The memory
1060 Words
The Strange Feeling
Episode 4 — The Memory
Amara woke up screaming.
She sat upright in bed, breathing heavily.
Her room was dark.
For several seconds, she didn't know where she was.
Then she remembered the dream.
The hallway.
Her mother.
The necklace.
And the man.
This time, the memory had been clearer.
She had seen his face.
Or almost seen it.
He was standing at the end of the hallway.
Her mother was kneeling in front of young Amara.
“Don't be afraid,” Elena had whispered.
Young Amara was crying.
“Where are we going?”
“Somewhere safe.”
“Are you coming?”
Elena had looked away.
“I'll come for you.”
Then the man had appeared.
Elena's face had filled with fear.
“Take her and go.”
The memory ended.
Amara covered her mouth.
Her mother hadn't abandoned her.
She had been trying to protect her.
But from whom?
Amara got out of bed.
She walked to the mirror.
Her reflection looked pale.
She remembered something else.
A voice.
A man's voice.
“She must never remember.”
Amara's heart began pounding.
She grabbed her phone.
There was a message.
Unknown number.
Stop asking questions.
She stared at it.
A second message arrived.
You don't know what you're looking for.
Then a third.
And you don't know who you're trusting.
Amara immediately thought of Adrian.
She called him.
He answered after the second ring.
“Amara?”
“Did you send me a message?”
“No.”
“Someone is threatening me.”
Silence.
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
“Lock the door.”
“I already did.”
“Don't open it for anyone.”
“Adrian—”
“I'm coming.”
The call ended.
Amara stood by the window.
Ten minutes later, she saw headlights outside.
Adrian stepped out of the car.
He looked toward her apartment before walking inside the compound.
Amara opened the door only after confirming it was him.
He entered.
“What happened?”
She showed him the messages.
His expression became serious.
“When did you receive these?”
“Minutes ago.”
Adrian looked around the room.
“Has anyone been here?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He handed the phone back to her.
“You need to stay somewhere else tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because they know where you live.”
Amara stared at him.
“How do you know?”
“I've been watching the area.”
She frowned.
“You've been watching my house?”
“To protect you.”
“You can't just decide to protect me without telling me.”
“I know.”
“Then tell me everything.”
Adrian looked at her.
“What do you want to know?”
“Everything about my mother.”
He was silent.
“My father believed Elena stole something from him.”
“What?”
“A set of financial records.”
“Did she?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I found evidence after my father died.”
Adrian reached into his jacket and removed an old envelope.
“This belonged to my father.”
Amara opened it.
Inside were several handwritten letters.
She recognized the handwriting immediately.
Her mother's.
Her hands began trembling.
“She wrote these?”
“Yes.”
Amara read the first letter.
It was addressed to Richard Cole.
Richard,
I know you don't believe me, but Victor is lying to you. The accounts have been altered. Someone inside the company is moving money. If you confront him, he will know that I found out.
Amara looked at Adrian.
“Victor.”
He nodded.
She read the next letter.
If anything happens to me, don't let them find Amara. She must stay away from the Coles until it is safe.
Amara stopped breathing.
“That's why she left me.”
Adrian didn't answer.
“She didn't abandon me.”
“No.”
Amara's eyes filled with tears.
“She was protecting me.”
“Yes.”
She wiped her face.
“Then why did nobody tell me?”
“Because someone wanted you to believe she was gone.”
“Who?”
“We don't know yet.”
Amara looked down at the letters.
Then she noticed something.
A small symbol had been drawn at the bottom of the final page.
A circle surrounding the letter C.
The same symbol on Adrian's umbrella.
She looked at him.
“What is this?”
Adrian's face changed.
“I've seen it before.”
“Where?”
“In my father's private files.”
“What does it mean?”
“I don't know.”
Amara turned the page.
There was a final sentence written beneath the symbol.
When the girl remembers, the truth will return.
Amara's hands went cold.
“The girl.”
She looked at Adrian.
“That's me.”
He nodded.
Neither of them spoke.
Then they heard something outside.
A noise.
A soft scrape against the window.
Adrian immediately moved toward it.
He pulled the curtain aside.
Nothing.
The compound was empty.
But on the ground below the window was a small object.
Adrian went outside and picked it up.
It was a silver necklace.
Amara stared at it.
She knew it immediately.
It was the necklace from her memories.
The necklace her mother had been wearing the night she disappeared.
Adrian walked back inside.
“This changes everything.”
Amara took the necklace from him.
The moment her fingers touched it, another memory exploded into her mind.
Her mother was crying.
She was holding the necklace.
And she was whispering into young Amara's ear.
“Whenever you see this, remember one thing.”
Young Amara looked at her.
“What?”
Elena kissed her forehead.
“Don't trust Victor.”
Amara opened her eyes.
She looked at Adrian.
“I remember.”
“What?”
“Victor.”
Her voice trembled.
“My mother knew he was coming.”
Adrian stared at her.
“Then we finally know where to start.”
But neither of them noticed the small camera hidden across the street.
Someone had been watching the entire time.
And whoever was behind it now knew that Amara's memories were returning.
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