I awoke in an empty field with no memory of how I got there. No memories at all actually. Dressed in plain clothing, pockets empty, no possible indication of who I was. I stood, unsure of what else to do, and looked around. It was a pleasant day, the sun filtering down through a thin layer of cirrus clouds high above. All around, as far as the eye could see, smooth grassy hills stretching off to the horizon. The only break in the monotonous landscape was a single tree, only a few feet in front of me. Beech, I believe. I approached, enjoying the pleasant coolness of the shade beneath its swaying branches. A slight breeze gently stirred the leaves, the gentle rustling a calming sound. I sat down, the ground surprisingly soft. Amongst the grass a thick layer of sphagnum moss was growing. I planted my hands at either side of me, letting the grass spring up between my fingers. I lowered myself back and gazed up at the leaves twinkling in the sunlight. It was so peaceful. So tranquil. Not once did I question any of it after my initial confusion. Well, not until I saw something hanging from one of the branches of the tree. The branch was low enough that I could jump up and grab it, the bark smooth as I worked my way up. I released the object from its binding of twigs and let go of the branch. It seemed to be some kind of audio recording device, nondescript. I hit the play button and a message begun playing. The voice was feminine, and soft, like a mother trying to comfort a child, but the girl speaking sounded young.

Hey... I know you're probably pretty confused right now. And I know you probably have a bunch of questions you want to ask. But I need you to be patient with me, okay? I know you will. If you're hearing this then that means you've found your way to the beech tree. Never stray too far from this tree, it's one of the few set locations on this bleak landscape.

The tape went silent for a few moments except for breathing after that. I made my way over to the trunk and sat with my back against it, the message continuing.

Your name is Arick Osier. You turned eighteen three weeks ago today. You have blue eyes... such beautiful blue eyes. I used to love your eyes, did you know that Arick?

The girl sighed, pausing again. Her voice had started to shake slightly. There was the sound of shuffling papers, and something scraping against wood. When she started again her voice was the same as when she had started, trying to be comforting and reassuring while pleading to be listened to.

I... I can't tell you who I am yet. But you can trust me. You have to trust me. You'll find the next audio message, I'm sure of it. There'll be instructions on that, as well as more information. I know you'll know what to do with it once you get it. Good luck out there... and Arick? Please stay safe for me. Until next time.

The message turned to static for a few seconds before going silent. The device didn't seem to have any sort of rewind or playback option so I just had to leave it beside the trunk of the tree. The message just seemed to stir up more questions than it answered. Did I even need a name if I was trapped here alone? Where even was here? The sun was beginning to sink lazily towards the horizon, the clouds melting into a haze of soft orange. A pink hue spread across the sky, spilling into the clouds. I didn't feel tired but I didn't know what else to do. I considered climbing the tree to construct some sort of elevated bed but finally opted for just laying on the soft moss beneath the tree. It had gotten dark quickly, the first stars beginning to emerge as I lay there. My mind seemed so empty, was it always this empty? I felt as though my mind would usually be alight with memories as I tried to get to sleep but there, lying on the grass and staring up at the glistening stars, it was silent. I can't remember how long I lay there for but it must have been hours. The air seemed to stay pleasantly warm and soon my eyelids grew heavy. As I drifted off I would occasionally start and open my eyes with the shock but it was not long before I had been completely absorbed in slumber. Dreaming without memories was... strange to say the least. The human brain constructs dreams from memories, every face you see in your dreams is a face you've seen somewhere before in real life. My dreams were just a distorted haze of emotion and thought, the pure distilled essence of dreams without all the colourful imagery. It felt like dreams. It felt real. It felt like nothing at all.