As the silvery moonlight shone through the garden, the orchids danced with the cold breeze of the night. The scent of blossoming flowers and dry grass lingered as Triggs and Calla strolled in the courtyard.

With eyes that sparkled with concern, Calla asked Triggs, “Is something bothering you, Triggs? What do you want to talk about?”

“Ah, it’s just about what happened in the lake,” Triggs replied. “But before everything… I want to say sorry…”

“Hmm? About what?” Calla was genuinely puzzled.

“I think I might have said something that hurt you earlier. I feel bad that I made you cry.”

“Oh, you’re still worried about that? It’s okay. I’m not angry. Hehe.”

“Well, it’s good to know that you’re not mad at me,” Triggs uttered with a sense of relief.

Triggs stopped walking and sat on the grassy floor. Calla followed and sat beside him.

“But Calla… How have you been feeling lately?” Triggs asked. “Claire mentioned that you’ve been feeling a bit down since we returned from Matukad Island.”

After Triggs asked the question, Calla’s demeanor suddenly changed; she became more fidgety and uneasy.

“Uhm… yup……” Calla murmured. “I’ve been having weird dreams the past few days. They always give me headaches when I wake up.”

“Dreams?” Triggs wondered. “Maybe it’s telling you something? Like the ‘call’?”

“Hmm… I don’t know. But these dreams are really bad! They’re about my past - my real mom and my best friend, Mae-Mae. It’s like my mind is forcing me to remember them.”

“It’s weird, indeed,” Triggs commented. “Sorry if I can’t help you with that. But you can always tell us what you feel. Maybe our company, at least, can comfort you a bit.”

“It’s okay. Thanks so much, Triggs. Hehe,” Calla replied with a warm smile.

As their conversation continued, a person walked in, “Mind if I join you?” It was the elder with the burn scars.

At first, Triggs and Calla felt a bit shy and hesitant.

“Su - Sure po!” Triggs replied, feeling a bit bashful.

The elder settled beside them.

“It really warms my heart to see young ones like you embracing these practices and knowledge. It fills me with hope for the future,” she said with a motherly voice. “By the way, are you two sweethearts as well? Just like Gwyn and Michael?”

Calla’s face turned red. “N… No po!” she timidly answered. She then nudged Triggs, as if she was urging him to say something.

“Ah… eh… Calla and I were just really close. Hehe…”

“Oh? My apologies. You just seem adorable together, that’s why I asked.”

Calla turned very fidgety, trying to hide her embarrassment.

To save face, Triggs tried to change the topic by asking the elder politely.“By the way, your name is Grace, right?”

“I see, Toby already introduced us to you, eh?” Grace replied. “Knowing how chatty he can be, I suppose he's already shared our stories with you, hasn't he?”

“Well, uhm… Yup. You’re right about that…”

Grace chuckled and sighed, “That boy…”

“By the way, we’re really sorry about what happened to you… and your family…”

"No, it's alright, dear. I've moved past all that,” Grace replied with optimism. “That’s why, in the present, we're putting in our best efforts to help children like you, those who are often misunderstood by society, to ensure they don't go through what we did.”

“I respect and admire your cause,” Triggs commended.

Calla agreed. “Yup. You really are good people.”

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

The compliments put a smile on Grace’s face. Then, she got back to the reason why she joined their conversation. “By the way… Sorry for eavesdropping on you a while ago, but I heard that you were talking about… dreams?”

“Uhm, yes po. We were talking about Calla’s dreams,” Triggs answered.

With a somber face, Calla added, “I’ve been dreaming about my sad childhood.”

“Dear, dreams usually have meaning,” Grace stated with certitude. “If it’s showing you your childhood, it means there are things you need to work on from your past.”

Calla’s demeanor had become gloomier. Hit by a deep realization, her lips curved with sorrow, “Something’s telling me I need to face it - that I need to remember everything about my past someday. But I don’t know how to, and I’m also scared…”

“I can help you with that,” Grace offered. “I can use a Word to help you remember some aspects of your past. However, its effectiveness relies on your willingness; my Words can only reveal what you're open to seeing.”

“Calla, this might be it!” Triggs uttered excitedly. “This might be the help you needed.”

However, the young lady was still in doubt, “I don’t know…Sh-Should I?”

With an assuring voice, Triggs said, “Don’t worry. Whatever you learn about your past, we’ll be here to help you cope with it.”

The comforting statements gave Calla the security she needed. It boosted her confidence.

“So, are you prepared to take the Words, my dear?”

With bravery rekindled in her eyes, Calla accepted the offer by nodding her head.

Grace warned, “Get ready, Dear. The Words will let you relive your memories from the perspective of your past self. It might be quite overwhelming.”

“O-Okay po…”

Without further ado, the elder gently placed her right hand on Calla’s head. She put on her mask and chanted the Words, “MEMENTO FRACTIO!”

Calla’s body jerked, as a bright light overwhelmed her sight. As the tremendous energy engulfed her senses, she surrendered to the flow and rested her eyes.

Suddenly, she heard a nostalgic voice. “Calla - baby, just stay here, okay?” It sounded frantic and afraid.

Calla opened her eyes again, and she saw a woman in front of her. The woman had long wavy hair, a round face, and a small mouth. She was wearing a ragged dress with flower imprints, and her body was covered with dirt and wounds.

Just like Calla, the woman had very expressive eyes - but during that time, her eyes reflected the horror of the situation.

It appeared to be that Calla’s perspective shifted to the eyes of her younger self; the memory of her past was projecting right before her eyes. She was very sure that the woman in front of her was her biological mother, and the scene she was experiencing was the time she was left alone.

“Baby, whatever happens, always remember that Mama loves you so much, okay?” the woman said while caressing the young Calla.

After a forehead kiss to bid her goodbye, the woman left the place - a small flooded cave near a river.

While the woman couldn't be seen in the field of view, her voice could be heard by the young Calla. It sounded like her mother was being chased by a group of people. The young Calla stayed silent as she heard everything from inside the cave.

“I surrender now!!” her mother yelled, distraught could be felt in her voice.

“Where’s your child!?” a man yelled, filled with anger and dominance.

“I told you, I don’t have a child!”

SLAP!!!

“Don’t lie to us!! I know you’re living with your child!”

“You’re calling me a witch because I can see things you couldn’t. And now you’re insisting that I’m living with a child that doesn’t even exist!? Who’s the real delusional now!?” the woman bluffed.

SLAP!!!

“I have enough of your bullshit!... Take her!!”

“No! No please, wait!!! Where are you taking me!?”

“Shut up, you witch!”

“No, please! NOOOOOO!!!!!!”

The distressing scream echoed in the ears of the young Calla. Suddenly, a bright light flashed in her eyes again. An energy nulled her senses, and again, she was transported to a different scene.

This time, the young Calla was walking by the forest, wretched and gloomy. She was desperately searching for something

Reaching a spacious spot in the woods, she was welcomed by a crisp scent of fading smoke. The young Calla saw a pile of rubbled ash; she sprinted to examine the remains.

Desperately, digging on the mound, she found something that truly broke her heart: a piece of torn cloth with a flowery imprint.

From the mouth of her younger self, a mournful whisper came out, “Mama... why?…” Then tears started falling from her eyes.

The bright light flashed and the scene was changed again: the young Calla was wearily staring at the canopies of the trees, as her malnourished body lay flat on the bay of the river. She looked very woeful and hungry.

She suddenly heard a voice from a girl. “Hey? Why are you lying there? Are you still alive?”

Using all her energy, the young Calla forced her body to rise to see who was talking to her. Then, she saw a little girl about her age. Based on the complexion of the girl, she looked like she came from a wealthy family.

The girl had an apple-cut hairstyle, and her whole forehead was covered by her straight-cut bangs. She had a rounded face like Calla, but her eyes were shaped like an almond. She was wearing pajamas, and in her right hand was a plastic bag filled with bread.

“KRAAAAA~”

Behind the girl was a huge turtle - Calla was very sure that it was Isha.

With curious eyes, the girl scanned the young Calla from head to toe. “Why are you like that? Why do you look so tired?”

“I’m hungry…” the young Calla replied while rubbing her tummy.

“I have bread here, do you want some?”

Calla nodded her head like an eager puppy.

“Here! You can have it.” the girl said as she handed a piece of bread to the Young Calla.

Without a second thought, Calla grabbed the bread like a speedy fox. Quickly, she stuffed the food in her mouth.

With her mouth still full of bread, the young Calla asked the girl, “Cahn I havv zome mwor?”

“Wow! You eat like my pet turtle,” the girl uttered with amusement. “Here, you can have all of these.” She gave the whole plastic bag to Calla.

The young Calla’s face sparkled with delight. “Thvank you zo much!” she grabbed the pieces of bread from the bag and started eating like a barbarian.

Genuinely curious, the girl asked Calla. “Why are you alone? Where’s your Papa?”

After swallowing the big chunk of bread in her mouth, the young Calla answered the girl. “I don’t know. I didn’t meet my Papa.”

“Uhm… How about your Mama? Where is she?”

The young Calla suddenly froze, and then the grim memory of her dead mother suddenly devastated her mood. “She’s…… She’s dead,” she murmured before starting to cry her lungs out.

The little girl was shocked. She didn’t know what to do - she panicked. “Uhm… What should I do, Isha?”

“KRAAAAA~”

“Okay!” the girl replied to the turtle. She then dashed to the young Calla and hugged her.

The young Calla was caught off guard; the warm embrace consoled her grieving heart, prompting her to ease her sorrow.

“Do you have any friends?” the girl asked.

“No,” the young Calla answered with a sad voice,

“Don’t worry! I can be your friend!” the little girl offered.

At that moment, all the young Calla could notice was the kindness of the girl. To her, she was like the shining moon that illuminated her dark night.

“What’s your name?” the little girl asked Calla. “I am Mae-Mae, by the way. And this is my pet turtle, Isha.”