They were falling.
Falling amongst the past.
The past filled their minds and left them numb.
They fell into memory.
Their memories were like a whirlpool, a vortex of burning dreams.
They drowned in a choking swell.
They saw through the frothing tide.
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A woman stood just outside a doorway. Inside the room she could see a man and a woman embracing and kissing. The one watching felt a pain in her chest. She tried to hold back her tears. The sight was too much for her. She ran away.
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“...Bastien! Come quickly! Meira is...” A distant voice called through the void. “...she won’t wake up!”
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A man stood on a stage. The lights were blinding. The noises could be felt in his chest. His fingers played across the strings and his heart soared. The crowd sang along. It was the moment where he felt the most alive. His band mates all played their part, and everything fell into place. It was the best way to start off his new life away from home.
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“...he has a fever, and he won’t wake up.” A voice said in concern. “Isaac, we need a doctor...”
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They continued to fall.
It was a maelstrom of color and sounds.
Their souls tumbled down and melded with the storm.
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A woman was being led to a building. Loud music was leaking from its doors. Her friends were linking arms with her, as if to make sure she didn’t run away. “Stop resisting. You’re going to have fun. Trust me. You can’t stay in your room forever and these guys are pretty good.” The woman didn’t have the energy to resist. She resigned herself to her fate. Once she was inside and watched the band play, she found that she really did feel better. She couldn’t quite figure it out, but she was able to forget herself for the moment and lose herself in the song.
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“...help me move her, please.” A man’s voice said calmly. “Yes, just over here... gently does it...”
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“You can make money by tutoring someone else. You’re good enough.” The young man’s friend advised. The two of them were walking down a hallway of their university. Other students streamed back and forth.
“What do you mean, ‘good enough’?” He asked back, poking him in the ribs.
“Well, you're no Eric Clapton mate. Just good enough for some pocket change.”
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“...I’ve brought a doctor! Yanne, how is he...?”
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The colors shifted. The light scattered.
The whirlpool twisted. The twister foamed.
They fell further into the cold embrace of a formless void.
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The young woman stopped short on her way to class. She just caught a glimpse of someone familiar, and the reason she looked at all was because of the big guitar case on his back. He was walking past her class. She found herself calling out before she could think twice about it. “Excuse me!” The man turned at the sound of her voice and looked confused that she was looking at him. “...Yes, you, um... were...were you playing at the Grenvarden Teahouse on Saturday?” She felt her face flush with embarrassment. What was she even doing?
“Yeah... that was me.” He replied, a little unsure what was happening. An awkward silence filled the space between them.
“Oh! Um, you were really good. You played... really good.” What was she doing?! She was screaming inside her head. “I-I’m Kat.” She introduced herself and held out her hand. “Uh, short for Katherine.”
“...Thanks. William... or Will, I guess.” He shook her hand carefully. He looked in her eyes and paused. They stood like that for a long moment before they both snapped back to where they were. “Um, I need to get going... uh, I’ll see you around?”
“Yeah! I mean, yeah. Cool.” The woman nodded a little too enthusiastically. They parted ways and the woman escaped to her classroom, screaming incoherently in her head all the way.
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“...has anyone else fallen ill?” A man asked.
“No, only Meira and Lucas...” Another man replied.
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A man stood on the street outside a dorm building. He held a phone to his ear. Words were being spoken to him, but the meaning caused pain and confusion. “...they found him on the tracks. He... he had walked off the platform...” The man stared off down the street, not seeing anything. The voice on the phone became one with the background noises.
“...Will? ...Will?” The voice on the phone called out, louder and louder.
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“...how long has he been asleep now?” A man asked.
“It’s been three days.” A woman replied with a tremor in her voice.
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The storm raged.
The memories increased.
Flashing by almost too fast to see.
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A man was kneeling. Tears streamed down his face. A woman knelt behind him, wrapping him in her arms.
A woman attended a funeral. The first in her life. She didn’t know the deceased, but the one she loved did. She stood next to him and held his hand.
A man sat down with his mother. Difficult things were said. There were tears, but there were also smiles. Painful ones to be sure, but there was hope.
A woman was dragging her boyfriend through the city streets. There were places she wanted to go with him. The man couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm.
A couple sat in a group of friends. They were having lunch in a courtyard. There were smiles and laughter and lighthearted conversations. The two were surrounded by good people.
A man sat in a room full of instruments. He was teaching a younger man how to play a guitar. He smiled at a memory of when he was in the same position.
A woman was visiting family. She had brought her fiancé with her, and her family were all gathered around him asking questions. He looked a little uncomfortable, but her family only meant well. His expression amused her.
A man stood by the altar. Nervous energy filled him. The priest tried to reassure him, but he couldn’t rid himself of the shakiness. Then she appeared. More beautiful than he’d ever seen her. His heart felt full.
A woman walked down the aisle. Her father held her arm. He was the proudest she had ever seen him. That alone made it difficult to hold back tears. She saw the man at the altar looking at her and she almost let it all go. She felt her heart pull her to him.
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The fall became a slow descent.
They drifted down through a tunnel of images.
Like broken panes of glass, stained with things lost.
Then everything shattered. Whole and complete. Nothing was left but darkness.
Their fall came to a halt as they touched down on what seemed like solid ground.
They didn’t know where they were or how they got there, but their thoughts moved slowly, and they felt distant, like they were sleeping and dreaming. They looked at each other and felt familiarity. They knew each other and felt an indescribable pull.
A small feeling touched their heads and they both looked up. A cold and wet sensation touched their faces. Rain began to fall from the dark and cloudy sky. They looked back down at each other and noticed something else. To the side a crowd of people stood. They were looking over at something. A building in the middle distance. There were police and other emergency personnel by the building. Their vehicles with their sirens and their flashing lights sounded distant.
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A barricade stopped the crowd from getting closer. They all looked on with dread and morbid curiosity. As they watched the scene, the man and woman watched them, wondering why they were watching.
The rain fell heavier now. The crowd murmured amongst themselves and the sirens from the emergency vehicles became almost annoying. One by one, ambulances drove off. Presumably to carry the injured away.
“This life is no longer yours.”
The voice cut through the din of rain, murmuring and the sirens.
The man and woman turned to look at the one who spoke so clearly. It was a woman. Tall and stoic as she watched the scene herself. The rain fell on her but did not seem to touch her. She stood by the crowd but did not seem to be with them. Her hair was long and blonde, and she wore a dress that did not seem to fit the times. They were like dark green robes with an even darker green cloak. Like something out of a fantasy movie.
She raised one arm and a moment later a bird flew in from nowhere and landed there on her forearm. A falcon gripped the womans leather brace for purchase. It ruffled its wings before settling down. The woman looked at the bird for a long moment, and the bird looked at her. They stood like that in silence for a time.
“I will do as the Mother asks of me.” She finally spoke again. Her voice was as beautiful as her face. There was something otherworldly about her. She carried a grace with her even as she stood still. Her words seemed to be accompanied by quiet bells.
The man and woman watched on, not understanding what they were seeing.
The woman suddenly turned and walked away from the crowd. She raised her arm, and the falcon flew away into a forest. It disappeared through the trees. In the middle of the trees was a large clearing, and in that clearing stood a large stone structure surrounded by mounds of dirt and debris. The structure was cylindrical and crumbling on one side.
The place looked familiar.
“Come.” The woman said. Her words cut through to the couple like a sharp wind. “You will find me here. And here, you will be shown your purpose.”
The two fell once more. The forest faded from view, and everything went black.
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Birdsong could be heard coming from a window. Their chirps were soothing and pretty to listen to. Their music seemed to pull the boy out of his slumber.
His eyes tried to open but they were almost glued shut. So, he rubbed at them to clear away the leftover sleep. With a yawn he opened his eyes...
...and stared at an unfamiliar ceiling.
He stared at it with confusion. Then he looked around the room.
He was in a large four-poster bed. A dark wood dresser was against one wall and a couple chests of drawers were against the wall where the door stood. A set of comfortable chairs and table sat by the window, along with a bookshelf. The window looked clearer and more expensive than he was used to.
Clearly, this room was not his. It was fancier than anything he had slept in before.
Now, with his interest piqued, he sat up and realized that he wasn’t dressed, except for a pair of undergarments. He looked around for any clothing but couldn’t see anything, so he swung his legs over to the side of the bed and placed his feet down on an expensive-looking rug. He felt a small wave of dizziness and paused for a moment.
When the feeling subsided, he placed a hand on a side table and gently lifted himself up. Now that he was standing, he could feel a weakness in his legs and a fatigue in the rest of him. Just how long was he in bed for?
He made his careful way over to the window and leaned on the frame. He looked out and couldn’t help but feel a little disoriented. He was a little high up. About three stories up. Which was strange because he was almost certain that he had been in higher places before.
He looked out at the... town. This was his home. Bel Vard. Not...
“Not London?” He muttered.
Something seemed very off.
He continued to look around the town outside. He even spotted his home several streets away. His home... looked both familiar and unfamiliar. He stared at the two-story house and remembered living there with his parents... but...
The confusion continued, even as he recognized what building he must be in.
“This has to be the Inn.” The town of Bel Vard had an Inn that was taller than the other houses. He had never stayed in any of its rooms. The common room was the only part of the Inn that he had seen. And now that he thought about it, the architecture of this bedroom reminded him of the common room. And the common room reminded him of some of the pubs he had been to.
The boy frowned.
Something didn’t seem to make sense, but he was having trouble pinning down the thought. He was seeing a town that he knew all his life, and at the same time, thinking of a city... that he knew all his life.
That was making his brain trip over itself.
While he was trying to make sense of the nonsense in his head, the door opened up behind him. He jumped and turned around at the noise.
“Ah. Díno, díno. Te sai dorsa.” A man stood in the doorway. The boy didn’t recognize him, but he had the look of a doctor with black and white robes.
Wait. Black and white robes?
But more than that, the way he spoke... The words he said... They were words he understood, but they were foreign. It wasn’t English, and yet he could understand every word. He had said, ‘Ah. Good, good. You’re awake.’
“You are Lucas, I presume?” The man asked. He even had eyeglasses perched on top of his receding hairline.
The boy tilted his head. The name felt strange to hear, but... it was his name.
“Yes?” Lucas asked uncertainly, in the same language.
“Allow me to introduce myself,” He gave a short bow and a sweep of the arm. “My name is Imrani Gardinae, at your service. I was called here from Amarabel at the behest of your parents and the local physician.”
“Oh, um... Lucas... Calhan.” He had to take a moment to think of his last name. “Nice to meet you.”
He didn’t bow back because he only just remembered that he wasn’t wearing much of anything. He suddenly felt very self-conscious. Fortunately, the man, Imrani, understood right away.
“Your parents brought over a change of clothes for you. They should be in the dresser.” He said, pointing over to the mentioned furniture. “I will wait outside. We will be needing to check on you to make sure you have recovered nicely.”
“Right... Um, before you go,” The man paused to hear him out. “Actually, how long was I out for?”
“A little more than a week.” He informed Lucas.
“Oh. T-Thank you.”
Imrani nodded his head and backed out of the room.
Lucas had to take a moment to register that information. A week. A full week and change spent asleep. He shook his head. He could think about it after putting on some clothes. Lucas walked over to the dresser and had to pause at the sight of a mirror next to the dresser. Something about his appearance felt unfamiliar, but he couldn’t figure it out. The dark brown hair was the same. His grey eyes too. Nothing seemed out of place. Except for maybe the early stages of beard growth. Besides that, he seemed fine, and yet it all seemed off.
Lucas shook his head and opened the dresser. He found some of his clothes and shoes and got to work making himself presentable.
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The sound of something solid being placed down on wood brought her out of sleep. Then the sound of water being disturbed. The girl turned her head on the comfortable pillows and tried peeking her eyes open. It was a tough thing to do though as her eyes were very crusty from sleep. She squeezed her eyes and tried blinking harder.
She managed to get one eye open and then the other. What met her sight was blurry, so she blinked some more while listening to the sounds of something being submerged in water. Her vision eventually cleared, and she saw a person standing at the side of her bed. It took a small moment for their face to clear up for the girl.
When the woman standing by her bed came into clearer focus the girl felt like she knew her. She was an older woman with some grey in her hair and laugh lines at the corners of her mouth. She was a kindly woman, the girl was sure, but her name was escaping her.
The girl frowned, trying to remember. For some reason the girl was having trouble stringing thoughts together. Though that could be because she just woke up. She watched the woman do something with a wash basin and some towels and felt some memories stir. She remembered this woman looking after her when she had a nasty fall when she was younger. And when she had the flu one summer. The girl's mother even said that this woman had delivered her when she was born.
Then it came to her.
“Markita...?”
“Oh!” The woman jumped. She dropped the towel into the basin with a wet plop and clutched her chest. She looked at the girl, first in surprise, then with relief. “Oh, Meira, te sai dorsa!”
The girl blinked. She heard the words... she understood them... but something about them felt strange. She couldn’t quite understand why she was confused, but confused she was. And the name, Meira... that... was her?
“Your parents have been so worried. They’ve been here every day.” The woman, Markita, dried her hands and began fussing over her. “How are you feeling? Do you have a headache? Feeling sick?”
The older woman checked Meira’s temperature with her hand on her forehead.
“No, I... I’m fine. I think.” Meira responded, not certain what she was feeling. Having only just woken up, she could be certain of one thing. She was having trouble understanding why Markita was even in her room. What had happened to her for the town doctor to pay her a visit-
She finally gave the room some of her attention and was brought up short.
This wasn’t her room.
Where was she?
She didn’t recognize this room. It looked too... upper class? Her home wasn’t quite like... wait. Her home? In her mind, a mixture of memories of her home flitted by. There were two distinct sets of memories. She lived with her parents in Bel Vard. She also lived with... a man... her-
“Are you sure you’re fine? You look a little pale.” Markita observed.
Meira was frowning. Her mind was racing but felt as if it were going nowhere. She sat up, or tried to sit up but Markita held her by the shoulders, clearly worried that she was moving too fast. And to be fair, she did feel as if her body was a little weak. There was a feeling of fatigue in her arms and legs.
That wasn’t on her mind, however. Something was wrong, but her head was feeling too sluggish to understand why. She looked around the room she woke up in but couldn’t find anything to help her understand.
“Where am I?” She asked the doctor.
“Ah, yes, I don’t suppose you’ve ever stayed at the Inn. This is one of its rooms.” She told the girl. “We called for a doctor from Amarabel to assist us, because we thought a sudden flu was going to sweep the town. He asked us to place you and Lucas close to the room he is staying in.”
Lucas... She knew that name. It brought a face to mind. He was a boy that lived in Bel Vard with her.
Why did that feel strange to think about?
Bel Vard was her hometown. So, why was she thinking of another place? A place called London. A place where she had wanted to live ever since she was small. But... that didn’t sound right either. Ever since she was small, she dreamed of being an adventurer.
She went to university and walked through the city streets. She grew up in Bel Vard and ran around the countryside. She had her heart broken by a city boy, then found someone amazing soon after. She had a crush on this boy Lucas, and hoped he would come with her on an adventure. She got married to the love of her life, but now, here she was.
It didn’t make sense.
She lay back down in confusion.
“Meira, dear, I need you to tell me if you’re feeling sick.” Markita told the girl as she sat beside her. She felt her forehead and her cheeks for her temperature again. “The Doctor from the city can help with his magic. You’ll be in good hands.”
Meira looked at her. Suddenly, things felt a lot more out of place.
Did she just say magic? The girl thought. What did the older woman mean by that? No, wait, she had memories of this sort of thing. She learned about it from school. She even told Lucas about the school wanting to hire a tutor from the city.
The city. Not London, but Amarabel. She had never been there, so she didn’t know what it looked like. She could only imagine London’s architecture. That was her only frame of reference.
“My dear, if you’re feeling horrible, I can go get the Doctor right now.” Markita said, looking very concerned.
“No, I-I just... I’m feeling a little dizzy. Could I have some water, please?” Meira asked her.
“Of course, of course. Not this water though, that's just for washing. Give me a moment. I’ll be right back. I’ll also let the Doctor know that you’re awake. Also, your parents will be dying to see you.” The woman kept talking, even as she walked to the door. She always was the type to blabber on.
She left the room. Meira was left with her confused thoughts. Even that name, Meira, felt odd to her. It was definitely her name, but it... wasn’t?
She took a steady breath and tried to get out of bed. She swung her legs over to the edge and immediately felt weak throughout her body. It was like she hadn’t used her muscles in a while. Just how long was she asleep for?
Meira noticed that all she was wearing was one of her night gowns. So, they were likely expecting her to be there for a while. And Markita did say that her parents were visiting every day. Which implied that she had been there for at least three days already.
She looked about the room, and all the dark wooden walls and wine-red carpet. The bed itself was fit for... well, maybe not a king, but it was definitely very extravagant. And comfortable. So, she felt no small regret when she tried to leave its embrace.
She held onto the equally rich-looking bedside table and got her feet under her. She wondered if Donali, the carpenter, and his family did all of this. She never really took time to appreciate his work. Especially since the Makshaw family didn’t often make things that weren’t fit for purpose. They never really bothered with making things look... rich? Something for noblemen and women?
Meira shook her head. She shouldn’t be distracted by grandeur. She tested her footing and took a few steps to the window. On the third step she had a bout of pins and needles up one leg. She did reach the window, though. She held onto the frame and looked out... at her town. Bel Vard.
She... didn’t really know what she was expecting.
She did, however, notice a distinct lack of cars.