Remember Me Everyday

Chapter 1: The Weight of Yesterday The basement always smelled like old, dusty paper. For Clara, that smell was the only thing keeping her grounded. She sat at the big wooden desk, with just a small lamp keeping the darkness away. Around her were piles of old letters and photos from her family's past. Her hands were shaking just a little bit. She tried to smooth out the page of an old diary. Hurry up, a scared voice inside her head whispered. Before you forget. Clara was only twenty-eight, but her doctor had given her the worst news of her life three months ago. Her brain was slowly losing its memory. It started with little things, like losing her keys. But lately, it was getting scary. Last week, she stared at her own face in the mirror for ten minutes, trying to remember her own name. She was trying to write down her family history before her mind completely went blank. Suddenly, she heard the heavy basement door open upstairs. Footsteps started coming down. They weren't loud or heavy. They were quiet, almost too smooth. A man stepped into the light of her lamp. He was tall and wore a dark coat. His eyes were incredibly dark, like night water. He stood so still that the whole room felt quiet. "Clara?" his voice was deep and calm. "I’m Julian. The agency sent me to help you organize all these papers." Clara swallowed hard. She looked down at her notepad where she had written a note to herself: Julian is coming at 9 PM. Assistant. Trust him. "Right," she said, trying to smile. "Thank you for coming so late. As you can see, it's a huge mess. My family lived here for a long time, and they never threw anything away." Julian walked closer. He looked at a bundle of letters tied with a blue ribbon. For a second, a look of pure pain passed over his face, like he recognized them. Then, he hid it quickly. "History takes up a lot of space," he said softly. He stepped right next to her desk. The moment he got close, something weird happened to Clara. The constant, worried buzzing in her head just stopped. A deep sense of peace washed over her. She felt so relaxed she almost gasped. "Are you okay?" Julian asked quickly. He reached out to help her but stopped before his hand touched her skin. "Yes," she breathed. "Just got a bit dizzy." Julian looked at her closely. He could see her pulse beating fast in her neck. To Julian, Clara didn't just look like a person. Her mind was glowing. Her memories looked like bright, beautiful fireworks in the dark. Julian wasn't a normal person. He was a vampire, but he didn't drink blood. He fed on human memories and feelings. "Let's start with these letters from the 1880s," Julian said, sitting down in a chair next to her. "Tell me the story." For the next few hours, they worked together. Clara forgot all about her sickness. She talked about her ancestors with so much life in her voice. Julian listened to every single word like it was the most important thing in the world. He didn't just take notes; he really understood her. "You talk about them like you actually knew them," Clara laughed softly around 2 AM. "Sometimes the past feels more real than right now," Julian said. He looked at her eyes, her ink-stained fingers, and how hard she was fighting to stay present. "Thank you," Clara said, her voice getting quiet and honest. "Everyone else pities me. They talk to me like I'm a child. Tonight, I just felt normal." Julian felt a sharp pain in his chest. For hundreds of years, he had just looked at humans like short stories. But Clara felt different. He didn't want her story to end. "You are not broken, Clara," Julian said, his voice cracking a little. He reached out to hand her a photo, and their fingers brushed. It felt like electricity. Clara didn't pull away. She leaned closer, drawn to him. Julian knew he should stop, but she was too warm, too beautiful. When he kissed her, it was soft and desperate. Clara put her hands around his neck, pulling him tight. She felt safe for the first time in months. But suddenly, the warmth disappeared. Julian pulled back fast, looking terrified. He gasped for air. In his chest, he felt a sudden rush of new feelings—he had just swallowed a memory. Clara stumbled back against the desk. The love in her eyes was completely gone. She looked at Julian with pure fear. "Who are you?" she screamed, shaking. "What are you doing in my house? Get out!" Julian stood frozen. His heart broke into pieces. The kiss had triggered his hunger. He hadn't taken her old memories, but he had accidentally erased the last four hours. She had no idea who he was. "I’m sorry," Julian choked out, tears hitting his eyes. "I'm so sorry." He turned and ran into the dark night, leaving her alone and terrified of a stranger she had just loved.