a pinhole of light spirals into conciousness. blinking back tears at the glaring assault on my retinas, I squint and raise my hand to block the painful bright. Heavy raindrops begin to fall on the hillside, through the foliage of the tree I am leaned against, onto me. The water rouses me from the last grip of numb oblivion, and I rise, unsteady, to survey my suroundings. I am alone. I think I have been alone for a long time, but I cannot be sure.

I try to retrace my history and a flair of pain hits my mind and spreads slowly.
I catch glimpses:
a tossed ball
a small animal licking my hand
warmth and safety
cooed words
belonging

then nothing...for moments...the visions return, brighter. they come faster and faster:
pain
cruel laughter
names
names 'Aus'
names 'Austerlander'
poking, laughing, pointing
the snap of my arm breaking
I hear myself scream and a scene crystalizes in my mind... I am standing in the rain of deep night, blood drips from my elbows all the way down my arms and blades and pools on the body of the woman I stand over. She is rended and torn, there is blood in my throat and on my chin, and it is her blood.

Then I open my eyes, shaking, and survey the flat grassy plain around me. I am alone, it is raining. The voice in my head speaks "They need your help Chosen, you must find them...now." I cannot stop shaking, and although I know I have heard this voice before, and others, I dont know what it has made me do in the past...I fear for my soul as I stride down the hill towards the horizon.