Memory Lane
Short story
A child’s dream. Running around in her big, safe world she unknowingly created. All the passages are secret gateways, the family apartment buildings are castle walls, and the center playground is a haven. Nothing can tarnish this perfect little bubble. And nothing can be better. Yet, it still fades away. Time washes away the magic. Months turn into years, and life takes the child away from this world, throwing her into uncharted waters beyond the walls. And she forgets the single moment that burst her little safe bubble.
And she grows up.
Forgets.
The good, and the bad.
And time doesn’t wait for her to remember.
Yet, glimpses do come through.
She found herself in a passage she barely remembered from her childhood. Only, it was wider, and the two paths to the passageway were curvy and long as if they were trying to delay the arrival. As she slowly approached the passage, her childhood memories came to her, all the good times she had in this place where she felt so safe. Her heart was filled with nostalgia but with a sweet taste. Boosted with a newfound feeling of comfort she rushed towards the passageway. Something was calling out to her on the other side. A weird feeling lingered over her soul, a darkness she didn’t understand. On the left side of the passageway was an apartment door, and next to it, a smaller wall with steps towards a basement. The right side was just a dirty graffiti wall common in this apartment complex. She arrived at the center of the passageway and stood still as if she were caught in the spider’s web. Darkness started to creep out of the basement, and at that moment, a hand grabbed her from behind.
She woke up sweaty and her heart pumping—just a dream.
She sat on her bed, trying to shake that unsettling feeling, when she noticed golden dust reflecting on the moonlight. Not long after, she was firmly asleep, forgetting all about her dream.
She was up and about, getting the groceries from the local supermarket. She got everything she needed and headed back home. As she passed the parking lot, where she would play hide and seek for hours, she was once again struck by nostalgia.
Wait a minute, I dream about this place like every other night or so. How could I forget that?
And as she remembered her dream, she unconsciously turned towards the passageway. Her nostalgia turned darker as she approached it. With a glance, she saw a man in the back of the children’s playground. As she turned towards him to check, there was no black silhouette anymore. Her eyes slowly focused on the passageway again, but there was no longer a passage in front of her. Just a brick wall. At that moment, the building complex started to move, every building going up and down in a terrifying manner. And the sound. The sound was as if it was coming from the depths of the deepest ocean or the pits of hell, as the buildings started moving in a weirdly synchronized way.
She woke up again in her sweat.
But once again she fell back to sleep, with bits of golden dust lying on her bed.
This time, she will remember.
The black silhouette from her dream was now standing in the darkest corner of her room.
He remembers the first time their paths crossed. In that very same passageway, years ago. She was still a little child. Unaware and enthusiastic. Happy.
His business unintentionally led him to where this little girl was passing all those years ago. And it all happened so fast. She ran towards this passageway, as she did so many times before. He noticed her and the spiderlike silver string going from the girl towards this passageway; hooked on the small wall towards the basement.
The little girl ran through the passageway, and before she could pass through, a big hand grabbed her and dragged her down the stairs.
He didn’t have time to think and just reacted, rushing towards the man.
The little girl resisted and tried to escape, causing the man to drop her down the stairs. As she was falling, the three women arrived at the scene. They took the silver string and prepared to cut it. At the last moment, a pile of golden sand saved the child. The girl was safe, asleep. And the man fell into a neverending nightmare.
The three women stood back. As they slowly disappeared, the chant in a three-voice choir started to rumble in his ears.
The silver line, not one, not two, but three,
Tied and bonded to this plea.
These strings will beat the sands of time.
For the fate weaves this paradigm.
And there was not just one silver string there, but three — fixed in space.
Looking down on the sleeping child, he decided to protect her from this destiny. He would never allow her to go back to this place and meet her fate.
Slowly, he turned the girl’s and her parent’s dreams into actionable ideas, so they moved away from this place, and the girl started her new life. Safe.
And she slowly forgot about everything. Until the memories came flooding down on her dreams.
After the last dream, her nostalgia kept her heart a bit weary during the waking hours. Something was calling her to go back to her childhood playground.
So, a trip back to her hometown came at the right time. There was a summer celebration near the small mall. She visited it with her family, as it was one of their favorite thing to do back in the day. She was having the time of her life. But at one point, a feeling narrowed her focus to the direction of the passageway. And her dreams came to mind.
Oh, I definitely need to check it out.
„I, I just need to check something out. It will take me 20 minutes or so, OK?” said she to Mom.
„Oh, OK”, said Mom a bit confused. „Do you need company?”
„No need, I’ll be back right away!” said she with a smile.
She took a brief stroll, taking in her surroundings and reminiscing about her childhood memories.
A couple of footsteps behind, he followed her. His dark appearance and smooth silhouette didn’t give away how he felt. He felt uneasy about what followed. All these years he managed to divert her from going back. But now that he could not make her forget anymore, he feared what could happen. The strings are pulling her so strongly that even his interference cannot stop it.
She approached the passageway, with him a couple of steps behind. She didn’t see it. But he did. The three silver strings lead back to the same basement. And on the other side, the three women were already waiting.
The time has come.
She approached the passageway, went through it, and got caught in the strings. She went into a trance and slowly approached the steps to the basement. The three women took the silver strings.
He realized it was not a man this time that would take her life, but the three women. To finish the job. He threw the golden sand without hesitation towards them before they could cut the strings. They fell asleep on the ground, and the silver strings turned into golden sand, causing the girl to snap out of the trance.
She shook her head, not knowing what just happened. And then she saw him. Their eyes met, but she wasn’t afraid. She felt as if she had known him for a long time. She smiled at him and continued her walk through the passageway.
She could see me.
As she was walking away, he noticed a string attached to her. But this time, the string was golden. He followed the string back towards the passageway, but it didn’t connect to the small wall. It was bound to his foot. It was connected to him. She was his fate. And he was hers.
The three women slowly awoke. And as they came to their senses, they saw the golden string. And knew.
The chant changed as they walked away.
The bond of gold, the bond of sand.
The bond will force destiny’s hand.
The Man of Sand, the Dreamer’s Lord,
No longer one, but this time two.
The Girl of Sand, the Golden Ward,
Side by side, ’til the end of time.
