As Graves stood before the mirror, examining his physique for the first time, a loud thunderclap shook the room, the blue-white light of the lightning flash illuminating the space in a scary and surreal way. Graves was startled by the noise and tore his gaze away from the mirror, moving quickly to the window to see what was happening outside.

  What he saw there was a burning tree, struck by lightning and now ablaze despite the heavy rain. It was dangerously close to Jessica's house, and Graves watched with a mixture of fear and awe as the tree burned for a moment before finally being extinguished by the rain.

  After ensuring that the fire was safely extinguished, Graves retreated to his bedroom and fell into a deep sleep. The next morning, Jessica was awoken by the sound of her alarm ringing at 7:00 AM. She got out of bed and remembered that Graves was still sleeping at her place. Curious to check on him, she approached his bedroom door and opened it slightly, peering inside to see that he was still fast asleep.

  Deciding not to disturb him, Jessica headed to the kitchen to leave a note for Graves on the table, letting him know that she was going to work and wouldn't be late. As she wrote the letter, she couldn't help but notice that everything from the previous night's dinner was now in the sink, and a small smile crossed her face as she realised that Graves must have been trying to copy her and help with the cleaning up.

  But as she went to place the note on the fridge, Jessica hesitated. She realised that Graves might not recognize the refrigerator and therefore might not think to look there for the note. So, she decided to leave it on the table instead. With that, Jessica grabbed her car keys and headed out to work, leaving Graves to sleep peacefully in her home.

  Graves was still deep in sleep, his body finally getting the rest it had been craving for so long. But the sound of woodcutting outside his window was enough to stir him awake, the noise grating on his ears. He sat up in bed, debating whether or not to call out to Jessica, but then he realised that he couldn't remember her name. Frustrated, he muttered to himself, "What was her name?

  The sound of the woodcutting continued, growing louder and more annoying by the minute. Thinking it might be Jessica, Graves stepped out of bed and followed the noise to the window. But as he peered outside, he saw a man he didn't recognize, wielding a giant axe and cutting down the tree that had been struck by lightning the previous night.

  It was James, the same man who had first encountered Graves upon his arrival in the village. But Graves didn't remember him. He watched as James worked, not realising that he had been seen. It wasn't until James stopped to take a drink and his gaze landed on the window that he noticed Graves standing there. At first, he didn't know who the stranger was, but then he remembered that Jessica lived alone, with her parents long gone from the village and no male friends in sight. Curiosity getting the better of him, James took a few steps closer and called out, "What's up?"

  It was clear to Graves that James was talking to him, so he opened the window and leaned out slightly, greeting James with a simple hand raise. As soon as he did, James got a better look at his face and immediately recognized him. It was as if he had seen a ghost, and he let out a yell of shock.

  "What the hell are you doing right there?" James demanded.

  "What?" Graves replied, confused.

  "I will come for you," James declared, his voice filled with disbelief and anger.

  James was convinced that Graves had escaped from prison and had done something terrible to Jessica. Fueled by anger and fear, he grabbed his axe and stormed towards the front door, kicking it hard in an attempt to get inside.

  Graves, who didn't know James and saw him as a threat, retreated to the kitchen and grabbed a knife to defend himself. As he headed towards the door, he saw the note that Jessica had left and tried to read it, but the words were a blur to him. Frustrated, he tossed the note to the ground and approached the door, fearless in the face of the man with the axe.

  When he swung the door open, James was caught off guard and Graves took the opportunity to kick him in the chest, causing him to fall to the ground and drop his axe. But James was not ready to give up yet. As he scrambled to his feet and grabbed the axe once more, he was met with the sight of Graves standing there, knife in hand and a look of determination on his face. It was as if James was seeing a devil, and he hesitated for a moment before mustering up the courage to attack.

  James charged at Graves, ax raised, but Graves was quicker and more agile. He easily dodged James's wild swing and grabbed his arm, using it to slam James into the door. Then, with a push, he sent James stumbling backwards. But still, James refused to give up. With no weapon left to wield, he tried to attack Graves with empty hands. But Graves was ready for him. He threw the knife towards James's legs, and it found its mark above his right knee. James fell to the ground, both hands pressed to his wound as he bled and shouted in pain.

  Graves didn't seem to care about James's suffering. He simply closed the door and returned to the kitchen, picking up the note and trying to make sense of it. Then, he headed to Jessica's room, knocking on the door before opening it. But to his disappointment, she was not there.

  As James lay outside on the ground, he struggled to crawl towards a place where he might be able to get some help. But the distance between Jessica's house and the main streets made it nearly impossible for anyone to happen upon him. Despite his efforts, he remained stranded.

  Just as he began to lose hope, Jessica's car pulled up. She had returned home to retrieve a forgotten suitcase and spotted James as she was driving. Concerned for his well-being, she parked the car and rushed to his side.

  Jessica gently placed James on his back and saw that, although he was not in critical condition, his age made him vulnerable to injury. She noticed the knife lying nearby and recognized it as hers. With a worried expression, she asked James what had happened.

  Through heavy breaths, James replied that the perpetrator was still inside Jessica's house. Jessica was shocked, as she had left Graves sleeping inside only minutes before. How could all of this have happened in such a short amount of time? She asked James again if he was okay, still trying to piece together the events that had led to this disturbing scene.

  "I'm good," Graves reassured Jessica. "I was just worried about you. I thought he had done something terrible to you."

  As Jessica tried to make sense of the situation, she realised that Graves could be in danger. Without hesitation, she instructed James to wait where he was and rushed to her car. She retrieved her gun and drove at high speed back to the house.

  As she pulled up to the house, she left the car running and cautiously approached the entrance, her gun at the ready. She heard a noise coming from the kitchen and pointed her gun towards the doorway, demanding to know who was there.

  Graves emerged from the kitchen at the sound of Jessica's voice, but before he could even speak, Jessica fired a shot in his direction. She had not realised it was Graves and was mortified when she saw that she had nearly shot him. Luckily, the bullet missed him and passed through the door.

  Still trying to understand what had happened, Graves looked at Jessica with confusion. "Where did you go?" he asked, shaken by the loud noise of the gun.

  As Jessica tried to process the events of the past few minutes, she was overwhelmed with emotion. She had nearly killed Graves, and now she was beginning to suspect that he was responsible for the attack on James. Her thoughts were swirling as she struggled to keep control of the situation.

  Gently placing her gun on the table in the living room, Jessica closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself. Then she remembered that James was still outside, lying on the ground. She quickly returned to her car and drove back to him, determined to get to the bottom of what had happened.

  As she approached James, Jessica tried to lift him off the ground and help him into the car. "Who did this to you, exactly?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. Despite the chaos of the situation, she was determined to get answers and bring the perpetrator to justice.

  "It's the man I saw weeks ago," James told Jessica. "He was inside your house. I thought he had done something wrong to you."

  "And why did you think that?" Jessica asked, still trying to piece together the events of the day.

  "He's a savage," James replied. "You can tell just by looking at his eyes."

  Feeling torn and unsure of which side to believe, Jessica decided to hear Graves' side of the story as well. She helped James into the car and drove back home. When they arrived, she parked the car and went to assist James, but she was too exhausted to lift him out of the car. Instead, she placed him back inside and told him to wait there.

  Jessica then rushed to the house, where she saw Graves standing in the same spot, still and silent. "Help me," she called out to him, her voice laced with desperation. She knew that the only way to get to the bottom of what had happened was to gather all of the information and piece it together.

  Graves followed Jessica's lead and saw the man who had tried to attack him inside her car. However, as he watched Jessica try to help James, he realised that she cared about him and decided not to take any further action. He stood by the door while Jessica struggled to get James out of the car.

  Frustrated, Jessica turned around and saw that Graves was still standing there, not offering to help. "Can you please help?" she asked, her voice laced with anger.

  Graves quickly approached the car and assisted Jessica in getting James out of the vehicle and into the house. Jessica closed the car door and followed them inside, directing Graves to place James on the couch in the living room. As James lay there in pain, bleeding from the knife wound in his leg, Jessica closed the door and turned to Graves. "Can you please explain to me what happened here?" she asked, her voice stern and demanding.

  James stood before Graves, his chest heaving with rage. "I told you what happened," he spat out. "This freak tried to kill me!"

  But Graves remained silent, his eyes flickering between the two of them.

  Jessica stepped forward, her voice shaking with anger. "Did you do this?" she asked, her eyes narrowed at Graves.

  Graves looked at her, his expression cold and unreadable. "Yes," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

  Jessica's eyes widened in shock. "Why? One day out of prison, and you turn on to what you are?"

  Graves looked away, his gaze fixed on the ground. He didn't say a word.

  Jessica's anger boiled over. "Why did you do this?" she demanded, her voice laced with fury.

  Graves glared up at her, his eyes icy and unforgiving. "He was pounding on the door with an axe, trying to force his way in. What was I supposed to do? Just stand by and let him attack me?"

  Jessica's fists clenched at her sides. "How did this all start again?" she asked, her voice tight with frustration.

  Graves let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping. "I was standing at the window, when this man started shouting and cursing at me. Then he tried to break down the door.

  James nodded, his expression grim. "I thought he had escaped from jail and you were in danger. I thought he was after you... "

  When Jessica heard the true story, she sat down on the small couch with a heavy sigh. "James, I brought this man here," she said, her voice laced with regret. "The police decided he could stay with me until we found a relative or a place for him to stay."

  James snorted in disgust. "But he's a devil! Look what he did to me!" he spat out.

  Jessica turned to James, her eyes narrowing. "You tried to break into my house. What were you expecting an ordinary man to do? And why did you have an axe, anyway?"

  Graves cleared his throat, speaking up for the first time. "He was cutting down a tree outside," he said quietly.

  Jessica looked at Graves, then turned back to James. "You have to stay quiet about this," she said firmly. "You can't go around talking about this. Do you understand?"

  James crossed his arms over his chest, his jaw set in determination. "And let this devil just walk away, never! I won't allow it."

  Jessica let out a heavy sigh and shook her head gently. "The law is on his side, Graves. If you keep talking like this, you might end up in prison. He's living here now and he was just trying to protect his home. You need to understand that and move on." She paused, considering her words carefully before continuing. "This isn't the way to resolve things. There are other, more peaceful ways to handle this situation."

  James looked up at Jessica, his eyes pleading. "I know you're a good woman," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "Please, let me explain."

  But Jessica cut him off, her voice raised in anger. "You tried to break into my house! Can't you understand that? He did nothing wrong!"

  With that, Jessica stormed out of the room, desperate for some fresh air. The tension inside had become too much for her to bear.

  Graves and James were left alone in the room, the air thick with tension. Graves watched as James tried to remove the knife from his leg, the blood flowing freely. Without a word, Graves approached James and gently caught his hand.

  "If you remove the knife, you'll bleed even more," Graves said, his voice low and calm. "Let me help you."

  James looked at Graves, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he seemed to accept Graves' help, though he still looked unhappy.

  Graves went to the room where he was staying and retrieved a blanket. He tore it into two pieces, then returned to James, placing one in James' mouth and keeping one in his hand. "This will hurt a little," Graves warned, his voice sympathetic.

  "Graves gently moved the knife and pressed the other piece of the blanket against James' wound. James let out a cry of pain, despite having a part of the blanket in his mouth. The pain was intense.

  Jessica heard James' scream and rushed back into the room, fearing that Graves had done something terrible to him again. She was relieved to find that Graves was actually helping to stop the bleeding. She approached Graves and asked, "Did you apply some alcohol?"

  Graves looked at her, surprised. "What? No," he said.

  Jessica went to the kitchen and returned with a bottle of whiskey. "Step aside," she said, her voice firm.

  Graves looked at the bottle in confusion. "What is that?" he asked.

  "Whiskey," Jessica replied, rolling her eyes.

  "What does it do?" Graves asked, still looking puzzled.

  "Graves, I don't have time for this," Jessica said, frustration creeping into her voice. She poured the whiskey over James' wound, hoping to clean it of any microbes or infections. James cried out again as the alcohol burned his flesh. Jessica then applied pressure to his leg once more.

  Graves studied her with grave worry etched upon his countenance. "Allow me to propose an alternative arrangement," he said, his voice laced with solicitude. "I will remain here with him while you attend to your work. It would be unwise for any queries to be raised about your absence from your usual duties."

  Jessica turned to James, searching his face for any sign that he was uncomfortable with Graves staying with him alone. James nodded slightly, as if to say, "Yes, it's no problem."

  "It's all right, go ahead," Graves said, his voice reassuring. "I'll take care of him. I promise."

  "Okay," Jessica said, her voice laced with worry. "I won't be late. I'll use you as an excuse to come back early."

  "Anything that suits you," Graves replied, his expression sympathetic.

  With that, Graves placed his hands over the blanket covering James' wound, and Jessica headed to the bathroom to wash the blood from her hands. She then left for work, leaving Graves alone with James.

  Graves looked at James, his eyes filled with remorse. "Forgive me," he said quietly.

  James snorted in disbelief. "Oh, are you really asking for forgiveness?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

  Graves ignored the hostility in James' voice. "You have to calm down," he said gently. "It will help lower the blood pressure."

  James shrugged, his expression indifferent. "Whatever," he muttered.

  Graves looked down at the ground, his shoulders slumped. James watched him, feeling a twinge of guilt. He could see that Graves was truly sorry, but his ego wouldn't allow him to show it. After a moment, James cleared his throat and spoke up. "How did you end up here?" he asked, his voice hesitant.

  "I don't know," Graves replied, shaking his head.

  James frowned. "Did they tell you how you ended up in that condition?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

  Graves inclined his head in acknowledgment. "Indeed, I was informed that I was discovered unconscious and unclothed upon the thoroughfare. My gratitude for your recollection of me, despite the unfortunate circumstances," he said, his words tinged with a faint trace of acrimony."

  James looked at Graves, his expression apologetic. "Son, when I first saw you, I thought you were drunk. I was trying to help you by taking you to my place," he said.

  Graves looked at James, his eyes narrowed. "You sent me to prison?" he asked, his voice accusing.

  James shook his head, his hands held up in defence. "Prison? No! We thought you were dead!" he exclaimed.

  Graves didn't say anything, and James continued. "You still don't remember how you ended up like that?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

  "Graves turned his gaze towards James, his brow deeply furrowed.” Did she tell you that I am unable to recall events?" he inquired, his voice barely above a murmur."

  James nodded. "Son, your story is all over the village," he said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

  Graves looked around the room, a wry smile crossing his lips. "It seems to be a small village," he said.

  "With many mouths," James added, letting out a laugh.

  "Graves pivoted towards James, his countenance betraying a hint of curiosity.” Pray tell, what was the rationale behind your endeavour to fell a charred tree?" he asked.

  "You know," James said, his voice taking on a nostalgic tone, "in this village, you'll hear all kinds of stories. Let me tell you one. My father used to believe that burned trees caused by thunder were sent from the old gods.

  That's what my family believed, at least. It was like the trees were leading us to something, but we never really knew what. My father didn't have the same knowledge as my grandfather, but he still followed the tradition. He would take me with him every time we came across a burned tree.

  It became something of a ritual for us. It pleased my desire to learn about our family's history and traditions."

  "You mean it's something spiritual?" Graves asked, his expression curious.

  James chuckled. "My ancestors were pagans. They believed in a lot of stupid things," he said, shaking his head. "But what about you? What do you believe in?"

  Graves looked at James, his brow furrowed. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said.

  James looked at Graves, his eyes narrowed. "You don't worship anyone?" he asked.

  Graves shrugged. "It's hard to say. I don't remember if I ever did," he replied.

  James let out a laugh. "Jesus, now I'm even more afraid of getting old. You've made me paranoid about getting Alzheimer's," he said.

  Graves looked at James, his expression serious. "From the context, I'm guessing that's a disease, right?" he asked.

  James nodded. "Yes, it is. If you want to know what it does, just look at your condition," he replied, his voice laced with concern.

  Graves fell silent, and James continued. "By the way, what should I call you? I heard you can't remember your name."

  Graves thought for a moment before replying. "My last name is Graves. That's the only thing I can remember," he said.

  "Graves?" James said, his eyes lighting up with recognition. "I swear I've heard that name before."

  Graves perked up at James' words, hoping that this might lead to some information about his past. "Please, try to remember!" he urged.

  James held up his hand in a placating gesture. "Son, ten minutes ago I had a knife in my knee and I'm still bleeding. Just bear with me. My mind isn't at its best functionality," he said, his voice apologetic.

  Graves' face fell at James' words, and James saw the disappointment in his eyes. "But I promise you, son," he said, his voice sincere, "we'll help you find your family again. You're a good man."

  Graves snorted. "Ten minutes ago, you were calling me a devil," he pointed out.

  James winced. "Yeah, I say things sometimes," he admitted. "But Jessica is right. If I was in your shoes, I would've done the same thing."

  Graves smiled at James' words, and then he looked down at the blanket covering his wound. It was stained with blood and needed to be changed.

  He reached out and placed James' hand over the wound. "I'll search for something else," he said.

  Just then, Jessica entered through the front door, carrying a medical bag. Graves noticed that she had returned early and wondered why. He turned to her and asked, "Is everything alright?"

  "Graves directed his query towards Jessica, his tone laced with concern.” Pray, why did you not attend your place of profession as usual? Such an action would surely arouse suspicion!"

  Jessica shook her head. "Don't worry, I took approval for not attending today. But I went to the pharmacy and got some bandages," she said, holding up the medical bag.

  She approached James and said, "Let's get you properly healed."

  With gentle hands, Jessica removed the blanket from James' leg and began to clean the wound with medical alcohol. She carefully applied cotton to the damaged area and began to wrap it with bandages. When she had finished, she looked at James with a reassuring smile. "You'll be fine, don't worry," she said. "And I'm very sorry. Please forgive us."

  James chuckled. "Oh, don't think about it, darling," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "It's just a scratch." He looked at Graves and asked, "Can you give me the whiskey, please?"

  Graves picked up the bottle of whiskey and handed it to James. "Thank you," James said, taking a long swig.

  Jessica turned to Graves and asked, "And how are you feeling?"

  Graves shrugged. "Well, I'm not bleeding," he said with a small smile. "Oh, I saw that paper in the kitchen. I didn't understand anything."

  Jessica nodded. "Yeah, I noticed that you couldn't read it," she said. "Do you know how to read at all?"

  Graves looked at the ground, a sheepish expression on his face. "Well, I couldn't read what was on that paper, so...yes," he admitted.

  Jessica sighed. "Thank you for the information," she said, making a note in her head. "I'll add that to the task list."

  Graves looked up at Jessica, hope shining in his eyes. "You'll teach me to read?" he asked.

  Jessica smiled at him. "I'll teach you everything you need to survive and live a simple life," she promised.

  As Jessica and Graves were talking, James interrupted them by finishing off the bottle of whiskey and starting to ramble incoherently. Jessica turned to Graves and asked for his help in moving James to the bedroom that Graves was staying in.

  Without a word, Graves lifted James and carried him carefully to the room, laying him down on the bed. Jessica handed Graves a new blanket from her room and asked him to cover James with it. She left the door open as she left the room, leaving Graves to look after James.

  As Jessica and Graves worked to clean up the mess in the living room, Jessica took care of sterilising the knife that had been used to stab James, while Graves wiped away the blood from the floor. While Jessica was finishing up in the kitchen, she happened to glance out the window and noticed James' bag sitting next to the burned tree. She headed outside to retrieve it, passing by Graves as she did so.

  "What was James doing again?" Jessica asked him.

  "He was cutting the tree outside," Graves replied.

  Jessica frowned. "In this weather? That early?" she inquired, gesturing to the rain and the early morning sky.

  "Yeah, he was cutting the tree," Graves confirmed.

  As Jessica made her way back to the burned tree to retrieve James' bag, she noticed that Graves seemed to be carrying a heavy burden. She asked him to take a break and rest, reminding him that he had been through a lot in the past couple of weeks. She believed that it was important for Graves to not only take care of his physical well-being, but also his mental health. It was only two weeks since they had found him, and anyone who truly wanted to help Graves would do their best to create a supportive and calming environment for him.

  Without argument, Graves left the blood-stained blanket he had been using to clean up the floor and went to the bathroom to wash his hands. As he stood in front of the sink, staring at his bloody hands in the mirror, Graves suddenly experienced a series of unclear visions. A panic attack overwhelmed him, and he collapsed to the floor, unconscious.

  After fainting for eight hours, Graves woke up to find himself in Jessica's room. He glanced around and saw that Jessica was asleep on a small couch beside him. As he looked out the window, he saw that it was raining, as it often did in this village.

  Graves was drawn to the peacefulness of the rain and decided to step outside for a moment. Carefully, he opened the door and closed it softly behind him, making sure not to wake Jessica. As he walked through the house, he noticed that James was still sleeping, but he didn't stop to investigate further. Instead, he continued on his way to the front door and stepped outside, closing the door behind him.

  As Graves stepped outside, he was struck by the magical sight of the street lamps glowing in the rain-soaked night. The view was breathtaking, and the only sound to be heard was the gentle pitter-patter of the rain and the earthy scent of petrichor. In that moment, Graves felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over him.

  But his moment of contemplation was interrupted by the sudden appearance of a raven. It flew up to him and landed on a tree, staring at Graves as if it had some sort of message to impart. The raven held his gaze for a full ten seconds before taking off again, disappearing into the bushes.

  Curious and driven by some inexplicable urge, Graves set off after the bird, running through the rain with his face covered by his hand. He followed the raven for ten minutes, but his pursuit came to an abrupt end when he tripped over a tree trunk and tumbled down a mountain slope. As he rolled down the hill, he hit his head on a rock and lost consciousness.

  The raven, meanwhile, circled overhead, as if waiting for Graves to awaken. But Graves remained unconscious and bleeding for hours, completely unaware of the raven's presence.

  Jessica awakened at midnight, a feeling of unease settling over her as she realised that Graves was not in bed beside her. She called out his name, her voice echoing through the quiet house, but there was no response. Alarmed, she got out of bed and went to check on James, but he was fast asleep in his room.

  Determined to find Graves, Jessica made her way through the living room, her heart racing as she searched for any sign of him. But he was nowhere to be found. As she stood there, a sudden instinct told her to check outside. She went to the front door, opened it, and peered out into the rain-soaked night. And there, on the ground, she saw the faint footprints of someone who had been barefoot. She knew immediately that they belonged to Graves.

  Determined to find out where Graves had gone, Jessica set off after his footsteps, following them into the bushes. She held a flashlight in one hand and a gun in the other, ready for anything. As she moved deeper into the wilderness, she saw various signs that Graves had passed this way: a torn piece of his clothes, a broken branch, and more footprints.

  Finally, she reached a cliff, and as she peered over the edge, she saw evidence that someone had fallen from there. It was too dangerous for her to try and descend the slope on her own, so she turned and raced back towards her home, her heart racing with fear and worry. She grabbed her car keys and set off for the precinct, hoping to find someone who could help her search for Graves.

  As she pulled up to the station, she was relieved to see David's car still parked outside. She rushed inside, ignoring the curious looks from her colleagues as she made her way to David's office. When she opened the door, she found him sitting at his desk, his hands folded in front of him as if he had been expecting her.

  It was unusual for David to still be at the precinct at 2:00 AM, but Jessica was too focused on finding Graves to think much of it. She knew that he was the only one who could help her.

  As Jessica entered the office, she blurted out, "Sir, I need your help. It's Graves..." But before she could finish, she heard a voice behind her saying,

  "They know." She turned around to see Graves standing there.

  "What are you doing here?" she asked, confused.

  Graves didn't respond, but David did. "Jessica, please close the door and sit down," he said, gesturing to a chair.

  As Jessica took a seat, she could feel David's eyes on her, judging her. "I agreed to let Graves stay under your supervision at your house because I trust you and know how responsible you are," he said. "So can you please explain what happened?"

  Graves spoke up then, interrupting. "Excuse me, sir... can I talk?" he asked, his voice much more polite than usual. David looked at Graves with interest, clearly intrigued by this sudden change in behaviour.

  "I'm listening," David said, turning his attention back to Graves.

  "It was an accident," Graves explained. "I was just bored and wanted to go for a walk while Jessica was sleeping. I promise it won't happen again."

  "Sir, please, I promise I won't disappoint you again," Jessica added, her voice filled with remorse.

  David sighed. "Graves, can you please show us your head?" he asked.

  Graves turned his head to the side, revealing a gash on his scalp that was still bleeding. "He was lucky our night detectors saw him falling," David said, shaking his head. "He could have died."

  He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a release form, pointing to a blank line. "See this? It could have cost us our careers, and possibly even prison. Are you aware of how risky this is?" he asked, looking at both Graves and Jessica.

  "I understand, Sir," Jessica said, her voice filled with determination. "I promise he won't leave my sight again."

  David nodded. "Go, and take him with you," he said. "But first, take him to the hospital for a check-up. And you can work from home until further notice. Do not come into the office."

  "Thank you so much, Sir," Jessica said, relieved. "I promise I won't let you down."

  "This is your last chance," David warned. "Or I'll have to give the case to someone else, and we both know we don't want that to happen."

  "Understood," Jessica said, standing up. She turned to Graves and said, "Come, let's go."

  Graves stood up, his head wrapped in a bandage. The two of them walked out of the precinct in silence, but when they reached the door, Jessica stopped him with a wave of her hand and went to get the car. She pulled it up to the same spot where she had picked him up when he was released from prison, but this time Graves got in the car without her help.

  Jessica climbed into the driver's seat and glared at Graves, waiting for an explanation for what had happened. He noticed her anger and said, "What?!"

  "Explain yourself!" Jessica demanded, her voice laced with frustration.

  "Explain what exactly?" Graves asked, avoiding Jessica's gaze.

  "Why did you leave the house?" Jessica pressed.

  Graves hesitated, not wanting to tell her the truth about the raven. He was afraid that if he did, she would think he had gone crazy or was making up lies. So he decided to lie and said, "I don't remember."

  "How on earth can you not remember?" Jessica asked, her voice laced with frustration. "Are you even aware of how far you walked? If it's really true that you can't remember, I can't risk this anymore. I'm sorry."

  Graves felt guilty about what he had done, but he stayed silent, not wanting to admit the truth. Jessica looked at him and asked, "How did you zone out in the bathroom, anyway?"

  Graves remembered the last thing that had happened to him there. He decided not to lie this time and said, "I was looking at the blood on my hands. I had some unclear visions. That was the last thing I remember, and then I was in your bed."

  Jessica looked at his head, noticing that he was still bleeding. "Let's take you to the hospital," she said.

  "I'm fine," Graves insisted. "Let's go home."

  "But you're bleeding!" Jessica pointed out.

  "It's nothing," Graves said. "Please, let's just go home."

  Jessica hesitated, then asked, "Are you sure you're okay?"

  "Yes, I promise," Graves said.

  Satisfied, Jessica started the car and drove them home. When they arrived, she locked the front door and said, "I'm sorry, but that's how it's going to be from now on."

  "If it pleases you," Graves said, resigned.

  Jessica walked over to James's room and slowly opened the door. She saw that he was still sleeping, then closed the door and went back to Graves.

  "Isn't it weird that he's still sleeping?" she asked.

  Graves had noticed that James had been sleeping for over seven hours when he first woke up, but he acted like he didn't know what she was talking about and said, "What do you mean?"

  "James has been sleeping since 10," Jessica explained. "Now it's 4 AM."

  "I think he was tired, and the wound made him more exhausted," Graves said, trying to deflect the conversation.

  "You think he's okay?" Jessica asked, worried.

  "Don't worry," Graves reassured her. "Where he was stabbed isn't dangerous."

  "And how do you know that?" Jessica asked.

  "I don't... but I'm sure there is no critical artery there," Graves said, trying to sound confident.

  "You know what, you're weird," Jessica said, shaking her head. "What about your head?"

  "The bleeding stopped," Graves said. "I'm going to wash it. It's just a scratch."

  "Let me help you," Jessica offered. "You probably fainted when you saw the blood because you are traumatised."

  "Okay," Graves said, not understanding what she meant. They went into the bathroom, and Jessica asked Graves to take off his top and bend down so she could clean his head. When he removed his shirt, Jessica saw something that made her feel scared. She saw two knives marked on his back, one on the left side of his chest, below the shoulder, and the other one on the back of his kidney. Despite her shock, she didn't ask him about it, knowing that he wouldn't remember.

  Graves bent down on his knees and bowed his head, and Jessica approached him, her hand shaking as she placed it on his head and began to move it left and right, checking for any marks. But there was nothing. She turned on the water and started to wash his head, her eyes still glued to his body. Before she finished, she told him

  "Close your eyes, please," Jessica said, her voice shaking.

  Graves wasn't sure why Jessica had asked him to close his eyes, but he complied. As she began to gently wash the mud and grime from his head, he could feel her soothing touch as she ran her hand over him. He realised that she must be trying to spare him the trauma of seeing the extent of his injuries.

  After a thorough cleaning of his head, Jessica moved on to washing the rest of his body, which was caked in mud. She dried him off with a towel and applied a clean bandage to the wound on his head. Then, she filled the bathtub with hot water and said, "I'll step out for a moment. Go ahead and get in, but try to keep your head above water."

  Graves remained silent as he stood beside the tub, waiting for Jessica to leave so he could tend to his own hygiene. When she finally left the bathroom, he climbed into the tub and set about cleansing himself, his movements methodical as he followed her instructions to the letter.

  As Graves washed, Jessica returned to her room in search of new clothes for him. She rummaged through her wardrobe, eventually settling on the last pair of pyjamas she had on hand. She gathered them up along with a towel and returned to the bathroom, knocking softly on the door as she entered. "How are you faring?" she inquired.

  "I'm fine," Graves replied. "I finished."

  "Great," Jessica said. "I'll go back to my room now. Dress up and I've left the clothes on the floor."

  "Okay," Graves said, and Jessica left the bathroom.

  As he stood outside the bathroom door, Graves pressed his ear against it, listening intently for any sign that Jessica had left. Without a towel to wrap around himself, he knew he would have to wait until he was certain she was gone before he could retrieve the clothes she had left for him. When he was finally convinced that the coast was clear, he reached out and snatched up the garments, quickly dressing himself.

  Emerging from the bathroom, Graves saw that Jessica's bedroom door was slightly ajar. He walked towards it and peered inside, catching a glimpse of her as she busied herself with some task or other. "Hello," he said softly, breaking the silence.

  Jessica, who was drying her hands with a towel, looked up at him and said, "Hi, you look clean!"

  "Yes, thank you," Graves replied, "for everything."

  "Jessica: It's okay, and by the way, we should go shopping tomorrow to get you some new clothes and pyjamas. These are the last ones I have.

  "Jessica," Graves began, his voice laced with suspicion. "Why are you doing all of this for me?

  Is it normal to keep someone in prison, not knowing whether they are guilty or innocent, and then invite them to sleep in your house?"

  Jessica looked down, feeling a sudden rush of shyness wash over her. "I don't understand what you're trying to say," she mumbled. "It's my job. Sometimes, we have to make sacrifices and take risks with our own lives and careers in order to create a better society for others to live in."

  "I see," Graves replied, his tone less accusatory now. "I was just questioning out loud. Sorry if I offended you."

  "It's okay," Jessica reassured him. "And by the way, we should go shopping for some new outfits and pyjamas for you tomorrow. The ones you're wearing are the last ones I have.

  Graves remained silent, simply nodding in response to Jessica's suggestion that they go to sleep. The two of them stood awkwardly in front of each other, until Jessica broke the silence.

  "I think it's getting late," she said, glancing at the clock. "It's already 4 am. Should we try to get some rest?"

  "Do you have a place for me to sleep?" Graves asked hesitantly. "I can take the high seats if it's not too much of a hassle."

  "High seats?" Jessica repeated, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "What do you mean by that?"

  Graves gestured towards the living room, his finger pointed at the couches. "You know, the thing you were sitting on earlier," he explained.

  Jessica's eyes widened as understanding dawned on her. "Oh! You mean a couch!" she exclaimed. "That's what it's called."

  Graves nodded, a pleased expression on his face. "I learned a new word!" he exclaimed.

  Jessica shook her head with a smile. "The couch is pretty small. I don't think it would be very comfortable for either of us. How about we share the bed instead? There's plenty of space."

  Graves hesitated for a moment before approaching the bed from the left side and settling down on it. Jessica turned off the lights, then said, "Good night!" as she snuggled under the covers on her side of the bed.

  Graves didn't respond to Jessica's presence beside him. He was already fast asleep, his back turned towards her. He seemed a bit shy, opting to take the edge of the bed in order to give Jessica more space. Jessica mirrored his position, also turning her back towards him as she settled in to sleep.

  Despite the unusual circumstances, she didn't feel uneasy or worried about having Graves sleeping so close to her. She was simply too tired to care and closed her eyes, drifting off into a peaceful slumber.

  But Graves found it difficult to fall asleep. He heard the faint sound of fluttering and his eyes couldn't resist the urge to check what it was. He turned his head to look out the window and saw the same raven he had noticed earlier, perched on the branch outside. However, he didn't move or disturb Jessica. He simply closed his eyes and tried to return to sleep.

  The next morning, Graves woke up feeling well-rested and comfortable. He looked around the room, but didn't see Jessica anywhere. He assumed she had left the house and got out of bed to investigate. As he opened the bedroom door, he heard the sound of a knife hitting a table coming from the kitchen. He walked towards the kitchen and saw Jessica preparing food for the two of them.

  "You're awake!" Jessica exclaimed when she saw him.

  "Yes," Graves replied, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

  "I was just about to wake you up. The food is ready," Jessica said, gesturing towards the table.

  "Is James still here?" Graves asked.

  "Oh, no. I didn't see him when I woke up," Jessica replied.

  "It looks like he snuck out while we were sleeping," Graves remarked.

  "It doesn't matter," Jessica said, shrugging it off. "I'll stop by and check on him later today. But how did he leave? Wasn't the door locked?"

  Graves looked towards the living room and saw that the window was open.

  "He must have gone through the window," he said, pointing it out to Jessica.

  "I must have overlooked that," Jessica said, looking concerned. "That's very strange."

  As they walked into the living room, they noticed that the floor was wet with water. It was no surprise to Jessica, as it seemed to rain constantly in Aras. If they were lucky, the rain would stop for only a short period of time, or there might be a brief glimpse of sunlight. Jessica went to the window and peered outside, checking to see if James was still around. She then closed the window and turned to Graves.

  "I think he didn't want to wake us up," Jessica said. "I know him, he's very polite."

  "Well, you're lucky to know him then," Graves replied.

  "Yeah," Jessica agreed. "Now, let's eat. I'm starving."

  The two of them headed to the kitchen and sat down to have breakfast at noon. As they ate, Jessica spoke up. "After we finish, we're going to go outside. I want to buy you some new clothes and check up on James."

  "Okay," Graves said, nodding in agreement.

  After they finished dinner, Jessica and Graves prepared to go outside. Before they left, Jessica handed Graves a jacket and said, "Here, wear this. It's freezing outside."

  Graves looked at the jacket and asked, "What do you call this?"

  "It's a jacket," Jessica replied.

  "Ah, I see," Graves said, understanding. "Let me guess, it's worn for such weather."

  "You're a genius," Jessica said, rolling her eyes. "Now come on, let's go before it starts raining."

  The two of them headed to Jessica's car and set off. They drove to the only clothing shop in the village, but were disappointed to find that it was closed. Jessica cursed under her breath and said, "Damn it!"

  Graves looked confused and asked, "What's going on? Is something wrong?"

  "Don't you even read?" Jessica asked, frustrated. "The shop is closed. Can't you read the room?"

  Graves didn't understand Jessica's impulsive reaction and looked at her quizzically. She quickly apologised and said, "I'm sorry, I didn't get much sleep last night. Let's go check on James instead."

  Jessica drove to James' house and when they arrived, they saw him outside tending to his garden. He didn't appear to be injured, as he was moving around without any visible difficulty. Jessica and Graves stepped out of the car and walked over to him.

  As they approached, James noticed them and exclaimed, "Look who's here!"

  "Good afternoon!" Jessica greeted James. "You look great! How's your leg?"

  "I'm fine," James replied, shrugging. "I woke up this morning and saw that it was better. I must have been drinking too much," he chuckled.

  "I'm sorry," Jessica said, looking apologetic. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

  "Well, there is something," James said, looking thoughtful. "I was hoping you could have a coffee with me. Come on, let's go inside."

  "Gladly," Jessica said, smiling. She turned to Graves, who was standing behind her, and said, "Come on, let's go inside."

  Graves spoke up in a low voice, "Is it something hard? Like, something difficult?"

  "What do you mean?" Jessica asked, looking confused.

  "Is having coffee with James going to be difficult?" Graves explained.

  Jessica looked at him, noticing his sincere and concerned expression. "No, it's not difficult at all," she assured him. "Just follow me."

  Graves and Jessica entered James' house and took off their jackets, hanging them on a chair in the living room. James went to the kitchen to prepare coffee while Jessica and Graves stood beside him.

  "Don't get me wrong, but is there any particular reason for your visit?" James asked as he worked.

  "No, not at all," Jessica replied. "We just wanted to check up on you."

  "That's so sweet of you, my darling," James said, smiling. "I wish I had kids to come visit me during the holidays. Seeing you two here has made me so happy."

  "It's nothing," Jessica said dismissively. "It's the least I can do."

  "The least you can do?" James repeated, confused. "What do you mean?"

  "I'm just worried about you, that's all," Jessica said, trying to clarify her concern. "Were you able to walk on your own today?"

  James looked at her, puzzled. "Walk where?" he asked.

  "How did you get home?" Jessica pressed, her brow furrowed with concern.

  James's face softened as he realised that Jessica was worried about him. "I was home all day today," he said gently. "What are you talking about? Are you feeling okay?" he added with a hint of a joke.

  James didn't fully understand what she was saying, but he didn't press the issue. Instead, he approached Jessica and placed a cup of coffee in front of her, along with one for Graves. "Thank you," Graves said, gratefully accepting the drink.

  Jessica didn't respond to James' comment, instead looking concerned and confused. She was usually very polite, but something about what James had said seemed off to her. She whispered to Graves, "I think there’s something amiss"

  Graves whispered to Jessica, "Maybe he's still under the influence of what he drank last night."

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  Jessica continued to look at James, waiting for an explanation. James realised that he had upset her and quickly backtracked. "I didn't mean to bother you," he said. "It was just idle chit-chat."

  Jessica responded with a hint of attitude, "Was it?"

  Graves was surprised by Jessica's reaction and looked at her, frustrated. He could sense that something was wrong and that James wasn't acting like his normal self. Jessica had felt the same way from the moment she arrived at James' house. She decided to confront him directly and asked, "How did you get injured?"

  Graves tried to intervene, saying, "What?" But before he could finish, James replied, "I don't know. I woke up this morning and it was just there."

  Graves looked at James in surprise, but Jessica remained expressionless.

  She had already had a similar experience with Graves and wasn't particularly shocked by James' situation. As James looked at them, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

  "Did I do something terrible last night?" James asked, looking worried.

  "No, but..." Graves began, before being interrupted by Jessica.

  "No, you didn't," she said. "You were a little drunk yesterday and fell on the stairs."

  Graves was upset and concerned about why Jessica had lied to him, but he didn't say anything. They continued their conversation, with James saying, "I just hope I didn't hurt anyone. I think I'm getting too old to drink."

  Jessica reassured him, saying, “It’s okay. That's why we came by to check on you and see how you're doing."

  "That's very sweet of you, darling," James said, grateful for their concern.

  Graves was so upset that he wanted to speak out, despite being a normally quiet person. He couldn't contain himself any longer, so he decided to go outside the kitchen to calm down and keep quiet. As he moved a chair, he asked, "Where is the bathroom?"

  James pointed and said, "It's the last door on the left."

  Graves walked towards the bathroom, but something caught his eye. It was a sword hanging on the wall above the fireplace, just five metres away. He looked at it for a moment before continuing to the bathroom. Once inside, he closed the door, turned on the water, and washed his face.

  As he looked in the mirror above the sink, he couldn't help but think about how similar his story was to James'. He stared at his scars and asked himself, "How did I get these?"

  Then he turned off the water, opened the bathroom door, and saw that Jessica was about to knock. "What?" he asked.

  "I just wanted to make sure you're okay," Jessica said to Graves as he emerged from the bathroom.

  "Yes, I'm fine," Graves replied.

  "Cool, we have to go," Jessica said.

  "Is there anything else to do?" Graves asked.

  "No, but I think we should go," Jessica said.

  The two of them picked up their jackets from the chair and put them on, while James stood beside them. He asked, "Do you have any plans tomorrow?"

  "I don't think so," Jessica said. "Why?"

  "I was wondering if you could come over and have dinner with me," James said.

  "That sounds nice," Jessica said, turning to Graves. "What do you think?"

  Graves nodded in agreement, and Jessica looked back at James and said, "Yeah, we'll come tomorrow!"

  "That's great!" James said. "I'll be waiting for you."

  "See you tomorrow, then," Jessica said as she approached the door to leave. She paused and turned around, saying, "I'm sorry to ask, but do you happen to have any clothes for Graves? We didn't have anything for him to wear, and the shop was closed when we went by.

  "Wait here," James said as he left the room. He returned a moment later with a medium-sized travel bag, which he handed to Jessica. "Here you go, you'll find something in here. It was for my nephew, who used to visit me and have sleepovers. The last time he came was about two years ago, and I don't think he's going to use it again."

  "Are you sure it's okay?" Jessica asked.

  "Yeah, please take it," James said.

  "I don't know how to thank you," Jessica said.

  "Just come have dinner with me tomorrow," James said with a smile.

  Jessica and Graves left James' house, with Graves carrying the bag and placing it in the back seat of the car. As they drove home, Graves asked, "Why did you lie to him?"

  "I thought you were smart enough to figure it out," Jessica replied.

  "What are you talking about?" Graves asked.

  "It's good for us," Jessica said. "If anyone saw him and started asking questions, they would come after you, me, and David. But I can't believe he lost his memory like that."

  "Graves responded to Jessica's question with a shake of his head. "I can't remember either," he said. "Is it similar to my case?"

  Jessica thought for a moment before replying. "I thought that might be the case at first, but I think the amount of alcohol James drank was enough to clear out his memory. Do you think that's what happened to you as well?"

  Graves furrowed his brow in confusion. "I don’t think so, James didn’t have any issue with identifying the objects around him" he remarked.

  Jessica's question seemed to have caught her off guard, and she reacted by pressing down on the brake of the car and pulling over to the side of the road. She stepped out of the car and walked a few steps away, crossing her arms as she did so. Graves followed suit, watching as Jessica stopped and turned to face him. The sky was gloomy and the wind was harsh, but fortunately it was not raining.

  "How did this happen?" Jessica asked, her voice laced with concern. "First you, and now James? I don't know what's going on, but it's not normal.

  How did he look when he cut down the tree?"

  "Angry," Graves replied.

  "I don't know," Jessica said, shaking her head. "This is so weird. How can you not remember? And now how can James not remember?" She seemed to be talking to herself.

  Graves looked up at the sky, where he saw a flash of lightning in the gloom. He turned back to Jessica and said, "We should probably get going before the storm hits."

  Jessica returned to her car and drove back to her house, with Graves following behind in his own vehicle. When they arrived, it was almost 6:00 pm. Jessica went straight to the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of wine, then headed to the living room and started drinking. Graves, meanwhile, carried the bag that James had given him into the house and closed the door behind him.

  As he entered the living room, he saw that Jessica was already drinking.

  "What is that?" he asked, indicating the bottle of wine.

  "It's wine," Jessica replied, taking a sip.

  "I know what wine is," Graves said, smiling.

  "Well, then go get a cup," Jessica said, raising the bottle in invitation. "Let's celebrate."

  Graves didn't seem offended by Jessica's suggestion. Instead, he smiled and said, "You know, you look better when you're angry."

  Jessica turned to look at him, her expression serious. "Anger is natural beauty," she said.

  Graves nodded in agreement. "Indeed," he said. Then he stood for a moment, gesturing towards the kitchen with a nod of his head. "I'll go get a cup."

  He returned a moment later with a cup and sat down next to Jessica on the couch. He reached for the bottle of wine on the table and poured himself a full glass, rather than the half-glass that is typical when drinking wine. Jessica watched him with a raised eyebrow. "Are you sure you know how to drink wine?" she asked.

  Graves chuckled. "I know how to recognize it, yes," he said, raising the glass to his lips and taking a long drink.

  "Why did you fill your cup all the way up?" Jessica asked, eyeing Graves's wine glass.

  Graves shrugged. "What does it matter?" he replied.

  "Well, to get the best taste out of the wine, you should keep the glass half full," Jessica explained. "That way, when you swirl it, you'll get more oxygen in the wine and it will taste better."

  "I see," Graves said, taking another sip. "But you can't get drunk off of half a glass of wine."

  "You can always pour another half glass," Jessica pointed out.

  "I prefer drinking two full glasses to one," Graves said with a shrug. "The oxygen isn't going anywhere."

  He placed the bottle back on the table and took another drink from his glass. "It tastes like... wine," he said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

  Jessica looked at him thoughtfully. "Do you think James is hiding something?" she asked.

  "No, I don't think so," Graves replied. "Why do you ask?"

  "I don't know," Jessica said, shaking her head. "I don't think I'm mentally able to process all of this right now."

  She drained the remainder of her wine glass and poured herself another half glass. Graves could see that she was in a bad mood and felt sorry for her. "I'm sorry if I've been causing you any trouble," he said, trying to be comforting.

  Jessica ignored Graves's apology and asked, "Did James hit his head yesterday or something?"

  Graves looked at her in confusion. "What? No," he replied.

  "Well, your stories are similar then," Jessica said, frowning.

  Graves was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say. He couldn't remember what had happened and wasn't sure how to explain it.

  Jessica looked at him strangely. "How can you remember your brother but not your own name?" she asked.

  "Godwin?" Graves said, furrowing his brow. "Godwin is my older brother. We spent all our time together. I loved him so much."

  Jessica looked at him oddly. "Can you describe to me the time you spent together?" she asked.

  Graves wanted to talk, but as he opened his mouth to speak, he seemed surprised and looked around the room. Jessica watched him with a worried expression, asking, "Are you okay?"

  Graves looked back at Jessica and said, "I remember!"

  "What do you remember?" Jessica asked, leaning in slightly.

  "I remember the place we used to live," Graves replied. "It was called Vok."

  "Vok?" Jessica repeated, her brow furrowing. "Where is that?"

  "It's a place full of trees," Graves said. "The houses are made of stones."

  "Yes, go on," Jessica prompted. "Where is it located?"

  Graves shook his head. "I don't know. I can't remember exactly where it is, but I can remember what it looks like."

  "Can you remember anyone else?" Jessica asked. "Someone who lived in the city? Neighbours? A lover? A wife?"

  Graves closed his eyes and started to focus on his memories. It was as if he was seeing the city in his mind's eye and describing it to Jessica. "It's a big village," he said. "The edges of the city border a river, and there are huge mountains. There are a lot of trees, and I can see sand and woods. It's green everywhere, with tall trees and small ones."

  Jessica watched him intently as he spoke. "Tell me about the buildings," she said.

  "The houses are made from wood and canvas," Graves said. "They're not really buildings. They're just houses, surrounded by horses and sheep, chickens and turkeys. And there are many different kinds of birds."

  "Tell me about the weather there," Jessica said, prompting Graves to continue his description of Vok.

  "The weather is strange," Graves said. "It's cold, but there's no warmth. It's hot, but there's no sun. There's wind, but no storms. There's rain, but no gloom."

  Jessica nodded, taking in this information. "Tell me about your people," she said.

  "It's empty," Graves replied. "There's only me there, and... I can see my brother. He's standing right there, at the cliff."

  "What does he look like?" Jessica asked.

  "He's tall, with blond hair and a long beard and moustache," Graves said, pausing for a moment. "He looks sad. Disappointed." Suddenly, Graves's demeanour changed, and he began to speak to his brother in a more emotional tone. "Godwin, why are you crying?"

  Jessica thought that Graves had finished talking, and she reached for the bottle of wine to pour herself another glass. But then he continued, causing her to pause.

  As Jessica watched, she could see that Graves was losing control. "Graves?" she said, trying to get his attention.

  Graves seemed to be talking to his brother, even though there was no one else in the room with them. "Who did this to you?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

  Jessica tried again, this time speaking louder. "Graves?"

  Graves yelled, "Why aren't you answering me? Talk to me!"

  Suddenly, Graves acted as if he was being attacked. He grabbed his wine glass and hit it against the table, standing up as if he wanted to defend himself or attack someone. Jessica was shocked by his sudden outburst and quickly grabbed his hand, pulling him back down onto the couch.

  "What on earth was that?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

  Graves was breathing heavily and didn't respond. He was trying to catch his breath. Jessica saw that he was not himself and approached him, placing her hand on his head and trying to show him some care and kindness. "Graves, please," she said softly. "Calm down."

  Gradually, Graves began to calm down. "I've never seen him like that," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

  "It's okay," Jessica said, looking at Graves's face and seeing that he had tears in his eyes. She held his face between her hands and wiped away his tears, then looked into his eyes and felt something strange, but in a good way. It was like the first time she had looked into his eyes, and in that moment, both Graves and Jessica were not fully in control of their actions. So she kissed him, and they kept kissing for a moment before hugging each other.

  Jessica wasn't sure if Graves was mentally ill or just drunk when he was acting strangely. He had only had half a glass of wine, and she didn't think he had a high tolerance for alcohol.

  As Jessica and Graves hugged, she whispered in his ear, "I see peace in you. No matter what life throws our way, I will always stand by your side. Even if the world were to turn its back on you, I would never give up on you." Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke, her love and concern for Graves clearly evident in every word.

  Graves didn't reply, but he felt comforted by her warmth. It was everything he wanted, but Graves wasn't drunk. The vision he had seen was not normal for him. It was about his brother, and what he saw wasn't because he was ill. In the vision, Graves saw his brother standing on the edge of a mountain cliff, but when he turned around, he saw that his brother's face and body were covered in scars. Then ravens flew at him and started eating him alive.

  The vision stayed with Graves, and he couldn't stop thinking about it. Jessica released him from the hug and asked, "Do you want to sleep?"

  "Maybe later," Graves replied, still lost in thought.

  "I'll go to bed," Jessica said, feeling tired. "If you need anything, please come to my room."

  Graves nodded, and Jessica went to the main door, locking it before heading to her room. "Good night," she said before closing the door behind her.

  Jessica went to her room but left the door slightly open, so she could hear if anything happened. She lay on the bed, but couldn't fall asleep. She was thinking about Graves and James and everything that seemed unusual and strange. Graves was still in the living room, thinking about what he had seen. He felt something was wrong, and he felt sad and guilty, but he didn't know why.

  As he looked at the floor, he saw the broken glass he had caused and bent down to pick up the pieces and place them on the table. He went to the kitchen to get a blanket so he could clean up the spilled wine on the floor.

  Still, Graves was captivated by the rain. Every time he saw it, he would forget everything else and just stare at it. He kept looking at the view outside the window for a while before he heard a sound with an echo, as if it was a ghost saying, "Burn them alive." He looked behind him, but there was no one there. He told himself it was just an illusion and didn't think much of it.

  Then he went to Jessica's room and saw that the door was slightly open. He opened it a bit more and saw Jessica, who was still awake but had turned her back to the door. She sat up on the bed and turned around to see Graves standing in the doorway. "Graves!" she said. "Are you okay?"

  Graves approached Jessica and said, "Yes, I am good. I cleaned the mess."

  "Thank you," Jessica replied.

  Graves sat on the bed and looked at her, and Jessica looked back at him. She asked, "Do you want anything?"

  Before she could finish her sentence, Graves started kissing her, and she didn't mind it. She kissed him back, and they continued until they were

  both lying on the bed. Then Jessica asked, "Do you remember how to make love?"

  Graves climbed on top of Jessica and continued kissing her as they made love. They both seemed to enjoy it. After they were finished, Jessica fell asleep immediately, but Graves stayed awake for a moment, watching her. He then lay on his back and stared at the ceiling as the rain pattered against the window.

  Suddenly, a raven landed on the window and started croaking. Graves looked at Jessica and saw that she was still asleep. He slowly got out of bed and approached the window, but the raven didn't fly away. As Graves reached the window, the raven stopped making noise and flew away.

  Moments later, a thunderbolt struck a tree and set it on fire. The tree was about three kilometres from the house, but Graves simply stared at it, unable to fully process what was happening. The rain couldn't extinguish the flames, and Graves watched the burning tree for hours before finally returning to bed beside Jessica and falling asleep.

  As the sun rose on the new day, Graves woke up before Jessica. Gazing upon her peaceful face, he couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke her hair. As he leaned in to inhale its sweet scent, Jessica stirs and looks up at him with concern.

  "What are you doing?" she asks.

  "Oh, I'm sorry if I woke you up," Graves replies sheepishly.

  "No, you didn't... I saw you playing with my hair. Do you like it?" Jessica asks.

  "It smells good," Graves admits with a smile.

  Jessica leans in to give him a kiss. "Well, you're going to be smelling it often," she says playfully before slipping out of bed. "Now wash your face and check the bag James gave us. See if there's anything that can fit you."

  Without taking the time to wash his face, Graves arose from his bed and made his way to Jessica's room, bag in hand. As he stared at the simple black bag with a zipper, he found himself at a loss for how to open it.

  Frustrated, he headed to the kitchen and posed the question to Jessica.

  "What are we eating?" he asked.

  "I'm making eggs and bacon," Jessica replied, turning back to the stove.

  Graves simply smiled in response, but Jessica was quick to follow up with another question.

  "Did you check the bag?" she asked.

  "Oh, about that... I didn't know how to... use it?" Graves said, looking sheepish.

  Jessica placed both hands on the table and let out a sarcastic sigh. "You didn't know how to use it? You just have to open it, that's all!"

  "Yes... how?" Graves asked, looking even more uncertain.

  "Follow me," Jessica said, leading him back to her room. "There's a lot to teach you."

  As they stood in front of the bag, Jessica took hold of the zipper. "See this? It's called a zipper..." she said, slowly opening the bag to demonstrate. "And now it's open! And to close it, you just do this..." she added, closing the bag again with exaggerated slowness.

  Graves watched her intently, a look of newfound understanding on his face. "Looks easy," he said with a smile.

  Jessica let out an exasperated sigh. "No shit," she said, rolling her eyes.

  Reopening the bag, Jessica began rummaging through the clothes that James's nephew had left for them. "His taste is good," she commented as she sorted through the garments.

  Holding up a coat that looked like something from the 1940s, Jessica said, "I think this would fit you."

  Graves looked sceptical. "Your clothes are bizarre," he said.

  "What do you mean by ‘bizarre’?" Jessica asked, clearly offended.

  "I don't know. It just doesn't seem right," Graves replied.

  "Everyone in this world wears stuff like this!" Jessica exclaimed.

  But Graves didn't have a chance to respond, as he suddenly caught a whiff of something burning. "I think your food is on fire," he said urgently.

  "Fuck!" Jessica exclaimed, quickly turning off the stove and transferring the burning food to the table.

  Graves approached the bag and began browsing through the clothes inside, but he couldn't find anything he liked. So he emptied the contents of the bag onto the bed, closed it up, and carried it to the kitchen. Jessica was already setting the table, and Graves placed the bag by the door before joining her.

  "You'll love it," Jessica said with a smile, gesturing to the burned food.

  "No doubt!" Graves replied with enthusiasm as he sat down to eat. "Ah, I emptied the bag. Do you want to return it to James today?"

  Jessica sighed. "I completely forgot about the dinner. But no, I think we should keep it. I'll buy you new clothes anyway. I'll return everything later," she said.

  "As you wish," Graves said, shrugging.

  As they sat down to eat, Graves suddenly remembered the strange events of the previous night. "Is it normal for thunder to burn trees here?" he asked.

  Jessica shook her head. "No, it's not. But have you heard about the 'Red Snake' story before?" she asked.

  Graves looked intrigued. "Where am I supposed to have heard it? No, I didn't... but I'm interested," he said.

  "There's a myth here in this village that's been passed down through the generations," Jessica began. "It's about a giant, untamed, and feral snake that ruled over everything. They say it was long enough that if it wanted to surround the entire village, it would only need to use a quarter of its body. And it was big enough that if enemies tried to ravage the town, its body could be used as a wall. But despite all that, it was very unjust. It would kill its own kind just because it was bored."

  Graves leaned in eagerly. "And then? What happened?" he asked, captivated by Jessica's story.

  Jessica continued, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "After years of unjust rule, giants, wizards, and ordinary people secretly plotted a revolution against the red snake. They planned to use black magic to make it disappear. On the night of the revolution, all the giants stood in a circle around the wizards and ordinary people, so they could complete their spell without being attacked by the snake. But to make the spell work, they had to sacrifice three ordinary people to satisfy the spirits and devils. And so they did... After only a moment of the sacrifice, a giant hand appeared from the ground and pulled the red snake down to a place where it could never return."

  Jessica stopped and looked at Graves, waiting for his reaction. But Graves didn't realise that the story had come to an end. "So... how is this related to my question?" he asked, looking confused.

  Jessica continued the story, her voice taking on a more mysterious tone.

  "After the giant hand took the red snake, it still had followers. But do you know who they were?" she asked.

  "Who?" Graves asked, leaning in even further.

  "Devils," Jessica replied gravely. "It's true that they helped with the spell, but they weren't satisfied. There was a battle in the other world between the devils and the angels - good and evil. The god of evil, they called him 'Kare', was controlling the thunder to fight the good. And do you know who was considered good?"

  Graves thought for a moment before answering. "Uhhh... trees?!" he guessed.

  "Bingo!" Jessica said, looking impressed.

  "What happened next?" Graves asked, still eager for more.

  "They say that the war is still raging between the two parties, and the red snake is still promising revenge when it returns," Jessica said ominously.

  Graves looked out the window while still sitting at the table, as if he was lost in thought. Jessica noticed and saw that he had many questions on his mind. She reached over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

  "It's just a story, don't overthink it," she said gently.

  Graves turned back to her and smiled. "Every story has a moral, and we should learn from them," he said.

  Jessica raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh... What are we supposed to learn from such a story?" she asked.

  Graves looked at her intently. "This isn't a story. It's reality," he said firmly.

  Jessica looked at him, then at his plate. "I think you should finish your plate. We have a lot to do today," she said, standing up from the table. As she moved her plate to the sink, she remembered when Graves had placed all the food inside the sink. She turned around and scolded him.

  "We only place dirty and used dishes, spoons, and cups inside the sink," she said sternly.

  "Okay!" Graves said, looking chastened.

  As Jessica left the kitchen to wash her face after breakfast, she noticed the bag that Graves had placed on the kitchen doorstep. She grabbed it and called out to him.

  "I'm going to put this in the basement," she said, heading off to the storage room.

  Graves heard what Jessica said, but he didn't understand. So he left the table and followed her to see what she meant by "basement."

  The cellar was located inside the house, near the living room. It was precisely located under the floor, with doors that were placed on the ground. The basement doors were a little unusual - their geometric aspect was strange, but their physics were excellent.

  There was a hole in the floor of the basement, surrounded by four small iron circles that ropes could be rolled over. On the gates, there were four iron gaps fixed to them, two on each door. Finally, there was a rope rolled over the four circled iron passing through the four iron gaps. That's how the gates were locked. If someone wanted to open the gates, they had to loosen the rope, causing the gates to fall but remain stuck at the edges by the connectors.

  As Jessica released the rope and prepared to open the basement, Graves stood behind her, watching intently. "What is that?" he asked.

  Jessica turned to him, her expression a mix of confusion and irritation. "That's the basement," she replied, "which I would have thought was obvious, considering you were just standing here a moment ago."

  Graves frowned. "But why is it like that?" he asked.

  Jessica sighed. "Well, basements aren't usually made like this. But my dad was an interior designer, and he always liked to experiment with new designs. He said that creating a basement like this was his worst invention."

  Graves raised an eyebrow at Jessica's explanation. "Why didn't he change it, then?" he asked.

  Jessica's expression grew sad. "He died a week after he finished it," she said quietly.

  Graves's expression softened. "Oh, I'm sorry," he said.

  Jessica gave a small shrug. "It's been a while now," she said. "But thank you for your condolences."

  There was a pause as Graves seemed to consider his next question. "How did he die?" he asked finally.

  Jessica took a deep breath before answering. "Heart attack. We woke up the next morning and he wasn't breathing."

  Graves nodded sympathetically. "I'm sure he's in a better place now," he said.

  Jessica nodded, a small smile on her face. "He was a good person," she said.

  As Jessica released the ropes and the gates to the basement fell open, she turned to Graves. "Can you please handle the bag?" she asked.

  Graves handed the bag to Jessica, who took it and began to descend down the ladder into the basement. Graves approached and looked through the gates, watching as Jessica made her way down the ladder. When she reached the bottom, she turned and saw Graves standing there, staring at the ladder. "You can come down," she called up to him.

  Graves waited until Jessica was all the way down before following her, taking hold of the ladder as he descended. As he reached the bottom, he looked around the basement, taking in its narrow, cramped space. It was barely big enough for three people to stand side by side, but it stretched out long and narrow, with shelves lining the walls on either side. The shelves were cluttered with old boxes and various items that Jessica and her family no longer used.

  Jessica watched as Graves looked around, a small smile on her face. "Never been in a basement before?" she asked.

  Graves and Jessica stood in the basement, surrounded by all manner of unwanted items. Graves turned to Jessica, a quizzical look on his face.

  "I don't remember being down here," he said. "But it seems like this is where you keep everything you don't want anymore."

  Jessica nodded. "Yes, we 'store' it down here."

  "But why put the bag here? Aren't we going to return soon?" Graves asked.

  Jessica looked down, her face taking on a sad expression. "I always have an excuse to come down here. It reminds me of my father," she said quietly.

  Graves stepped closer to her, wrapping his arms around her in a hug. "The dead are not really dead," he said softly.

  Tears welled up in Jessica's eyes as she hugged him back. After a moment, Graves pulled away, taking Jessica's hand. "Come on, let's get out of here," he said.

  As they left the basement, Jessica hesitated at the door. "Can you help me with this?" she asked, gesturing to the heavy door.

  "Of course," Graves replied, stepping forward to lift the blockers.

  Jessica took the rope in hand, passing it through the hangers and rolling the corners together to secure the door. When she had finished, Graves stood back, admiring her handiwork. "That's it," he said.

  "Easy, huh?" Jessica said, gesturing to the rope that stretched across the basement floor.

  Graves frowned. "But is it safe? What if someone stepped on it?"

  Jessica chuckled. "Oh, it's super safe. It doesn't look like it, but trust me. Come on, I'll show you."

  She stepped onto it and stood confidently. "See?" she said.

  Graves's eyes widened in surprise. "That's something new," he said.

  Jessica grinned. "We can both stand on it and still be safe. The actual physics of how the rope is implemented can release the tension from the woods to the string. It can carry four people and still be safe."

  Graves nodded. "I think this 'pointed to the basement' is a good invention," he said.

  Jessica's smile faded slightly. "That's what my mom said, but my dad thought she was just trying to buy him off. He didn't understand why she wanted it."

  "Is she dead? Your mother?" Graves asked.

  Jessica shook her head. "No, but she left the village when my father died. She said she couldn't handle it here without him."

  "Didn't you have any siblings?" Graves asked.

  "They left with her. They all thought it would be too hard living here," Jessica said.

  "Why did you stay?" Graves asked.

  Jessica looked down, her eyes sad. "I couldn't abandon him. I feel him sometimes here. I believe that he is still living with me," she said quietly.

  Graves studied Jessica for a moment before speaking. "I see," he said. "But judging by how you talk about this place... what was it called again?"

  "Aras," Jessica replied.

  "Right, Aras," Graves said. "Isn't it better if you left for a better place?"

  Jessica shook her head. "You wouldn't understand," she said, turning away.

  Graves reached out and gently touched her arm. "What don't I understand?" he asked.

  Jessica hesitated, then sighed. "Never mind. I'm going to go take a shower.

  You should go change your clothes." And with that, she turned and walked away, leaving Graves to ponder her words.

  After a few minutes of looking through Jessica's clothes, Graves found a white shirt. It was wrinkled, but he put it on anyway. As he struggled to close the shirt at the beginning, he glanced in the mirror to see how it looked on him. However, the mirror in Jessica's room wasn't long enough to view his entire body. Remembering that there was a taller mirror in the living room, Graves went there and stood in front of it, examining his reflection.

  But as he stood there, something caught his eye. He saw the bag that James had brought with him on the day he tried to break into Jessica's house. Curious, Graves turned and approached the bag. It was similar to the one that James had given to them, but smaller. When Graves opened it, he saw two axes, a small shovel, and a necklace with a cross. He picked up one of the axes and started examining it, and as he did, he had some unclear visions, as if his brain was restoring some memories. He also heard sounds of screaming and running, but he didn't faint. He remained normal, fixing the axe back into the bag and closing it, but leaving it on the bed.

  Jessica finished her shower and went to her room. She saw that Graves was wearing the shirt, but he didn't seem to notice her coming in. He was staring out the window, lost in thought.

  "You look sharp," Jessica said, breaking the silence.

  Graves turned around to see Jessica standing behind him, wrapped in towels. "I found this," he said, holding up the shirt. "I think I'm going to wear it today."

  Jessica nodded. "Yeah, but it needs to be ironed. Leave it here," she said.

  Graves chuckled and said, "Whatever."

  Jessica rolled her eyes. "You really need to get your memory back," she said sarcastically.

  "Graves nodded. ‘I have a question,' he said. 'The last time James came here, did he take his bag with him when he left?'

  Jessica frowned, trying to remember. "Oh, I can't remember. Why?"

  "I saw this in the living room. I remember it was with him that day," Graves said, gesturing to the bag.

  "Yeah, that's it. What's inside?" Jessica asked.

  "Axes, a shovel, and a cross," Graves replied.

  Jessica sighed. "I just don't want to think about what's happening around here." she said.

  Graves shook his head. “but something doesn't feel right," he said.

  Jessica stepped closer to Graves, placing her hand on his face and tilting it up. "Your face is getting better," she said.

  Graves touched his scars self-consciously. "The scars, you mean?" he asked.

  "Yeah," Jessica said softly.

  Jessica looked into Graves's eyes, feeling the same intense attraction she had felt the first time they had eye contact in the cell. She leaned in to kiss him, and as they kissed, the towel covering her upper body fell to the ground, exposing her to Graves. Jessica began to unbutton Graves's shirt, continuing to kiss him as she did so.

  "Who are you?" Jessica whispered between kisses. "Why am I so attracted to you?"

  Graves leaned in and pressed his lips against Jessica's. She responded eagerly, their bodies pressing together as they embraced. After a moment, they parted, both of them breathless. They lay together on the bed, entwined in each other's arms, as they caught their breath.

  "Do you remember having someone in your life?" Jessica asked, running her fingers through Graves's hair.

  Graves shook his head. "I don't remember, no," he said.

  "Diana said that you can't forget your loved ones," Jessica said.

  Graves nodded. "Yes, I think she's right. I believe that's true," he said, smiling at Jessica.

  "The first time I saw you, you weren't awake," Jessica said. "I asked myself, 'Why does he look so special?' I was attracted to you from the moment I saw you, and that's why I asked to work on your case."

  "How did I look back then?" Graves asked.

  "We thought you were gone forever," Jessica whispered, her eyes filled with emotion. "But your spirit fought on, refusing to give up. When I saw you awake for the first time, I knew deep in my heart that you were innocent. Your eyes, clear and bright, betrayed the goodness within you."

  "That's very poetic," Graves said, smiling at Jessica.

  Jessica cocked her head to the side. "Are you making fun of me?" she asked.

  Graves shook his head. "No, not at all. It's really poetic," he said.

  Jessica smiled. "Come on, it's going to be dark outside in an hour. Let's get ready," she said, getting out of bed.

  Jessica began rummaging through her clothes, looking for something to go with the white shirt. She eventually found a pair of black cotton pants and held them out to Graves. "Here, try these on," she said.

  Graves put on the pants and looked at Jessica for approval. She nodded. "Nice, it's like it was made for you," she said.

  "You think so?" Graves asked.

  Jessica nodded. "Give me five minutes. I'll iron the shirt, and you'll be ready," she said, taking the shirt and beginning to iron it.

  Graves watched her as she worked, a thoughtful expression on his face. "I feel like an intruder," he said. "I mean, what is all of this?"

  "It's okay," Jessica reassured Graves. "You will learn to survive again. I think you're a fast learner, so it won't take you long to get used to new things. Your shirt is ready, come and put it on," she said, holding out the freshly ironed shirt.

  Graves took the shirt and put it on, and Jessica smiled at him. "If you get a haircut, you'll look like a model," she said.

  Graves chuckled and said, "Thank you, I guess."

  "Now, it's my turn to get dressed," Jessica said, heading over to her closet.

  As the days passed, Jessica and Graves found themselves getting lost in each other's company, the mysteries of Graves's past and their unlikely connection fading into the background. In truth, Jessica had been drawn to Graves from the moment she laid eyes on him, and that was why she had offered to help him. She was emotionally drained, her heart heavy with the weight of her family's absence, and she found herself constantly returning to the past, seeking solace in the memories of her father and the warmth of his presence. All her life, she had searched for that same sense of belonging in the small village where she had grown up, and when she met Graves, she knew she had finally found it.

  Jessica couldn't shake the feeling that she was doing something wrong. She knew that he had a family out there, somewhere, and that she should be helping him to find them instead of selfishly trying to keep him all to herself. But try as she might, she couldn't control the way she felt. She had grown so close to Graves in the time they had spent together, and in her mind, she had created a place for him in her life. It never occurred to her that he might already have someone else.

  Graves couldn't shake the feeling that he was an intruder, an outsider in a place where everything was strange and unfamiliar to him. He knew nothing about himself or his past, and he felt lost and alone in the world.

  But despite all this, Graves couldn't bring himself to blame himself. He knew that he was in a vulnerable position, and that his ignorance was his biggest enemy. Every time he saw something he didn't understand, he couldn't help but feel like a crazy or ill person.

  In this dark and confusing time, Jessica was the only person who had believed in Graves and helped him. She had become his rock, his anchor in a world that seemed to be constantly spinning out of control. He trusted her completely, and he knew that she was the only one who could help him regain his memory and reconnect with his family.

  When they finished getting dressed, Jessica looked outside the window and saw the rain falling. "Don't forget to take your jacket," she said.

  "Is it always raining here?" Graves asked.

  "Yes, Aras is also known as the 'God Lakeland', because the waterfall never stops," Jessica explained.

  "I see," Graves said. "Shall we go?"

  They left the house and got into the car, driving to James's house. As they drove, Graves asked Jessica a question.

  "Do you not have any company or friends?" Graves asked Jessica as they drove.

  Jessica sighed. "I keep my circle small, and it's hard to have friends when you're a cop," she replied.

  "So James is your only friend?" Graves asked.

  "He's not really a friend," Jessica said. "He was a friend of my father's and treats me like his daughter."

  "I see," Graves said, nodding.

  "Why do you ask?" Jessica asked.

  "I've never seen you go or talk to anyone other than him," Graves said.

  "You’re detail-oriented, I guess," Jessica said with a small smile. "But yeah, I don't have many friends. Believe me, when you get to know the people who live here, you'll see how blessed it is to keep it small."

  "Well, in that case, I hope your only friend is a good cook!" Graves said with a grin.

  They both laughed as they continued driving until they reached James's home. When they arrived, Jessica parked the car and they both ran to the doorstep, trying to avoid getting wet. They knocked on the door twice before James opened it with a smile.

  "I can't be luckier! Come in, please!" he said.

  "It's freezing out here!" Jessica said as they entered the house.

  "I turned on the fireplace, it'll be warm in minutes," James said.

  Jessica and Graves took off their jackets and hung them up by the main door, then sat beside the fireplace to warm up. James stood in front of them, looking at them with a smile. "The food will be ready in a few minutes, please make yourselves comfortable," he said.

  "That's great, thank you for the invitation," Jessica said.

  "Oh, no, thank you for coming! Now, excuse me," James said before heading off to finish preparing the food.

  James was pleased that Jessica and Graves had come to his house for dinner. He had been living alone in the village for a long time and didn't have many friends. He only had one, but they weren't in touch on a daily basis.

  Jessica and Graves were left alone in the living room. Graves looked around, taking in the different interior design at James's house compared to Jessica's. As he was browsing, Jessica noticed and interrupted him.

  "Did you like it?" she asked.

  "He has something in his house... I don't know what it is, but it looks different," Graves replied.

  "You were here the last time, why didn't you notice that?" Jessica asked.

  "I didn't really get a chance to look around the last time," Graves said with a smile.

  "But yeah, you're right. His house decoration is a bit... old. The first time I came here, I told him he was still living in the past," Jessica said with a smile.

  Graves also smiled, but remained quiet, enjoying the warmth of the fire. Then he remembered the sword he had seen the last time at James's house. He looked at it again and said, "Why is he keeping a sword at his house?"

  "It's a decoration. People do that. It's normal. Why are you asking?" Jessica replied.

  "No, I'm just curious," Graves said.

  "I'll go check if James needs any help. Stay here if you want," Jessica said before leaving the room.

  Graves stood up and made his way over to the walls, his eyes fixed on the paintings hanging there. He walked closer, examining them closely, his curiosity piqued. The vibrant colours and intricate details captured his attention, and he found himself drawn into the worlds depicted on the canvas.

  As he stood there, lost in thought, he couldn't help but wonder about the stories behind each piece of art. Who had painted them? What had inspired them? And most of all, why did James have them hanging in his home? These questions and more filled Graves's mind as he stood there, lost in the beauty of the paintings.

  As he scanned the first painting, his gaze was immediately drawn to the massive magical door that sat amidst a verdant, natural setting. Trees and bushes surrounded the door, their branches swaying slightly in the breeze. The weather in the picture was overcast, with a gloom that seemed to hang in the air, though no rain fell. A crowd of people had gathered around the door, divided into two groups.

  On the left side of the door, a group of warriors stood ready for battle. They brandished swords and axes, and some had taken cover behind the trees, arrows nocked and ready to fire. They seemed to be waiting for someone to emerge from the magical door, and they were clearly prepared to fight.

  On the other side of the door, a different group of people had gathered. They also carried weapons, but these were not drawn. They seemed to be waiting to welcome someone, their saviour perhaps, with open arms. Despite the tension that filled the air, there was a sense of hope and anticipation as they waited for the arrival to appear.

  The second painting depicted a massive mountain, its craggy peaks reaching up into the sky. Atop the mountain stood a herculean throne, upon which someone sat, surveying the landscape before them. On the side of the hill, a river flowed, its waters sparkling in the sunlight. Trees grew along the banks of the river, their leaves rustling gently in the breeze.

  People could be seen hiding behind the trees, their movements furtive and desperate. It seemed as though they were trying to escape without being seen by the man on the throne. The scene was one of fear and tension, as the people sought to evade the gaze of the powerful figure on the mountain.

  The third painting depicted a massive rock, upon which a flipped cross had been placed. Skulls and bones lay scattered around the base of the rock, a grim reminder of death and destruction.

  In the fourth painting, a group of people could be seen gathered at a funeral. However, this was no ordinary funeral. The scene was reminiscent of Viking funerals, with people gathered on the banks of a river as a burning ship carried the body of the deceased downstream.

  As he made his way through the four paintings, Graves couldn't help but stop and stare at each one for a moment. He seemed captivated by the images, as if he could hear the voices of the scenes depicted within them.

  Jessica approached and saw the look of fascination on his face.

  "Are you into art?" she asked, her voice laced with amusement.

  "It's terrific," Graves said, his eyes still fixed on the paintings.

  "Do you draw?" Jessica asked.

  "As far as I can remember, no," Graves replied. "Do you?"

  "If you're saying I look like an artist, then... thank you!" Jessica exclaimed, a smile playing on her lips. "But I'm not gifted in that way."

  "The art world has suffered a significant loss, then," Graves said with a smile.

  Jessica chuckled and replied, "I didn't know you were such an excellent flirter."

  "What is that?" Graves asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.

  "I'll explain it to you later," Jessica said with a smile. "Come on, the food is ready."

  With that, Graves and Jessica made their way to the dinner table, which was situated beside the kitchen. James was already seated at the head of the table, with Jessica on his left and Graves on his right. The table was laid out with a feast of pasta, chicken, soup, and various appetisers. A bottle of wine sat beside Jessica, who busied herself with filling the plates of the others.

  "Son, this shirt looks sharp on you," James said, breaking the silence.

  "For that, I'll give you thanks," Graves said, a hint of gratitude in his voice.

  "Tell me, son, how old are you?" James asked, his eyes fixed on Graves.

  "I..." Graves hesitated, a look of confusion crossing his face.

  "Don't push him," Jessica interjected. "He still can't remember."

  "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bother you," James said, a look of concern on his face.

  "No, it's okay," Graves assured him.

  "James, the food smells really good. I hope I'll like it."

  "It smells good; I can't wait to fill my tummy," Jessica added, a smile spreading across her face.

  "So, how are you spending your time these days?" James asked, turning his attention to Jessica.

  "Well, I'm staying home with Graves," Jessica replied. "David ordered me to do that."

  "Oh, so it's like you're living together now?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.

  Jessica looked over at Graves before replying, "It's just part of the job."

  "Yeah, I understand," James said. "Being a cop isn't easy, I'm sure.

  "Yeah, big time," Jessica agreed.

  "I have to say, when I was a kid, I wanted to be a cop," James admitted. "But my father prevented me from following that path."

  "Oh, I never knew about that," Jessica said, her eyes widening in surprise.

  "Yeah, he told me that this job could cause me trouble, but parents never know how their kids feel when they take away their dreams," James said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

  "I see that you're still thinking about it," Jessica observed.

  "No, but sometimes I think, what if I had become an officer? Wouldn't it have been better than staying home?" James asked, a look of contemplation on his face.

  "Do you have any regrets?" Jessica asked, her voice laced with concern.

  "Never," James replied firmly. "My father told me once that whatever you do, whatever decision you make, is always the right one.

  "And how is that?" Jessica asked, intrigued.

  "You know the difference between us and God, except that he has all the power and everything," James explained.

  "I can't think of anything beyond that," Jessica said, shaking her head.

  "God can see things that we can never see," James continued. "He can see the bigger picture, but we think we're wiser than God. Our pride and ego make us believe that we know better, but the truth is, we know nothing."

  "That's going to leave a mark," Jessica said, a look of thoughtfulness on her face.

  "I hope you both learn a lesson from this," James said. "But everything happens for a reason. God has made our lives based on what our souls can handle. We think we're overwhelmed and tired, but when you see what would've happened if things had gone differently, you'll be thankful for how your life turned out."

  Jessica couldn't help but feel a shiver run down her spine. "Then she smiled," she said to James, who was seated across from her.

  "Never regret anything,"

  James replied. "It's a big mistake."

  Graves, who was also at the table, looked over at James and asked, "So you're saying I'm here for a reason?"

  "Not just you," James replied. "All of us are here for a reason."

  Graves nodded, "I see."

  As they continued to eat, Jessica turned to James and asked, "Excuse me, do you have any butter?"

  "Yes, it's in the freezer," James replied.

  Jessica stood up from her chair and walked over to the freezer. As she looked out the window, she saw that the road was covered in snow. "Looks like we might be stuck here tonight," she said as she turned back to Graves. "If I hadn't asked for the butter, I wouldn't have known."

  Graves and James were trying to understand Jessica's earlier statement when she suddenly exclaimed, "It's snowing!"

  James chuckled, "Oh, how lucky. Don't worry, I have an extra bedroom."

  After they finished their dinner, the trio settled into the living room with cups of wine in hand. James tended to the chimney, adding more wood to the fire, while Graves and Jessica snuggled up on the couch. James eventually joined them, raising his glass of wine and saying, "I love winter."

  "I think now I know why you love this village so much," Jessica added.

  James raised his glass and said, "Cheers!" before setting it down and looking around the room.

  Jessica's gaze landed on the painting that Graves had been examining earlier, and she asked, "How did you get these paintings?"

  Graves perked up at the question, his attention turning to James as he waited for an answer. "Oh, these?" James said, smiling. "My father inherited them from his dad. Honestly, I didn't decide to put them up here.

  They were already here when I was born."

  "So, do you know what they mean?" Graves asked.

  "What do you mean?" Jessica inquired.

  "Every painting has a story, message, and lesson," Graves explained.

  Yes, you are right, son," James replied. "My Dad told me that this painting dates back to my ancestors a long time ago."

  He turned to the first painting and pointed, saying, "This painting is called 'The Return of The Savior.' As you can see, there are two groups of people gathered, one physically prepared and the other not seeming so. But they are both waiting for the same guy, and each group thinks that when the Saviour appears, he will fight on their side."

  Graves asked, "But the other group isn't prepared?"

  "That's an excellent question," James replied. "They are prepared, but spiritually. Do you know who these two groups represent?"

  Graves looked at James, waiting for him to continue. Jessica was also listening intently to the story.

  James explained, "It's the fight between good and evil. The good are spiritually prepared and are sure that he will stand by their side when the saviour appears. But the evil are always worried. That's why they are raising their swords but not fighting."

  As Jessica gazed at the first painting, she couldn't help but feel drawn to it.

  Graves glanced at the second painting and asked, "What about this one? Do you have any thoughts on it?"

  James, who had been quietly observing the paintings, chimed in. "That one is called 'Ignoring the Devil,' but I don't think it holds any deep meaning. The title speaks for itself." He then turned to Graves and said, "Son, can you fill my cup?"

  Jessica offered to do it and James gratefully accepted, thanking her with a nod.

  Graves turned back to James and asked about the third painting. "What can you tell us about this one?"

  James sighed and replied, "To be honest, I'm not sure. But I remember asking my father about it and he said, 'Sometimes it's better to stay ignorant.' He never shared his analysis with us."

  Graves nodded thoughtfully. "Your father seemed to be a wise man."

  James agreed. "Indeed he was. But in my opinion, these paintings are all connected. They all have one exact meaning. My father believed the same thing, but he never revealed his thoughts on it to us."

  Jessica interjected, "You mean they all belong to one artist?"

  James shook his head. "No, but somehow these paintings ended up on the same wall for a reason. They all hold a common meaning, even if we don't know exactly what it is."

  Graves nodded in agreement. "I agree. They all have one meaning."

  Jessica couldn't resist asking, "And what do you think that meaning is?"

  "Graves hesitated when asked what he was good at. “I don't know," he said, glancing over at Jessica.

  James turned to Graves and asked, "Tell me, what you excel at professionally? Do you recall?"

  "He has a good knowledge of birds," Jessica interjected, her eyes fixed on Graves.

  James looked back and forth between the two of them, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "Well, that's certainly something," he said. "What about you, Jessica? When do you plan on returning to work?"

  Jessica hesitated, her gaze flicking over to Graves. "I think I should wait a little longer, I can’t keep Graves home alone" she said hesitantly.

  James turned to Graves and asked, "How long do you plan on staying at home, doing nothing? If you want to regain your memory, I think you should interact with more people and do something, rather than just sitting at home all the time."

  Jessica looked confused and asked, "What do you mean by that, James?" Even Graves seemed uncertain about what James was suggesting.

  James frowned, shaking his head. "What if we find him a job?"

  "A job?" Jessica exclaimed. "In his condition?" She gestured towards Graves, her expression concerned.

  But James was undeterred. "I don't see any problem with that," he said, turning to Graves with a smile. "Are you disabled?"

  Graves looked at Jessica, then back at James. "I think he's right," he said quietly. "You should go back to work."

  Jessica looked torn, her eyes flickering between James and Graves. "But..." she started to say, but James cut her off.

  "What are you good at, son?" he asked, turning to Graves.

  Graves shrugged, a pensive look on his face. "I don't know," he said. "I suppose I have a good knowledge of birds."

  Jessica nodded, a small smile on her lips. "Yes, he does," she said, looking proudly at Graves. "He's always been fascinated by them."

  James smiled and said, "I might know someone who could hire you."

  Jessica was curious about the job, but for some reason, she hesitated to ask. After hours of chatting and drinking in the living room, they talked about a variety of random topics. When it was late and the roads were still blocked by the snow, James offered them a room to spend the night in.

  Despite her initial excitement about the idea of Graves working, Jessica couldn't shake the feeling of unease as she settled into the room that James had generously provided. She preferred the comfort of her own bed, and so she found herself pacing restlessly by the window, hoping that the roads would clear up enough for her to make the drive back home.

  As the hours ticked by, Graves, who had already retired to bed, watched Jessica with a curious expression. "Aren't you going to sleep?" he asked.

  "Oh, I thought you were sleeping," Jessica replied, turning to him with a sheepish smile.

  "What is it you're thinking about?" Graves inquired.

  "Nothing, really. I just don't like sleeping outside of my own place," Jessica explained. "I'm just waiting for the roads to get better."

  Graves sighed and shook his head. "I don't think the snow will be off early, not before morning. At least try to get some rest," he urged.

  Jessica hesitated for a moment before finally nodding in agreement. She made her way over to the bed and climbed in beside Graves, turning to him with a concerned expression. "Do you think you'll be able to work?" she asked.

  "I don't know what I'm going to work for, but you were right," Graves said, his brow furrowed in thought. "I do have a good knowledge of birds."

  Jessica tilted her head to the side, studying him curiously. "How do you still remember that, but not everything else?" she asked.

  "I think it's the same reason I can remember my brother," Graves replied, a distant look in his eyes.

  "Does your brother look like you?" Jessica inquired.

  Graves shook his head. "We have the same eyes, but everything else is different. We don't even look alike," he said.

  "Do you think he's looking after you?" Jessica asked softly.

  Graves shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe," he said, a hint of hope in his voice.

  "I would like to meet him," Jessica said, a sincere look on her face.

  Graves raised an eyebrow. "Why him?" he asked.

  "He's the first one you remembered, yet you can't remember your name," Jessica explained.

  Graves gave her a small smile. "What a mystery, huh?" he said.

  Jessica nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. "What could it be, Graves?" she asked.

  Graves gazed at her, his eyes full of emotion. "I will tell you whenever it hits me," he said before leaning in to give her a soft kiss.

  After their conversation came to an end, Jessica fell asleep while Graves remained wide awake. It was around 2:00 AM when he heard the sound of a door closing, as if someone was leaving the house. With a sense of curiosity, Graves slowly climbed out of bed and approached the window to get a better look.

  To his surprise, he saw James with a bag in hand, walking through the snowy night. Graves tried to wake Jessica, but she was deeply asleep. Deciding to investigate on his own, Graves slipped out of the room and quickly dressed before heading outside to follow James and see where he was going at such a late hour.

  As James walked down the main road, Graves followed closely behind, taking care to stay hidden in the shadows. James was poorly dressed for the cold weather, but he seemed undeterred as he made his way through the trees. Graves kept a careful distance, hiding behind the trees as he tried to make sense of James's strange behaviour.

  As they walked, James continued on for another half hour without stopping. Just as Graves was beginning to wonder if he would ever find out what James was up to, he spotted a faint glow in the distance. As he drew closer, he realised with a start that it was a tree that was burning.

  With a sinking feeling, Graves watched as James approached the tree, dropping his bag to the ground and pulling out an ax. He began hacking at the tree with determined strokes, leaving Graves to wonder why James would be cutting down a tree in the middle of the night.

  When James was finished, he picked up a shovel and began digging a hole in the ground. He dug until there was enough space to fit the cut tree, then carefully placed it inside and buried it. As Graves watched from his hiding spot, he couldn't help but wonder what could possibly be going on.

  Graves was in shock as he watched James bury the tree. He couldn't understand why he would do such a thing, and his mind was racing with questions. Was this some kind of tradition? Was it related to his religion? Despite his best efforts, Graves couldn't seem to come up with a logical explanation for James's actions.

  When James was finished, he gathered up the axe and shovel and made his way back home. Graves followed behind, staying a safe distance away as he watched James enter his house. After waiting for a few minutes to make sure James was settled in for the night, Graves snuck inside and made his way to James's room. As he suspected, he found James fast asleep and snoring loudly.

  Feeling a bit defeated, Graves returned to the room he had been given and climbed into bed. As he lay there, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to James's actions than he could understand. Despite his best efforts, he just couldn't seem to land on a logical explanation.

  .

  The next morning, Jessica woke up feeling tired but well rested. She looked over at Graves, who was still fast asleep, and decided not to disturb him. Instead, she slipped out of bed and made her way to the kitchen, where she found James busily preparing coffee.

  "Look who's up!" James exclaimed as he saw her entering the room.

  "Good morning!" Jessica replied with a smile.

  "I hope you slept well?" James asked.

  "I did, indeed," Jessica said. "Why are you up so early?"

  James chuckled. "You think it's a bad habit?" he asked.

  Jessica quickly shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant. It's just unusual to see someone up so early," she explained.

  "I got used to waking up this early. It's something I enjoy," James said. "Coffee's ready, by the way!"

  "How lucky am I?" Jessica said gratefully.

  "Excuse my memory," James said, looking a bit sheepish. "Do you like it with or without sugar?"

  "With sugar, please," Jessica said, approaching the table and taking a seat. As she sat down, she noticed a bag on the floor covered in dirt. She turned to James and asked if it was the same bag he had with him the previous night.

  "What's inside that bag?" Jessica asked, gesturing towards the dirty bag on the floor.

  "Oh, that?" James said, glancing down at the bag. "I keep some farming tools in there."

  Jessica raised an eyebrow. "Do you farm?" she asked.

  "Honestly, no," James said with a shake of his head. "My father was a farmer. He was the only agronomist in this village."

  "Oh, I see," Jessica said, nodding. "But is this his kit? It looks new."

  "No, this one I bought two days ago," James explained. "I lost the old one I had."

  Jessica looked at him sceptically. "How did you lose it? Where were you?" she asked.

  "I don't know," James said with a shrug. "I usually only use it in my backyard. I don't know if one of the neighbours stole it, but I don't want to accuse anyone."

  Just then, Graves walked into the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Good morning!" he said cheerfully.

  "Hello, son!" James said with a warm smile as Graves walked into the kitchen.

  Graves nodded his head in greeting before turning to Jessica. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked.

  "Sure," Jessica said, following Graves as he led her out of the kitchen and back to the room they had slept in. Once they were inside with the door closed, Graves turned to her with a serious expression.

  "Look, there's something weird going on," he said.

  "What is it?" Jessica asked, her brow furrowed in concern.

  "During the dead of night, this elderly man departed from the dwelling and ventured into the woodlands to fell a charred tree and inter it," Graves imparted, his diction coming out in a spate.

  "Wait, come again?" Jessica said, looking confused. "How did you know?"

  "I followed him," Graves said. "I tried to wake you up, but you weren't responding."

  "But why did he do that?" Jessica asked, still trying to make sense of the situation.

  "I don't know," Graves said with a shrug. "Do you think we should ask him?"

  "What if he denies it?" Jessica asked, her scepticism clear.

  "I can assure you, I followed him," Graves said firmly. "I still know where he buried the tree."

  Jessica thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I say we shouldn't tell him," she said. "Let's watch him instead."

  Graves nodded, his expression serious. "Yes, I think you're right," he said, his deep voice carrying a hint of conviction.

  Jessica's brow furrowed as she struggled to understand. "But why would someone bury a tree?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion.

  As Graves and Jessica walked back into the kitchen, James couldn't help but notice that something was clearly bothering them. "Is everything okay?" he asked.

  "Oh, everything's fine," Jessica replied, trying to put on a brave face. "I just have some paperwork that I need to take care of. I was going to head out and get started on it now."

  "What about him?" James asked, gesturing towards Graves.

  "What about him?" Jessica asked, confused.

  "I was hoping to introduce him for the job," James explained.

  Graves looked at Jessica, considering for a moment. "I can stay here if you want to go ahead and take care of your paperwork," he offered.

  "Are you sure?" Jessica asked, a hint of concern in her voice.

  "Yes, I'm sure. You go ahead and I'll see you in a couple of hours," Graves reassured her.

  "Alright then, I'll see you later," Jessica said, gathering her things and slipping on her jacket. As she made her way towards the door, she turned back to James and smiled. "Thanks for everything, James. I hope we can do it again sometime."

  "Absolutely, anytime," James replied with a grin.

  As Jessica got into her car and started the engine, Graves approached and stood beside the open driver's side window. For a moment, it seemed as though he had something he wanted to say, but he remained silent. Finally, Jessica couldn't take it anymore and asked, "Is there something on your mind?"

  "I think I should stay here tonight," Graves said, his voice heavy with concern.

  Jessica's brow furrowed. "Why?" she asked, her voice laced with scepticism.

  "What if he goes outside again?" Graves replied, his eyes darting towards the door as if he expected the man in question to appear at any moment.

  "There are two reasons why that's a bad idea," Jessica said, holding up two fingers for emphasis. "First, if someone sees you out here alone at midnight, they might think you're up to no good and I could get in trouble – or even end up in prison. And second, what if you get lost again while chasing after him? That's a recipe for disaster."

  Graves looked down at his hands, his brow furrowed in thought. "I promise you nothing will go wrong," he said, his voice firm. "I just want to stay close to him. Something about him doesn't seem right."

  "Why do you care, anyway?" Jessica asked, her voice tinged with curiosity.

  "I think we have something in common," Graves replied, his voice laced with sadness. "I can't remember anything either, just like him."

  "I thought about that," Jessica said, her voice thoughtful. "But your stories aren't really similar. I mean, he's forgotten some minor things, but you seem to have a much more significant memory loss."

  "You're saying that him forgetting that he tried to kill someone is a minor thing?" Graves asked, his voice dripping with disbelief.

  "That's not what I meant," Jessica said, shaking her head. "Look, just stay here tonight. I'll park my car in the area so I can keep an eye on things and make sure nothing goes wrong."

  "Okay," Graves said, nodding his agreement.

  "But how are you going to explain sleeping over to him?" Jessica asked, her voice laced with concern.

  "Don't worry," Graves said with a wave of his hand. "I'm sure he'll be happy about it."

  "Okay, see you later then," Jessica said with a smile. "And good luck with your new job!"

  As Jessica climbed into her car and started the engine, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. She knew that she and Graves were doing the right thing by keeping a watchful eye on James, but the fact that he had attempted to harm Graves and couldn't even remember it was disconcerting. And the entire affair with the tree – cutting it down and burying it – seemed downright peculiar. Jessica couldn't help but wonder what James's motivations were.

  She knew that trying to juggle two cases on her own would be tough, especially since her superior officer David had already put his career on the line by trusting her to handle the case. But she also knew that she couldn't let him down. With a deep breath, Jessica put the car into gear and pulled out of the driveway, determined to get to the bottom of this mystery.

  Graves returned to the kitchen and approached James, who was still relaxing at the table. "Are we going now?" Graves asked, his voice laced with anticipation.

  James nodded. "Yes, I just need to get ready," he replied, pushing himself up from the table. "Then we can head out."

  "What kind of work are we doing?" Graves asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

  "Well, I have a friend who owns a pet store," James explained. "Her name is Marilyn, and she's a real sweetheart. I think you'll like her."

  "What if she doesn't want to hire me?" Graves asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

  "I doubt that," James said with a confident smile. "She's always in need of help at the store. You're in luck."

  "Lucky me," Graves said, a hint of relief in his voice.

  "Lucky you," James agreed, smiling. "Excuse me for a moment, I need to go change my outfit. Then we can head out." With that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Graves to wait patiently for his return.

  Jessica was driving home, the music in her car providing a soothing soundtrack to her journey. She wasn't in a hurry, taking her time as she navigated the roads. As she passed an exit that led to Diana's clinic, the psychologist's name suddenly popped into her head. Without giving it much thought, Jessica hit the brakes, pulled over to the side of the road,

  and turned the music down. She hesitated for a moment, then made a sharp turn and headed towards the clinic.

  As she drove, Jessica couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about Diana. The way she had reacted during the interview with Graves had seemed strange, and Jessica couldn't help but wonder if there was more to the story. She knew that she should confront Diana and get some answers, but at the same time, she wasn't ready to force the issue just yet. She had a lot on her mind and needed time to process everything.

  When she arrived at the clinic, Jessica was surprised to see that the parking lot was empty. The place was usually bustling with activity, but today it seemed abandoned. Jessica got out of her car and approached the door, only to find it locked. She turned and scanned the area, wondering if she had the wrong time or if something else was going on. Just as she was about to give up and leave, she heard the sound of the door opening behind her. She turned to see the secretary standing in the doorway.

  "It's you, again!" the secretary said, her voice dripping with surprise.

  Hi, what happened here?" Jessica asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

  "I don't know," the secretary replied, shaking her head. "I was hoping you could tell me."

  "Me?" Jessica asked, surprised. "Why me?"

  "What happened when you took Ms. Diana in for questioning?" the secretary asked, her voice laced with suspicion.

  "Questioning?" Jessica repeated, her mind racing. "What are you talking about?"

  "Yeah, what was she accused of?" the secretary pressed, her eyes narrowed.

  Jessica held up her hands in a placating gesture. "I don't think you have the full story here," she said, her voice firm.

  The secretary looked out at the rain and back at Jessica, then sighed and gestured for her to come inside. "Come on in," she said. "We can talk in Diana's office."

  The two women made their way to the office, the secretary taking a seat behind Diana's desk while Jessica settled into the chair in front of it. "So, what happened?" the secretary asked, her eyes fixed on Jessica.

  "I'm sorry, what is your name?" Jessica asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

  "It's Amanda, officer," the secretary replied, a hint of irritation in her voice.

  "So, Amanda, where is Diana?" Jessica asked, her voice laced with concern.

  "I don't know," Amanda replied, shaking her head. "The last time I saw her was when you came and took her away."

  "She hasn't returned since?" Jessica asked, her eyes narrowed.

  "Yes, she came back and grabbed her things, then left in a hurry," Amanda said, her voice laced with worry. "She seemed terrified."

  "That's all?" Jessica asked, her voice heavy with disbelief.

  "Look, I know Diana," Amanda said, her voice fierce. "She's never done anything wrong, so whatever she was accused of, it's not true."

  "I-" Jessica began, but Amanda interrupted her.

  "The only reason she's not here is because you never brought justice," Amanda said, her voice dripping with anger. "You always run behind bribes and false accusations."

  "Can I speak now?" Jessica asked, her voice tinged with frustration.

  "Fine, I'm listening," Amanda said, crossing her arms over her chest.

  "I came to Diana because I was seeking her help," Jessica said, her voice firm. "No one indicted her of anything."

  "Then why did she run away?" Amanda asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

  "It's a long story," Jessica said, sighing. "Even if I told you, I don't think you would understand." She paused for a moment, then continued. "I took Diana in for questioning because I needed her help with a case."

  Amanda nodded. "You hinted at that earlier," she said. "What happened next?"

  "She was interviewing someone, and then suddenly she panicked and left," Jessica explained. "That's all that happened."

  "That sounds strange," Amanda said, frowning.

  "I know, I can't stop thinking about why she acted like that," Jessica said, her brow furrowed in frustration.

  "It is strange if that's the only thing that happened," Amanda said, her voice laced with scepticism.

  "What do you mean?" Jessica asked, her eyes narrowed.

  "When Diana came here, she seemed calm, but not quite normal," Amanda explained. "I asked her about work and clients, and she told me she would be gone for a while, but she never showed up again."

  "Didn't you try to contact her?" Jessica asked, her voice laced with concern.

  "Of course I did," Amanda replied, shaking her head. "But I never got a response."

  "Can I have Diana's address?" Jessica asked, her voice laced with determination.

  Amanda stood up and walked over to Diana's desk, picking up a file folder. "She's not home right now," she said, flipping through the papers. "I don't think it's a good idea to bother her."

  "Thank you, but I think it's important that I try to find her," Jessica said, her voice firm.

  Amanda looked up at Jessica, her eyes narrowed. "Is there anything threatening her life?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.

  "I don't know," Jessica replied, shaking her head. "Have you heard about the stranger who was found on the streets?"

  "Yes, I heard that he's living with a police officer now," Amanda said, a hint of amusement in her voice.

  Jessica didn't respond to Amanda's reaction, but the secretary didn't know that Jessica was the police officer in question. Amanda had been attempting to make fun of the police system, but now she realised that it was Jessica who had taken in the stranger Graves after seeing Jessica's facial expressions. "Oh, I'm sorry," Amanda said, her voice filled with guilt. "I didn't realise it was you."

  "Well, now you know," Jessica said, her voice laced with frustration. "Look, I know that we have a terrible reputation, but believe me, I'm not like that. I had Graves in my place because he didn't do anything wrong. He's not guilty."

  Amanda's eyes widened. "Wait, did you say Graves?" she asked, her voice laced with shock.

  "Yes, that's the name of the ex-prisoner," Jessica replied, her brow furrowed in confusion. "Why?"

  "When Diana came in last time, she went to her office and grabbed a bag before she left, muttering something about 'how is Graves back'," Amanda said, her voice laced with worry.

  "What did she mean by that?" Jessica asked, her voice laced with concern.

  "I don't know," Amanda replied, shaking her head. "But she seemed very odd."

  "I see," Jessica said, her voice heavy with contemplation. "I think I should leave now. Let me know if you need anything."

  "Thank you, officer," Amanda said, her voice laced with gratitude.

  "It's Jessica," the officer corrected. "And please, let me know if you find anything."

  "Sure thing," Amanda replied, nodding.

  As Jessica drove home from Diana's clinic, her mind was racing with thoughts about the case. The more she investigated, the more tangled the threads seemed to become. When she finally arrived at home, she went straight to her bed, feeling drained and overwhelmed. She knew that she had been letting the stress of the case weigh heavily on her, and it had taken a toll on her emotionally. She was starting to feel depressed, and she knew that it would only make it harder to solve the problems she was facing. The only way to take a break from the constant struggle was to sleep, but even that seemed like a daunting task.

  Graves and James walked to Marilyn's pet store, which was located a few blocks away. Marilyn was a woman in her fifties who had always been deeply attached to her pets. She had never married or had children, and her pets provided her with all the love and companionship she needed to be independent.

  As they approached the store, they saw Marilyn standing on the doorstep, waiting for them. When they finally reached her, James greeted her warmly. "How's my old friend?" he asked, a big smile on his face.

  "Old by age, you mean, don't you?" Marilyn said with a smile.

  "You know me very well," James replied with a chuckle.

  "I think you need to take better care of your health," Marilyn said, eyeing James critically. "Can't catch your breath after a few steps?"

  "Don't embarrass me in front of our new friend," James said, gesturing towards Graves with his eyes.

  Marilyn turned to Graves and gave him a warm smile. "Hi," she said.

  "Hello, ma'am," Graves replied politely.

  "Is he your nephew?" Marilyn asked, looking back at James.

  "No, but I wish he was," James replied with a wink. "This is Graves, Jessica's friend."

  Marilyn's eyes lit up with recognition. "Oh, so you're the guy who was lost?" she asked.

  Graves looked at her in surprise, wondering how she knew. Marilyn could see the confusion on his face and chuckled. "This town is too small to have any secrets," she said.

  "Indeed," James agreed.

  "Thanks for the valuable information," Graves said with a grateful smile.

  "I knew you always needed someone to help with your business," James said.

  "So that's the reason behind this visit?" Marilyn asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

  "Not only that," James replied with a grin. "I told him that the tea you serve is the best in this whole town!"

  Marilyn smiled and invited them inside. As Graves explored the store, he marvelled at the variety of animals and birds in cages. The store was small, only about five metres deep and wide, but not exceeding two metres in height. Marilyn had a cramped kitchen that barely fit a sink and gas cooker, and a desk with three chairs where she met with customers. The pets were housed in individual cells, including cats, dogs, monkeys, snakes, hamsters, small wolves, and various birds.

  Marilyn prepared the tea and placed only two cups on the table, then sat down with James. They called Graves over to join them.

  "So Graves has good knowledge of birds, as I heard," James said. "We were looking for him for a job."

  "What can he do?" Marilyn asked, turning to Graves.

  "Perhaps we should ask him," Graves replied with a smile.

  As Graves heard Marilyn approach and ask her question, he replied, "To clarify, my knowledge of birds is fairly extensive. I can read their movements and behaviours, and I believe they can reveal many things that we may not be aware of. However, I'm not sure how that would be particularly beneficial to the business, especially if the birds are going to be kept in cages."

  Marilyn considered this for a moment before responding, "Well, even if you're not interested in getting paid, you could still learn how to manage the business, how to deal with customers, and how to clean the cages. I'm sure you could find some value in that."

  Graves hesitated for a moment before answering, "I suppose that could be interesting. But what exactly will my job be?"

  Marilyn smiled and reassured him, "Don't worry, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

  Come back tomorrow and we can discuss it further in the morning."

  Graves nodded, grateful for the opportunity. James smiled and said, "Alright, thank you."

  As James and Graves prepared to leave the store, Marilyn called out, "There's no need to thank me. I'm the one who should be thanking you for remembering me."

  James chuckled and replied, "No problem, I was just thanking you for the tea." The two of them laughed before heading out into the lightly raining weather.

  Once they were outside, James turned to Graves and asked, "So, what are you going to do now?"

  Graves hesitated before asking, "Would you mind if I slept at your place again tonight? Jessica has some work to do, and I don't want to be a distraction."

  James smiled and replied, "Of course, I don't mind at all. In fact, I'd be happy to have your company. But can I ask why you feel like you're a distraction when you're around?"

  Graves shrugged and replied, "I just get the sense that Jessica has a lot on her plate and doesn't need any additional distractions. I don't want to get in the way of her work."

  James nodded understandingly and said, "Well, I'm happy to have you stay with me. You're always welcome."

  After returning home, James announced that he was going to take a shower. Graves, feeling cold and wanting to warm up, decided to start a fire in the chimney. As he sat on the floor, his gaze was drawn to the sword hanging above the chimney. He stood up and examined the blade, surprised to find that the words etched into it were written in Old Northern, a language he was unfamiliar with. He read the phrase "kiss me and bleed" before taking the sword in his hands and continuing to study it.

  Suddenly, Graves heard a voice speaking to him, saying, "Come back alive." He turned around, expecting to see someone behind him, but instead he saw James standing in the living room doorway, watching him. Graves asked, "What did you say?"

  James turned to Graves with a confused expression on his face. "What do you mean? I didn't say anything. I just arrived."

  Graves then glanced at the sword in James' hand and asked, "Is that yours?"

  James hesitated for a moment before answering. "Technically, yes. But it's actually an heirloom that belongs to one of my ancestors. Do you like it?"

  Graves nodded appreciatively. "It's a beautiful weapon. But I noticed that you don't seem to be a fan of it."

  James sighed. "That's because it has a rather disturbing history. According to my grandfather's stories, this sword has been responsible for sending many people to their deaths. My family is proud of their violent past, but I'm not. I don't condone the kind of bloodshed that this sword represents."

  Graves raised an eyebrow. "If you don't like it, then why have you kept it all these years?"

  James shrugged. "Some gifts are difficult to get rid of, especially when they come from someone you care about. In this case, it was a gift from my father, and even though I don't like the sword itself, I still value its presence as a reminder of my father."

  Graves nodded in understanding before asking another question. "I noticed that there's an inscription on the blade that reads 'Kiss me and bleed.' What does that mean?"

  James was taken aback by the question. "How did you know about that inscription? Only a few people are able to read the old northern language that it's written in."

  Graves looked at James with a puzzled expression. "I don't know how I was able to read it. It just seemed like the words were clear to me."

  James gave him a thoughtful look. "There are many things in this world that can't be easily understood, and it seems like you're one of them. But I have a feeling that you'll figure it out eventually."

  Graves remained silent, taking in James' words. After a moment, James asked him to return the sword to its place on the wall and told Graves that he needed to get some rest. He mentioned that he had to meet with Marilyn the following morning.

  Graves retired to his bed, his mind racing with thoughts of the strange encounter. As he lay awake, he found himself waiting for the sound of thunder that would signal the burning of a tree. He had a feeling that James would venture out into the night if such an event were to occur, and Graves wanted to follow him. However, the night remained quiet and still, and Graves eventually drifted off to sleep.