Tell Me My Name Read Online Free PDF Page A

what my face looks like – maybe a familiar word or object
from the outside world will bring back more.
    I look out the jagged window the
magician left in the cell’s wall. He and the others have
disappeared up the steps, and without them, the large room seems
eerie in its emptiness. It’s wide and shadow-laden, illuminated by
only a single iron lantern, hanging on a chain from the low
ceiling. The walls and floor are made of dark stone, but not
individual blocks such as brick. Instead, the entire place appears
to have been hollowed out of a single, enormous rock. A wooden post
stands in the center, and I notice a pair of shackles attached to
it. Leaning closer to the wall to get a better view, I look toward
the outskirts of the space.
    There’s not much, but what I do see
tells me that I must be in a dungeon. More shackles dangle from the
walls to my far left, and I shudder at the thought of people being
bound by them. My cell appears to be one of many, all of which have
iron bars frozen over with ice. Do other captives lie within
them?
    “ Hello?” I call. “Is anyone
out there?”
    Only silence greets me. Hollow, lonely
silence.
    “ Hello? Please, is anyone
there?”
    I wait, but no one
responds. So I retreat into my cell, feeling heavy inside. I’m
completely alone here, and nothing stirred any memories. I’ve
looked at everything within sight of my cell, and none of it’s done
me any good. I need to get out of here – to see more, and to escape
before the magician returns and casts his horrible spell on me
again. But how? I’ve already tried, and nothing I did even hinted
at working. A rush of anxiety tightens my chest, but I try not to
let it overwhelm me. There must be a solution, and I feel like I’m missing
something obvious …
    I glance down at the ball
of warm light in my hand, and suddenly an idea sparks. These walls
are made of ice ,
and ice melts! This answer seems so clear now, I wonder how I
didn’t think of it before. The nervous clenching in my heart turns
to an excited, elated drumming, and I feel the corners of my mouth
tugging into a smile at the revelation. It won’t be easy, using
such a small piece of warmth to melt so thick a wall, but I can do
it. Even if it takes hours, or days, of gradual wearing down, I’ll
persist until I succeed. And then I’ll slip through the bars – I’m
sure I’m slight enough to do so – and freedom will be
mine.
    I press the ball of heat
into one of the frozen surfaces and watch intently. Though I remind
myself that this will take time, I can’t help my eagerness. A drop
of water is all I need to see – just a hint to tell me that my plan
is working. Time crawls by, and I can’t resist pushing the ball
harder into the wall in my impatience. Come on, just show me a drop …
    I lean closer, hoping to
catch even the thinnest of rivulets winding down the rough ice. But
I see nothing; the wall might as well be made of stone. My
excitement fades back into anxiety, and I try not to fear the
worst. I’ve only just
started , I remind myself.
    More time passes,
stretching on and on, but I hold the sphere steady, knowing I need
to concentrate all the heat on one spot. Any second now, I’m sure
I’ll see a sign that my plan is working. Just a drop … Please …
    My arms and back begin to
ache with stiffness from holding the same position for what feels
like hours, and I try to ignore them. It’ll all be worth it once I’m free ,
I think to myself, but the self-assurance rings hollow. The wall
remains as solid as ever, and it occurs to me now that the ice
could be enchanted to remain sturdy in the face of heat. I recall
the sparks the magician tortured me with – the ones that burned so
hot, they nearly drove me mad. There was no sign of water then, and
if such fire couldn’t melt this frozen mass, how could a small ball
of light do anything … especially when it was given to me by the
very man who imprisoned me here?
    Suddenly the foolishness of my