The Veil of Forgotten Memories

Chapter 1

Lena's nights blurred into a tapestry of dreams and shadows. The mysterious man haunted her sleep, his face ever-elusive. His eyes—deep pools of moonlight—pulled her toward an unknown promise. And there, etched on his wrist, was a moon-shaped tattoo, ancient and cryptic.

Same dream again she sighed
This is the 13th in a row, who are you really? At this point she might as well stop asking the same questions as she's getting tired of stressing about the same over and over again or maybe not she just need someone to interpret it and she knows who to ask.

Lena rose with the sun, her room suffused with a soft glow. The ancient clock on her bedside table ticked methodically, a comforting rhythm that let's her know she's awake and not in a dream.

She slipped into her faded slippers and padded downstairs to the cozy kitchen. The scent of freshly brewed coffee enveloped her, a morning ritual she cherished.

Her grandfather, grizzled and kind-eyed, sat at the worn wooden table. His hands cradled a steaming mug. "Morning, Lena," he greeted.

"Mornin pops" Lena replied
"You've been looking tired lately, did you have a bad dream?" His voice sounding worried

Lena only told her best friend her dreams but not her grandpa who's old and struggling with the memories of his wife. Ever since her grandma died he's been getting sick and his body's getting frailer as the day goes. As much as she wants to live on her own she love her grandpop too much to leave him.

"Nah, I think it's just the bed. Do you think it's time to change it?" She shrugged.

"Hmm..I guess you're right. This building's getting old so as its furnitures. I'll go talk to old ricky about it."

"Oh I'll go swing by his place after this, I need something from Jesse anyway" said lena as she finishes her coffee.

"Alright, just be careful you know what the news's been lately some girls missing and turning up dead in alley ways. I don't want you to die first before its my time." Grandpa Linus warned as he's reading newspaper.

"I'm 24 I'll be okay grandpapi, I'll see you at lunch time" lena smile and gave him a kiss on the forehead.

He prefers getting news the old fashion way that's why they don't have any tv or radio in their Inn. Although Lena has an ordinary flip phone which she's using now to contact her friend and to let her know she's swinging by her place. Sometimes she can't understand why they chose to live behind technology nowadays. It makes life easier and faster.

Grandpa Linus says their inn is about 50 years old with a total of 20 rooms before now its down to 10 because some of the termites issue and honestly it looks a bit run down now on the outside.

He used to tell her stories on how its the best in the city, her parents would also help and host parties in their garden area. Sadly she never met them she is but a baby when they died due to car crash and she was 6 when her grandma followed them. Ever since then the place slowly loses its light.

Nowadays only few travelers would checked in sometimes 1 or 3 in a month, most of the time there's none. Business been bad lately but her grandpa stubbornly refuses to close it in honor of his wife that maybe that way he can feel closer to her in those empty halls, the creaking stairs and lonely garden.

As she drove she wandered on how familiar grief is, she was young and couldn't really remember the people she lost before but for some reason grief is like an old friend. Caressing and whispering in the back of her mind.

She arrive in front of an old antique furniture shop and was greeted by a smiling old man in glasses

"Lena! Good to see you! How's linus doing?"
Ricky said as he's coming out of the register

"Hi ricky! He's doing well still same old Linus. He wants me to pick a bed. Do you have anything on sale?"

"Oh I have one right here! This'll be perfect I've been wanting to get this thing out of my shop anyway." Ricky said as he kicked the old bed

"Great then how much is it?"

"Oh don't mind it I know the Inn's not doing good lately. You can pay me back when you have enough"

"You sure?" Lena hesitated she doesn't like it when someone is doing her favors but considering their situation this is would be a big help.

"It's fine deary, I'll help you mount it in your car." Ricky said as he tap lena shoulder as if to reassure her then proceeds to disassemble the bed. It's made out of light metal and can easily fit in her pickup car.

"Thanks rick your the best!" As she's helping rick she suddenly heard a faint whisper. Like someone is calling her, longing for her. She felt a sting of vibration in the back of her neck, She touched it and turned around to caught a glimpse of man standing in the shadows of the alley. Tall and strangely muscular, she couldn't really see what his face is like only his eyes are blue?

"..na"
"..ena"
"Lena! You okay?" Rick was calling her all this time and she snapped
"Oh sorry about that rick, Thanks again" she tried to look at the same spot where the man is but he's gone. Maybe this dreams is making her crazy

"Hey rick do you happen to know where Jesse is?"

Rick sighed like he's tired of knowing that Jesse his daughter has pursued an usual hobby, which is palm and tarot reading. If anything or anyone can interpret Lena's dreams it's Jesse.

"You'll find her at the Grimms park she set up a tent there with hope to make money with all her weird tarot cards."

"Great thanks rick!"
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Lena arrived at the park, there are more people than she thought since it's almost Halloween their community arranges small festivities where locals can sell and offer goods and services. There are booths for foods, gifts, souvenirs and small carnival tents. Of course she spotted her best friends tent only because she has the weirdest one with toy candles a big sign of tarot and palm reading that says "$5 to know your future"

"I can't believe you've finally done this" lena said as she entered Jesses tent

"Lena my bff! Er- ehem Good day to you lost traveler what you seek, my Crystal ball will answer." Jesse jokingly said as she change her tone an old accent.

"You know what I'm here for, I had a strange dream again I need you help to interpret it."

"Hmm. Take a sit lets hear what the cards will say." Jesse motioned to her and pulled out her tarot cards.

This time there's something nerve wracking about interpreting dreams with Jesse they've been doing this for weeks now but for some reason this time, feels like something big is going to happen.
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Authors note: wohooo natapos din chapter 1 thank you for reading so far! Will post the next chapter sooon :)