The Inn

I light a cigarette on my way to the train station. It's around 2:30 in the morning. A friend had talked me into joining him at the discotheque. The theme was 90s music, but honestly, I think it was the same as every other party; high bass party music and alcohol. I'm now taking a shortcut over a closed-off bridge that's been built as a connection over the railways. I shouldn't be taking that route, but I'm running late. If I cannot catch the last train, I'd have to wait until late in the morning.

"Hey! You, what You looking at?!"

The moment I tried to turn around, a shadow bashed my head in, I felt like it was about to burst into a million pieces. 

"Serves you right asshole..." I can hear steps faintly, of someone walking away.

...

I find myself in bed, birds chirping. Opening my eyes, I'm greeted by a young lady. There's a pair of cat-like ears pocking out of her hair. She's looking at me with curious eyes.

"Wait a cat girl?!!!"

F**k I said that out loud...

"Welcome to the great Inn" 

She grins at me, as she probably knows her situation.

"Where am I?"

"At the Inn..." She replies

"No I mean where is this?"

"You're in the town of Sora and you can call me Alice" She grins again.

I jump up and just as I want to get out of the bed I fall on my back again.

"ahhh..." A stinging pain drives through my head.

"Well, you have been hit pretty badly. When you first arrived, I didn't think you'd wake up ever again!"

"What! How long have I been out?"

"6 days..."

I gasped for air, trying to comprehend my situation.

"How did I get here?"

"Well, you came in from to the front door, half unconscious, my boss took pity on you"

Still processing.. silence... then

"I cannot remember"

"I'm not surprised" she answers.

I sit up.

"Can I have my phone. It must be somewhere in my jacket" I point at the jacket, hanging over the chair she sits on.

"Sure but I don't think you will have any connection here..."

"I need to call home. Is there any way?"

"Are you from the other side? You are..." she answers her own question, then brushes a white strand of hair from her face.

"Tell me about home" she proceeds.

I'm trying very hard to remember, going back in my memories to where I was hit on the head and where I was before.

"I kind of..., cannot remember right now"

"I'm not surprised" Again!?

"See, you couldn't be here if you hadn't amnesia or where born here. And you don't seem to be from around"

"I'm so confused" I answer. And I really am!

"Ill be back" She said that in a way as if it meant I should not worry to much, then hands me the phone and leaves the room.

I somehow feel happy having met her, the after image of her wavy, white hair, tied up loosely and those golden eyes, stay in my head for a while. 

...

I open my contacts on my phone and realize that there is indeed no connection.

About an hour later, I hear steps in the hallway, which then transform into the door creaking, as its being opened. In comes Alice and a pudgy looking man. He seems to be in his 40's and his stature fills the whole door frame.

"Hello again, this is my boss Uta, he's the one who carried you upstairs six day ago" Alice says.

The man looks at me concerned, but says nothing.

"Thank you for looking after me. Is there any way I can repay you?" I broke the silence.

"Straight to the point, I like that attitude. There is a way. You will be running some errands for me tomorrow, an employee of mine will show you around town" He says with a relieved tone.

That whole day I stayed in bed, mostly because of the headache. Sometimes Alice would come in and bring me tee. I had a lot to think over. I felt like a huge void had consumed me, having lost all the experiences I had made in this life I cannot remember.

...

The next day, I get up early. The headaches are manageable now and I'm appointed with Auel, Uta's employee. We meet in the kitchen downstairs, where the breakfast for all the guests is prepared. Auel has broad shoulders and is a head taller than me. His emotionless expression combined with the black coat creates a mystical air around him.

"Follow me" he says, while already leaving through the back door.

Auel showed me the main road where the inn is located also. The town lies beneath a hill, surrounded by woods and neighboring weed fields. There is a very medieval vibe to it, partly because most things are powered by gas here, I believe. After some sightseeing, we headed up town to a merchant who the Inn often does business with.

On our way to said merchant, I asked Auel: "I know that is a strange thing to ask, but in which country am I?"

"We are in no country. This is the town of Sora, a subspace created by gatherers, long time ago!"