Missing Years
852 Words
Beverly didn’t leave the bridge immediately.
She stood there long after the memory disappeared.
The rain continued to fall.
Daniel was still beside her.
“Why can’t I remember everything?” she asked.
Daniel looked away.
“Because you didn’t forget naturally.”
Beverly frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel didn’t answer.
Instead, he looked at the sky.
The rain was already becoming lighter.
His expression changed.
Like he was running out of time.
“Daniel..."
“When the rain stops, I have to go.”
Beverly folded her arms.
“No. Not this time.”
A small smile appeared on his face.
“You always were stubborn.”
The words felt familiar.
Before Beverly could ask what he meant, the rain slowed.
A few seconds later, it stopped completely.
Daniel’s form flickered.
Beverly’s eyes widened.
It was only for a second.
But she saw it.
“Daniel?”
He looked at her.
“Go home, Beverly.”
Then he disappeared.
Just like that.
The bridge was empty again.
That night, Beverly couldn’t sleep.
She kept thinking about the memory.
The way she had laughed.
The way Daniel had looked at her.
Those weren’t the memories of strangers.
They were the memories of people who loved each other.
Around midnight, she opened her laptop.
If nobody would tell her the truth, she would find it herself.
She searched through old photos...Old emails...Old social media accounts.
Anything.
Hours passed.
Then she found something strange.
A photo album from university.
There were pictures of parties, classes, birthdays, and trips.
But there was a gap.
Nearly six months of her life were missing.
No photos....
No posts...Nothing.
Beverly sat back.
“That’s impossible.”
She took photos all the time back then.
Why would six months be gone?
The next morning, she called an old university friend.
Sandra.
They hadn’t spoken in a while.
“Bev?” Sandra sounded surprised. “Wow. It’s been ages.”
“I know.”
They talked for a few minutes.
Then Beverly got to the point.
“Do you remember someone named Daniel?”Silence...A long silence.
Beverly immediately noticed it.
“Sandra?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Beverly’s stomach tightened.
“What isn’t?”
“Talking about him.”
The answer made her heart race.
“So you do know him.”
Sandra sighed.
“Please leave it alone.”
“Why?”
More silence.
Then Sandra said quietly,
“Because you asked us to.”
Beverly froze.
“What?”
“You told all of us never to mention him again.”
Beverly couldn’t speak.
Sandra continued.
“You were going through a lot back then.”
“What happened?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Because I promised.”
The call ended a few minutes later.
Beverly felt worse than before.
Now she knew one thing for sure.
Daniel wasn’t lying.
People really had known him.
People had really hidden him from her.
But why?
That afternoon, Amara came over.
Beverly told her everything.
The bridge...The memory...Sandra...All of it.
Amara listened quietly.
When Beverly finished, she shook her head.
“This is getting scary.”
“I know.”
“What if Daniel is telling the truth?”
Beverly looked down.
She didn’t want to answer.
Because she had been asking herself the same question.
Amara sat beside her.
“Do you remember anything else?”
Beverly thought for a moment.
Then she nodded.
“His smile.”
Amara blinked.
“What?”
“When I saw that memory… I remembered his smile.”
A strange sadness filled her chest.
Like she had lost something important.
Someone important.
That feeling stayed with her for the rest of the day.
That evening, rain began to fall again.
Beverly immediately looked out the window.
Her heart skipped.
Daniel was standing across the street.
Waiting.
She grabbed her jacket and rushed outside.
By the time she reached him, the rain was heavier.
Daniel looked tired.
More tired than before.
His face seemed paler.
As if something was draining him.
“You found more memories,” he said.
Beverly nodded.
“You knew my friends.”
Daniel smiled sadly.
“I knew a lot of people.”
Beverly took a step closer.
“What happened to us?”
For a moment, Daniel said nothing.
Then he reached into his pocket.
He pulled out a small object.
A silver key.
Beverly stared at it.
“What is that?”
“You gave it to me.”
Her heart skipped.
“What does it open?”
Daniel placed the key in her hand.
His fingers brushed hers.
For a second, another memory flashed.
A rainy night.
Daniel laughing...A promise...Then it was gone.
Beverly grabbed his arm.
“Daniel!”
But he was already fading.
The rain was slowing again.
“Wait!”
Daniel looked at her one last time.
“Find the sketchbook.”
“What sketchbook?”
But it was too late.
The rain stopped.
And Daniel disappeared.
Leaving only the key behind.
And more questions than answers
- Writer
