Sakhi didn't dare to open the parcel. Instead, she kept it aside. She made herself a cup of coffee and sat on the chair near the window. As she stared outside, lost in thoughts, memories of the past slowly resurfaced.
Sakhi remembered the events that had led her to this isolated life.
Back then, she was in the first year of college. Full of energy and excitement, she looked forward to everything life had to offer. It was during that time she made two close friends-Raya and Alexi.
Sakhi met Raya on the first day of college. She was wandering around near the front entrance, having difficulty finding her classroom. Suddenly, someone bumped into her. Startled, the girl immediately began apologizing.
"I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going." Sakhi smiled and gently held her hand.
"It's okay. Calm down," she said reassuringly. The girl let out a sign of relief
"Hi, I'm Sakhi," she introduced herself Hearing the warmth in Sakhi's voice, the girl smiled.
"And I'm Raya."
Sakhi and Raya both were in the same class, they found their class. When they entered the class, everyone in the class was busy with one another. Sakhi looked around and saw a girl with spectacles sitting alone. Sakhi pointed at the girl and said,
"Let's sit next to her."
Raya nods her head in agreement.
"Excuse me, are the seats taken," said Sakhi.
"No," said the girl
Then both of them sat next to the girl.
A few moments passed in silence before Sakhi turned to the girl.
"I'm, and this is Raya."
The girl adjusted her spectacles and smiled.
"I'm Alexi."
As days went by, the three of them became very close. They were inseparable.
But, the poetry class one day changed everything. The lesson was based on the poem "To My Nine-Year-Old Self."
As the discussion began, the entire class eagerly shared stories and memories from their childhood.
Sakhi remained silent.
She tried to remember her own childhood, searching for even the smallest memory.
But there was nothing.
Not a single memory came to mind. For the first time, she realized that she couldn't remember anything about her childhood.
For the first time, Sakhi- the cheerful and lively girl everyone knew felt detached from her own emotions. From that day, she slowly began distancing herself from others.
Her friends tried their best to understand what was bothering her, but Sakhi couldn't explain it herself. Whenever they asked, she simply remained silent.
Days passed.
Then one day, Sakhi decided to ask her parents about her childhood. As soon as her class ended she headed straight home.
"MOM !MOM! MOM!" Sakhi shouted as she entered the house.
Her mother immediately came out of the kitchen.
"Sakhi, is there something wrong?" she asked calmly.
Sakhi took a deep breath.
"Mom, why can't I remember my childhood?"
But even her mother had no answer. For a moment, the room felt silent. Sakhi turned toward her father, hoping he would explain everything.
Yet he, too, remained quiet. Neither of them said a word.
But in reality, her parents had no answer. For years, they had feared the day sakhi would ask that question. They also knew it was only a matter of time.
The only thing they remembered was the vacation that changed everything. A vacation in the woods.
Sakhi was ten years old then. What had happened during those few days remained a mystery even to them.
All they knew was that one evening, Sakhi had disappeared. And when they finally found her lying unconscious deep in the woods.
When she woke up, she remembered nothing.
Not the woods.
Not what had happened.
Not even the childhood she had lived before that day.
After hearing this from her parents, Sakhi decided to seek the answer herself.
If the mystery had begun in the woods, then that was where she would start.
So she left behind the bustling city, her parents, her friends, and everything she had ever known, and moved to the countryside near the woods where she had been found unconscious.
Her parents tried to persuade her to stay, but deep down, they knew they couldn't stop her.
For Sakhi, this wasn't just curiosity.
It was her past.
And so, at the age of nineteen, she began a journey that would change her life forever.