The moment Nathaniel turned away from the well, a flood of memories crashed over him, an unstoppable torrent that overwhelmed his senses. He staggered backward, clutching his head as his vision blurred and fractured. Images, sounds, and sensations surfaced all at once, fragments of the past he had fought so hard to bury.
He saw himself as a boy, running through these very woods with his brother, their laughter ringing through the trees. He could almost feel the damp earth beneath his feet, hear the rustling leaves as they sprinted, carefree and alive. The warmth of those memories faded as the scene shifted, darkening. Rain began to pour, cold and relentless, soaking them to the bone. He saw headlights piercing through the downpour, the blinding flash that shattered everything.
But then,
