It must have been a few minutes, no, a few hours or maybe even days. I couldn’t tell anymore but frankly I didn’t seem to care neither for my lost memories nor for anything else apart from continuing this fulfilling journey. But that was all soon to change. “I think this is far enough. Yes. Right here… ” -she said, calmly. I checked to my left, to my right, behind me, above and below but I saw nothing out of the ordinary if anything the snow had lost its pretty glow – the same as it was when I woke up. Then I looked at my companion, my friend. She was smiling but something was off, it gave out a more sad feeling than a happy one. And before I could even ask if something was wrong she spoke again but this time she pointed downwards. “There. Your memories are there.” –she told me. “I don’t think I follow. You’re pointing to the snow or to something else? ”-I asked to make sure. “Not the snow but what’s under it.” “Under it??” – I asked in an even more confused manner. “Yes. There was no special place to begin with, they were under the snowy ground this whole time.” –she stated firmly. “I don’t understand…Why keep this a secret from me? You are my friend, are you not?” It was as if she didn’t hear the last question or rather she chose not to. “I had to, because this was the only way I could be sure you’d come with me, listen to me …stay with me.” –as she spoke those words her smile was already nowhere to be found. “I would have…friends trust each other, don’t they?” And as those words came out of my mouth the snowy mist had already found its way back but this time it was here to stay, for good. She didn’t reply for a few more seconds and then: “In the end I kept my promise, didn’t I? Now all that’s left is for you to dig them out.” –she said, again ignoring the problem. The weather was getting worse and worse by the second. I took this as a sign that I had no more time to waste. So I decided to end the quarrel. “Look, I forgive you. So let’s not repeat this ever again, ok?” She nodded, and a faint smile appeared for a brief moment. I guess that was it for now and so I began the search. With one big scoop after another I dug my way making a quick glance at her after each scoop. Silence had gotten a hold of her and also from her eyes the unique crimson red color had almost faded as if the snowy mist had put out the fire. This sadly I ignored as I was focused on the task before me. And just like that with the next scoop I grasped something that was definitely not the same old snow. “There! I think I’ve found them!” –I shouted in excitement. And as I spoke a familiar feeling returned to me – I felt the coldness again. The thing I’ve found seemed to have a thicker darker smog-like appearance. “Aghh! What the…?” – I asked, shockingly. The substance appeared to have stuck to my hand and was starting to spread. “What’s going on?! IT HURTS! It hurts so damn bad!” – I yelled in pain. But what came next was what really surprised me. “This is what you have been looking for, your memories. From here on out it will be just you. I guess there won't be a better time to say this but now, so… I’m sorry.” And with those words she disappeared…what took her place was a storm, a frenzy of snow packed together to honor a loss or better yet a returning. By that time the darkness had already spread on me. Shortly after I couldn’t even move and my vision was slowly deteriorating. My sight… as if it was traded for several or thousands of visions…no…not visions, these were my memories. Tears came down from my eyes but these were not tears of happiness, no they were tears of suffering. Yes, it seemed my memories weren’t the only things that were buried deep down but my feelings as well, the bad ones at least… “The snow…it’s …black ?” Had it really gone black or I had already lost my sight, I couldn’t tell. My voice was rotting away as well, there was no stopping to it… “Somebody…please…anyone…help me...” Desperation, helplessness, loneliness now they had all come back to me. “No…NO! Not like this! Take them back! TAKE THEM AWAY!” My strength was abandoning me, my life was leaving me, my whole existence was being absorbed, if I had to say it would appear I had the willpower for one last stand. And with my shattered mind there was only one thing, only one way to end it, the same way I always did… “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH”

In the mids of the pitch black place I heard a scream so loud its echoes made cracks in the darkness, dim light descended and so I woke from the horrid dream... "Horrid..? Was it really?" - the first thought that I had before fully opening my eyes.