Mark of the Rising Sun

The dreams didn’t ease up over the next couple of months. In fact, they seemed to get worse. The foster parents were always complaining about me waking them up in the middle of the night, or the fact that the sheets and my pajamas were always wet in the morning. They didn’t complain in my presence of course, but behind closed doors where they thought I couldn’t hear.

They knew it wasn’t my fault and blamed the accident for my episodes. They said it affected my dreams. They found a child psychiatrist for me to talk with. I still had no memories, and it halted all momentum. We talked quite a bit together trying to trigger memories that weren’t there. Eventually, she gave up, and I was left alone. I figured it was only a matter of time before the foster parents sent me away.

Then, one night, something changed in my dreams. It started the same, but when I heard the noise down below, I was distracted by something flying through the sky. At first, I couldn’t tell what it was, but as it got closer, I saw it more clearly. It was the most beautiful and majestic creature I had ever seen. It was pure white, had wings that stretched out and allowed it to drift along without much effort. My breath caught in my throat. I had only read about these things, they were a myth, a fairy tale. It was a pegasus, and it seemed to be searching for something.

The rest of the dream changed and I woke up the next morning happy and refreshed. Even the foster parents had noticed something was different. They attributed it to me getting better, but I knew different. The creature, the pegasus was protecting me. Each night it seemed to get closer to me, but it never reached me.

With renewed vigor, I attacked my self-created project of figuring out what happened to me. There didn’t seem to be any information. I used all my computer skills to try to find something, but came up empty. I tried looking from my old life, and found that I had developed an infection from rare bacteria and had been sent to a specialist. I was assumed dead. I sent e-mails to all my family members telling them that I was still alive and kicking. Best of all, I wasn’t too far away. We set up a weekend to meet up and talk and that was that.

The other side of the equation had even less information. I couldn’t pull up any information on my “parents”, the Greens, probably because they were fake. There wasn’t even much on me. All that was available was dated to about 4 years prior, shortly after my memories cease. There were pictures, and they showed a five year old version of the new me, so why had I lost four years? I needed to find answers.

I was getting frustrated, ready to give up, when I noticed a small, intriguing symbol in the browser I was using. I had never seen it before, but it looked like something out of a science book and mysterious at the same time. I don’t recall having seen it ever before. Curious, I clicked on it, and everything changed. It was as if a completely new internet had opened up. Excited and fascinated, I knew I was on to something. I started digging in this new realm of information.

What I found was pay dirt. I found articles on both the bacteria, and my supposed parents. Not really understanding anything about the germ, I focused on the people. They had existed, and better yet, we’re not dead. They had had a daughter named Angela who they adopted at age five. What it didn’t say was why they had given me up, or why, and how, my memories had been erased. They lived fairly close, and I would have to go to them for answers, but not yet. I would meet my real family first, and then get my answers.

It was a happy reunion all around when that Saturday rolled up. My family had thought me dead after all these years, and were glad to be proven wrong. It took some convincing, of course, as I didn’t look anything like my former self. With my memories of old, though, I convinced them of my true identity and reveled in having them back in my life.

The foster parents had been dubious too, when I told them. I told them that I had found extended family while I had researched the Greens. When all was said and done, everyone was happy, especially me. All was right with the world again, well, almost everything. There were still the dreams to contend with and answers to find.

I didn’t tell my foster parents about the Greens, and put more questions out there that I didn’t have answers for. I would seek them out on my own. Getting that done, however, was a bit of a chore. They were two cities away and I couldn’t travel that alone. At a loss, I thought about my dilemma, and found no immediate solution. I put it off for a while.

The dreams continued with the pegasus finally noticing us. It was even more beautiful up close, and seemed to shine with a Hopeful light that made the darkness run and hide. It stopped before me, and I longed to reach out and touch it. With that wish, a chain snapped and my hand came free. I reached out and touched the beast, and felt a warm presence next to me. Then I woke up.

A little disappointed, I sighed and went down to breakfast. Next to the dream encounter with the pegasus, real life seemed rather droll. I went outside and lazed around the backyard for a while, not at all knowing what I was expecting to happen. It was a dream, after all, the pegasus didn’t exist. I thought about this and other things as I lounged around.

Due to the topic of my thoughts, I thought my mind was playing tricks on me when I saw a white horse enter my backyard. It took me a couple moments to realize that it was, in fact, there. When I did, I immediately jumped to my feet and walked toward it. Unlike in the dream, the creature had no wings, and didn’t shine. Other than that, it could have been an exact replica of my dream horse.

I approached it cautiously, not wanting to scare it away. It noticed me, but let me approach, seeming to study me. I stopped a couple of feet away, uncertainty clinging to me. I wanted to move forward, but was unable to. Sensing my indecision, the pegasus came forward to right in front of me. Making a decision, I reached out and touched it, just as I had in the dream. With that, the world around me vanished.

When I looked around me again, we were in a meadow, but it was too bright and colorful to be real. Wild flowers grew everywhere, with all varieties and colors. The animal before me had transformed into the mighty beast I had seen in my dreams. Before I could speak, a voice rang out, clear and melodious, “Hello Angela, I have been looking for you for a long time, ever since I was a young foal.”

I was taken aback; it could speak and knew my name. There was something odd and wondrous going on. I had so many questions to ask, and finally decided on two. “Who are you, and why have you been looking for me?”

The pegasus seemed to smile, which was impossible of course. “My name is Hope. When I was young, my mother told me that one day I would become a familiar to a powerful witch. It was my duty to help and protect her. She said that this person would have the weight of the world on her shoulders, and would need my strength. Since I left her side, I have been searching high and low for you until today.”

“But…but…but,” I stammered, “You can’t be looking for me. I am not a witch, never have been. I haven’t even always been female.”

He looked at me and seemed to be gazing into my very soul. “There is no doubt; you are the one I seek. I knew it from the moment we first touched through your dreams. It seems your memories have gone. Perhaps they will give you the answers that you seek. Fear not, you are one who has great power.”

I stood in awe, never before had I considered myself powerful or special. According to Hope, I was both. I really needed to find answers, and my only link appeared to be the Greens. I would start there. “I know of people that might have answers, but I cannot get there alone.”

He got down, “Climb aboard, and I will take you where you need to go.” When I hesitated, he added, “Don’t worry, you will come to no harm. It is my duty and privilege to carry you. Please.”

Making my choice, I climbed onto the pegasus’s back. I was worried about falling off, but he assured me that I would be perfectly safe. Then the world revolved around me and we returned to the backyard. Without warning, Hope launched into the sky and started flying away.

A voice echoed in my head, “Where are we going? Just think it, our thoughts are linked.”

A bit surprised, I brought up the directions to the Green family home that I had gotten off the internet. Hope turned a bit and shot away towards the unknown. Flying was actually quite fun. I had no fear of falling, as Hope gave me courage, and I felt at home on top of her. I even looked down and enjoyed the view of those ant people down below. I worried a moment about being seen, but Hope informed me that we were shielded from prying eyes.

We reached our destination about a half an hour later. The house we landed in front of looked rather familiar. I could feel a memory trying to break free, but it didn’t quite make it. Cautiously, I climbed the porch steps and paused before the doorbell. With encouragement from Hope, I pressed the button and waited.

Two minutes later I heard someone approach the door and it opened. A lovely woman opened the door and looked at me. I heard, “Angela, what are you doing here?” before a bunch of images flashed before me and I passed out.