On the little closet next to the door was a plate with two sandwiches on it and a glass of water. I ate both sandwiches and I drank all the water. For the first time in so long, I felt that fire again, that drive to just live. 

"If you're still hungry, I'll get you some more," Rik said.
"No, no, not at all!" I said. "Man, I am hungry, but please stay! There's so much I need to tell you before you're gone again!"
"I won't go anywhere," Rik said, and he smiled. "I'm way too glad you're back!" He hugged me tightly, ignoring the fact I smelled horrible. The hug reminded me of when we were still young and were together for just a year or less.
"You bet I'm back," I whispered in his ear, "you bet..."

We sat down on the bed and I started talking. He didn't interrupt me a single time. I talked about Carl and how he kidnapped me. I told how it slowly got harder and harder to not call Carl Master until he just brainwashed me completely and I didn't know him as anything else than Master.
"It was odd," I said, "because I was absolutely sure that I had heard his voice before. I didn't know his face, but I was absolutely sure of his voice, especially when he made it sound so low and commanding, you know. If I think back to it, it's terrifying."
When I got to the part where I prevented Carl from erasing my memories, I saw his eyes flash to my wrists, but there was no mark left to see. Only the memories were left, and painfully sharp. And I continued to tell about Kasper taking me away and how it made me feel. And then about how I had struggled to find myself back, and how I suddenly did. 

"So, do you think they arrested Master?" I asked, exhausted from all the talking.
"Carl," Rik corrected me.
"The bastard!" I laughed. "Do you think they arrested him already?"
"In fact, they did, last week," Rik said. "He and his friend Ashley had fled when Kasper got you out of there. They already expected we'd call the police."
"Speaking of Kasper, where is he anyway?" I asked.
"At Carl's place," Rik replied. "When you were kidnapped, Carl also stole your trumpet. Kasper is looking if it's still in the house or if they sold it."
"I hope he finds it," I said, chewing my way too long pinky nail. "I really need to practice again."
"What you really need to do, Esther, is take a shower!" Rik laughed. "Let's first get you back together completely, and then we'll see again!"

After showering I combed my hair and cut it. I got my HeKz-shirt and a pair of black pants out of the bag Rik and Kasper brought for me. When I looked into the mirror I saw I was skinny again. Not that weird, considering how little I've been eating lately. Rik had brought me a new plate, with more sandwiches this time, and I ate enough for breakfast and lunch. I felt bad about having to leave two and a half sandwich on the plate, but I wasn't used to eating so much anymore. I had never been anyway. 

Later that afternoon Kasper also came, with black and blue hair paint he had bought on his way back, and my trumpet. I could see he hadn't slept much lately; the worries had probably kept him awake. I remembered how little I had slept, too. That evening, after Rik and Kasper went back to their room, I went to bed early. I got good nor bad dreams, only peaceful nothingness. Finally.