"What is this? Where am I?" Leo whispered, his voice high-pitched and unfamiliar.
A soft knock on the door interrupted his panic. It opened to reveal a warm-faced woman with gentle eyes. "Oh, you're awake, Elias! Breakfast is ready."
"Elias?" he murmured, the name foreign on his tongue.
Leo—or Elias, as he now seemed to be—was led to a dining table where a lively scene awaited him. A man with a hearty laugh and a jovial demeanor sat at the head of the table. Beside him were two girls, one appearing to be around ten years old, and the other a year or two older.
"Good morning, sleepyhead," the older girl teased. "Mom made your favorite porridge."
Confused but starving, Elias dug in. The flavors were simple but comforting, reminding him of the meals he'd had as a child. As he ate, he listened to the cheerful chatter around him. He soon pieced together that this family ran a small restaurant in their village. The man was his new father, Hugo, and the woman, Clara, his mother. The girls were his sisters: the eldest, Emilia, and the middle child, Sophie.