Uncharted Pathways: Error Creating Story

It was the first time she'd seen me that way. She had been preoccupied with her own problems and hadn't even noticed me standing there, frozen in place. She was an attractive girl, with long brown hair, and a pretty face that almost seemed too innocent for this world, like a porcelain doll. I wanted to talk to her, but what would I say? I had nothing going for me, not even a name. My name used to be James, but I couldn't remember that. I couldn't remember anything about myself at all.

She was talking to her friends, who were laughing at something she'd just said. They finally noticed me staring at them and they looked away, embarrassed. The girl noticed too and turned around. She smiled when she saw me and said hello.

"Hi," I said back, "I'm..."

The words wouldn't come out of my mouth. It wasn't because I didn't know what was happening or why my memory had been taken away from me; it was because I didn't know who I was anymore. This world felt so strange to me; it was new and unfamiliar and even though I knew people lived here, they didn't seem real.

"My name's Amy," she said with a smile as she held out her hand towards me. "I've never seen you around here before."

"I'm new here," I said as I shook her hand. It felt cold in mine, but also soft and comforting at the same time. "I don't really have anywhere else to go."

"You can stay with us if you want," Amy offered as she took a step closer to me and put her arm on my shoulder. "We've got a spare room."

"Really?" I asked, feeling hopeful for the first time since waking up in this strange new world that felt so old to me yet so new at the same time. "Where are we staying?"

Amy pointed behind us down the street where a small house sat on top of a hill overlooking the town we were walking through now. It looked like it was falling apart in some places, but it wasn't visible from here anyway. There were only two windows facing us and both were dark inside except for one light which could've been coming from under one of the doors like Amy's house did when we walked up to it moments later after our hike up the hillside road that led up to it from the bottom of town where we met earlier today while shopping together after bumping into each other while looking through the racks of clothes at the shop we were both at where we both happened to pick out matching flower print shirts identical in style even though neither of us knew until we exchanged glances while trying to decide which shirt belonged to whose body as if deciding which belonged on which body when we ended up wearing them both instead while leaving together without paying as if made for one another when really neither of us knew why but grateful nonetheless for being able to leave together without paying after all being on our own again after spending so much time alone before suddenly finding each other again, not knowing how or why but somehow knowing it had always been that way, between two strangers who didn't quite feel like strangers anymore when suddenly someone bumped into us from behind causing me to drop one shirt and bend over trying to pick up both shirts before taking off running as if being chased by an unknown enemy fleeing from somewhere dangerous afraid for my life feeling my heart beat faster than ever before scared in a way unlike any other scared in ways only someone who had survived something horrible could possibly understand running away from something horrible just like everyone does whenever they run away whatever their reasons telling myself nothing bad would happen no matter how afraid I felt suddenly seeing Amy ahead of me smiling again although this time looking worried concerned worried about something that might happen when suddenly someone grabbed me by the shoulder making me turn around quickly unsure whether he was friend or foe either way fearful out of fear after all thinking nothing good would happen no matter how excited I felt eager somehow feeling something good might happen hoping nothing bad would happen no matter how afraid I felt jumping into his arms suddenly feeling safe no longer wanting anyone else around thinking whatever he wanted would be okay thinking he'd make everything okay thinking he'd be able to fix everything thinking he'd help find out who I am thinking he might help tell me why whatever happened left me this way thinking maybe he has answers maybe he knows what happened maybe he'll know what happened next thinkshouldleave him alone thinkshouldwalkaway thinkshouldrunaway thinkshouldgoaway trieswalkingaway triesrunningaway triesgoingaway triesleaving him alone triesleaving him alone triesleaving him alone triesleaving him alone but can't walk away can't run away can't go away can't leave him alone can't leave him alone can't leave him alone can't leave him alone can't leave him alone ...