’t fall, I can’t believe I will leave tomorrow with no promise to come back. What if I don’t make it? What if I die somehow and I am just another soul, another name who vanishes in the sake of these twisted trials?

Before I can worry myself further, Damion steps outside. “My mom invented you for dinner tonight, will you come?” He asks me closing the door behind him and locking it. I refuse with a nod.

“I don’t want to be a burden” I say, but in reality I simply don’t know how to say goodbye to the family that raised my besfriend and, in some way, raised me too.

“You’re never a burden Perla. I…” He sighs, “We all want to say goodbye to you.” I smile through the pain as I grab his hand.

“It’s not goodbye, dummie. I’ll return.” I promise despite knowing what the future holds. “And I need time to pack and shower and, honestly a lot of rest.” I add and he lets out a small laugh.

“Fine, then let me walk you home at least.” I nod in agreement and we begin walking. We talked all the way about trivial matters, happy moments we shared together, we even made promises to write each other every day, though I doubt it will last. “I will be honest, I don’t know anything about your origins.” he says once we reach my doorstep.

“It’s fine, I barely know anything myself.” I said. I didn’t blame him for not knowing because I had no clue what being myself meant. Apart from the weird birthmark on my thigh, which looked like a ring of fire around my left leg, and the letter I received in the mail two days ago, I really didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t remember anything since before the accident and since Damian’s family are the only ones who even bother talking to me in this small village, I had no one no teach me. I couldn’t even find books about us.

“But I do not care, you are my friend Perla. I hope nothing bad happens to you when you’re there. And promise to visit me and write.” He affirms, his tone serious. I squeeze his hand thighter and give him a soft smile.

“I will, I promise Damian.” he smiles as well, his eyes watery matching mine. “I’ll miss you a lot dummie.” I add rushing him into a tight hug.

Not so long after, i close the door behind me. Standing now inside my lonely and poorly decorated house I feel nauseous. I never realized I would miss the place I always thought to be horrendous, but sometimes the ugliest things turn out to be the ones you cherish the most.

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The sun begins to raise as I stare through the window with the letter in my hands. I had everything ready, my pack full of essentials, food, a blanket, some change of clothes and some other useful things, still I couldn’t shake the anxious feeling crippling inside of me.

I knew I was diferent, ever since I woke up in this house five years ago with a mark on my leg and no memories. I struggled in the beginning, I kept wandering down the streets asking where I was but no one answered me, everyone walked away once they looked at my leg. But Damian was different, I still remember like it was yesterday, how he looked at me like I was insane but instead of judging, he helped me. I didn’t have much these past years, only this house, which looked more like an old rotting wooden cabin, and my job at the cafe that Damian’s family let me have. The food was little and my clothes have been worn hundreds or thousands of times, but I tried not to complain.

I hear a knock on the door and my heart skips a beat. I sigh as I stand up and then grab my bag and heading for the door. My hands shake as I open it, on the other side stands a tall old man and, further on the road, two horses, one gray and the other dark brown.

“Miss Perla, right.” The man says, his white hair and beard catch my attention. He looks so old, almost like Damian’s grandfather who is almost nighty, but still his voice sounds young. I nod. “Alright.” He sighs and heads for the brown horse but I stay frozen in place waiting for something more out of this first greeting. Was I just supposed to follow him, no questions asked?He is about to mount his horse when he stops and turns around, facing me. “Come one we don’t have all day, Miss.” he says, rushing me and motioning me to hurry and mount the grey horse.

“I’m sorry Sir, but I don’t know how to mount a horse.” I manage to say. He looks at me impatiently and steps away from his horse and heads for the grey. He lifts his hands and waves to me to get closer, I do hesitantly.

“I’ll help you get on the horse, but the journey you’ll do it on your own. It is easy just don’t overthink it.” He says. After securing my bag behind the saddle, and some explaining from his part, I manage to mount the horse. I am still adjusting my feet on the stirrup when he rushes to his horse and quickly mounts. With a quick movement from his feet the horse starts walking in a slow pace. I replicate the move and mine walks as well, it takes me a while to get used to the feeling of being on top of a horse, actually riding it.

The horses walked the whole day, stopping only when I demanded to go pee. During this time I learned little to nothing of what I was to expect. I tried asking this man where were we going, what his name was or why was I needed, but he ignored every time. I only learned that he was a man of few words.