Lost & Found

It’s not uncommon for things to come up missing. The average person loses something every other week. Wallets, keys, phone, purse… Nothing is out of the ordinary to be lost, but what if what was lost can never be found. What do you do then? Buy another of that item? I would suppose but not everything carries the same value as that once lost thing. What if it carried sentimental value or was a prized heirloom from your family? Buying another would be out of the question and the only thing you can do is find it!

The desire to find what has been lost has always been something I have enjoyed. I revel in the exuberant feeling of finding what has been deemed too far gone to be acquired. I work in an old folks home where, as you’d guess, things go missing almost everyday. So it keeps me busy but it doesn’t give me that feeling I once craved for the possibility of me finding the item or it being lost out of my grip forever. You can’t feel that thrill of losing something if you can always find it. It dulls the sense of the hunt, as if a lion went to a drive through to get a gazelle… it would usually marvel in the hunt but lose that thrill if it’s always easily accessible. Similar to what humanity is going through now; nothing is completely enjoyable because it’s always readily at your finger tips. This kills the desire it once held to have a fresh meal you hunted or even a new found partner you had to prove your worth to by doing some obscene right of passage. Things are only enjoyable if they can be lost. Everything that is a sure thing is only mediocre at best without the true sense of a major loss.

Or that’s at least how I view it to be. Only the true hunt will tell if that is what’s true or not. Time for a new story to be told, what will I find today? Being here 2 and half years you get to know a few people. I’ve come to be known as I speak to many people for my job. Aside from my everyday routes searching for new lost items to surface. Did I mention I work for the lost and found? Returning items as I find them, you’d think it were silly seeing how it’s an old folks home. Things are bound to be misplaced at some point or another. That’s why the owner thought it be a good idea to designate a section solely for the finding of those items. There isn’t a place I can’t journey to while on my search. As you’d guess the most common things lost tend to be on the smaller side and vary in size. The list is pretty varied, there hasn’t been anything I haven’t come across before. Doing this some time you grasp the value of the item based off just how worn or unworn they are. Subtle hints that the item is cherished by its owner more than words can say.

Yes, objects can show just how much you value them. For example, seeing a worn, battered, and torn scarf a few years old. You’d probably cast it off as a invaluable mess, that should be trashed, but to the owner that is a prized item made for them by their grandchild.......who died at a young age. Every item holds a voice only heard by the few. It’s fine that you don’t hear the voice of another item. The reason being it doesn’t.....speak.....to you! Which is fine you weren’t the one it was destined for. In my case it’s quite a bit different. I can hear the voice of all objects, very literally. We are known as Links, human-esque beings that sense the many connections of living beings. As you may have noticed, I said connections with “living” beings. Humans aren’t the only individuals that form attachments. I help return those items to their rightful owners or companions. No item speaks to all, only certain objects speak to few. Also it’s not uncommon for family members to hear the voice of the same relics, seeing as they are kin. Similar wave structures can go even further than blood, depending on how deep your connection is with others. Relics do not physically speak just to be clear. A frequency is being emitted, on a certain wavelength or feeling akin to you. Almost like a song only your hears can hear, that is unique to you. Most feel comfort and tranquility because it is quite literally serenading you with the melody you both share.

Knowing what you now know it clears up a few things, yet also makes room for even more troubling questions. Are their objects that speak to us Links, yes. Items that resonate with Links are notably stronger. To be deemed as a Links’ relic certain requirements must be met, otherwise the end result could be disastrous. From time to time a Link may mistake a actual connection with an item they are speaking to. It does happen and the affects can be very dangerous. That item isn’t connected to you it’s simply speaking with you. The affects would be the opposite of those who actually have a connection. It may even result in the Links’ death! Severing the connection can save ones life, but it’s best to never have forced a connection to begin with. Speaking with a item causes no backlash. Initiating a forced bond will shatter your psyche with an immense force. This process hardly ever happen due to most Links having a bonded item already.

Maybe that shined more light on why I would work in a place specializing and finding lost things. it’s the perfect fit for someone like me. My place of work is fairly new built within the last few years or so it’s quite a site to behold. After the lobby there’s a long hall off to the right, it’s easy to miss because of the larger hall it’s connected to. At the end of the hall a elevator system goes up to the third floor. I share the space with a night shift employee named Ralph. I don’t know much of anything about him other than his name; we don’t cross paths much with him being on the night shift, and me the morning. From what I’ve gathered he’s not like me just a normal human that enjoys finding things. Whatever items he finds in his night rounds he just directs to me in the morning. Seeing how he’s limited in his access with the guests due to most of them being asleep on his shift. This one was different than most it was a black book sleek very well kept not a mark on it the dark tent almost captivating with its alluring view. Next to it was a note that said “Your Turn” rather odd.....Ralph never wrote me anything. Scanning the book to get a read on it I was immediately hit with a wall. Literally, it’s known as a mental wall block. If Links try to speak with an object that doesn’t want to speak with them due to the owners’ wishes. It’s a safety precaution so information isn’t stolen or access without permission. As long as the mental block is in place I can’t see any of the contents in this book. To the human eye it’s just a blank book, but to a trained Link. I can tell that it’s been imbued with a mental wall. After checking the the records I come to the conclusion that this book doesn’t have a record. So who does it belong to my best bet would be to ask Ralph where he got it from, but Josh my boss says he quit just a week ago. From what little I know about Ralph he wouldn’t leave without at least a notice this seems connected somehow. I’ll have to put the book aside until I gather more information how the two are connected. A few weeks go by and quite a few members of the home pass. Their loved ones come and go as they say their goodbyes. The names of the passed guests were.

Yvette Turner - scarf

Oscar Scott - Pin

Ulysses Moore - watch

Rachel Heir - handkerchief

Tom Johnson - ear ring

Ulga Spopovich - Necklace

Roger Mathews - Nothing

Nikki Bowel - Ring

Each of them had given me items as I became close with them. Hard to say they’re all dead only being remembered by these items. This can’t be a coincidence all these people I was close to, and they all gave me items. Except Roger, I was never given anything by him He passed a few weeks ago the day.......I got the journal! So was the journal from him!? Feeling dizzy I took a seat at my desk and grabbed the journal looking for any clue I could yet nothing! Not a single thing! With no other options I said what came to mind “Roger Mathews” ,the book did not move at all! Grief filing my lungs I could barely breath. I didn’t know what else to do was I wrong did he not give me this? Just then I saw the note still clinging to the front of the journal with the sticky residue that bonded it to it’s surface. The words “Your Turn” where had I seen this from. So familiar like I was missing something. I placed the book down next to the list of names. Just then it became clear why the word looked so familiar it was the first letter of each person’s first name. It spelled out you’re turn! Brimming with a new hope I spoke the words “Your Turn!” The journal resonated as the design warped and the pages flung open the words were levitating off the page in a tornado of black ink then it slammed back into the book. Laying open on the page that had Roger’s name on it. “So you found out my mental block password not bad kid, as you guessed I’m a Link same as you in fact we all are. We are known as ‘Your Turn’ and that is because our relics can be passed on to others without the harsh backlash we Links would usually face. The gifts you’ve received are now yours no longer ours. I’m sure you’ve come to be very attached to them with ease almost like they were never separate from you. That is what ‘Your Turn’ stands for. They belong to no one and yet......everyone!

You are the only person able to wield all 8 relics making you a new breed of Link. Your connection is stronger than ours. But you must remember when your time comes you are to pass the relics to your heirs understood? Blood or not that is up to you! This marks the start of your new voyage. Much sooner than you think, Ralph isn’t human he’s a Shroud they mask their presence with those around them. It took us some time to figure out what he was but it was too late he was aware of what we were. Which is why we had to give you the relics without any explanation. The answers are in this book he can’t access it so he’ll likely leave it for you to figure out then come after you. Their are many mysteries to uncover, shackles to break and new enemies that lie in wait for you! But before then we would like to offer you one last parting gift seeing how you’ll need funds in your journey we prepared $20,000 into your personal account! Always be prepared!

“THIS.IS.YOUR.TURN!”

Just like that I had my hunt! Ralph was coming for me, and the stakes had been set! There is no joy in victory if there’s no chance of loss!