Memory Mirage

wandering souls

The sound of the cars passing by, the people's voices, or the laughter of those children didn't matter to me the very moment I saw Selena. The cacophony of the city faded into a dull roar as my gaze locked on Selena.  We both agreed to go for a small walk. As I was trying so hard to match her pace, she was busy admiring the trees beside the sidewalk.
"What did you do all day?" I asked curiously, my eyes following the people nearby us.
She stopped and looked at me. "I was reading the books you gave me. And guess what? I actually ate the meal you prepared for me; it was delicious." Her enthusiasm was infectious, a welcome break from the knot of worry tightening in my gut. I was glad she didn't get bored of the books I had lent her.

"That's great..." my voice came out hoarse, nervousness clinging to it. My gaze kept flitting away, drawn back to her like a moth to a flame.  Her brown almond eyes were so captivating to me. I cleared my throat and took out my phone from my pocket to see the time.
"5:30 p.m... it's getting late," I mumbled, more to myself than to her. A little humming sound reached my ears as I raised my head. A gentle breeze tugged at her hair, sending it swirling around her face. She stood a few paces ahead, her silhouette framed by the golden light of the setting sun. As I watched, she slowly turned back, her gaze meeting mine with a hint of something unreadable.

"When will I be able to go back home?" she asked me innocently, with a slight tilt of her head. The question hung heavy in the air.
She must have forgotten that she has nowhere to go anymore. I gulped, a pang of guilt stabbed at me.
"Soon..." I muttered, taking a deep breath before looking back at her.
"Do you remember the faces of your family?" I asked, wanting to confirm my doubt .Her expression flickered, the innocent facade momentarily cracking. A frown creased her brow, and for a fleeting moment, a flicker of something unidentifiable – fear? Anger? – flashed in her eyes. Then, just as quickly, the mask of innocence settled back in place.
"Yes, of course I do!" she asserted, her voice a touch too eager.

"Then, do you remember Mr. Evander Petric and Miss Amy Hart?" I inquired, looking straight into her eyes.
She blinked, the light seemed to drain from her face. "Yes, I do... My uncle is a really nice person, but Amy..." she trailed off. She clutched her arm, rubbing it unconsciously.
"What about her?" My voice sounded intense as I took an involuntary step forward, urgency thrumming through me. But Selena flinched back, her eyes wide and wary. Realizing my mistake, I stopped, forcing myself to relax my posture.
"I apologize," I murmured, my voice is softer now. "It's just... important."
"She... she was just not fond of me..." she stammered and looked nervous.
"Not fond of you?" I echoed, my curiosity piqued. "Can you tell me more?"

Selena furrowed her brow, a puzzled crease etching itself between her eyes. My fingers drummed impatiently against my pockets, yearning for her answer. Suddenly, we both heard some people gossiping nearby.Two figures emerged from around the corner, their voices laced with hushed excitement as they gossiped about something. I looked at them irritably.

Selena's expression changed to curiosity as she spoke up, "What happened, Felix?" Her voice snapped me out of my imagination, and I flinched. "Huh? Nothing..." Frantic to get away from the prying eyes and ears, I gestured for Selena to follow. "Let's just keep walking."

Selena followed and soon walked beside me. Her eyes were scanning my face until I looked at her, and she got embarrassed. She pretended to look somewhere else as a little flush crept onto her cheeks. This gave me a sense of relief.
We continued walking, the clamor of the city fading into a distant murmur as we turned onto a quieter street. I stopped upon seeing a big old tree, which brought back a flashback of memories, I stopped abruptly.
A gentle tug on my t-shirt snapped me back to the present. Selena, her brow furrowed with concern, stood beside me.
"What's wrong, Felix?" she asked, her voice laced with a naivety that felt strangely comforting, "Why did you walk away from there?" Her questions made it seem like she was unaware of the evil eyes watching us. As frustrated as I was, I couldn't help but feel a little at ease.
"I just don't like having many people around me. They give me a headache," I said calmly.

"Oh..." she seemed speechless, her concern morphing into a hesitant understanding.
My eyes darted toward the old tree as I mumbled, "Actually... I..." I held back my voice a little before taking a deep breath.
Selena waited patiently beside me, her gaze following mine.
"Actually, I can see and hear things most people can't..." My voice sounded raspy, a hollow uncertainty escaping from my mouth. I slowly glanced at her. She seemed flabbergasted by my words, anxiety creeping into my forehead. With another sigh, I spoke up, "You could say I am aware of wandering souls. I can see them, maybe not clearly, but to a certain extent."
A beat of awkward silence stretched between us.  A nervous chuckle escaped my lips, a poor attempt to lighten the mood. "Weird, right?"

She kept quiet while my thoughts raced through my mind. "Had I blown it? Was she going to run screaming, convinced I was some kind of lunatic?" The urge to backpedal, to laugh it off as a bad joke, was almost overwhelming.
A bunch of unreasonable thoughts jumped around my mind. My chest constricted, each labored breath a stark reminder of my vulnerability. The silence stretched, thick and heavy like the air before a storm.

Thanks for reading!!