5/ Echoes of the Past

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The once-familiar sights of her old neighborhood—the cracked pavement, the overgrown patches of grass, and the rusting lampposts—stirred up a flood of emotions. Selena felt an ache in her chest, a blend of longing and uncertainty as she took in the view. The apartment building that loomed before her was the very one she had left behind years ago, and now, standing in front of it again, she couldn't help but feel the weight of her past closing in.

As they stood there, a raven swooped down and landed gracefully on Morpheus's shoulder. Selena stared at the bird in surprise as it regarded her with intelligent eyes.

"Selena, this is Matthew," Morpheus introduced. "He is my loyal companion I told you about."

Selena blinked, still processing the sight of a talking raven. "The talking raven. Of course," she murmured, more to herself than anyone else. "With everything that's happened, I suppose I should be getting used to this."

Matthew tilted his head, his dark eyes studying her. "Nice to finaly meet you, Selena."

Selena managed a small smile. "Nice to meet you too, Matthew."

She turned her attention back to the apartment building, her expression growing serious. Memories of her difficult childhood flooded back, and she felt a knot of anxiety tighten in her stomach. Taking a deep breath, she started towards the building, leaving Morpheus and Matthew to converse in hushed tones behind her.

"Sir. Do you think she's a vortex?" Matthew asked, his voice low and concerned.

"No. I think she is something else," Morpheus replied, his gaze fixed on Selena.

"What do we do?" Matthew pressed.

"For now, we keep an eye on her." Morpheus said firmly.


They followed Selena to the entrance of the building, offering silent support. She hesitates, her fist raised, ready to knock on the door. She took another deep breath and finally knocked. The familiar smell of the old building washed over her as they waited.

After a moment, the door creaked open, revealing a teenage boy with tousled hair and a wary expression. "Yeah?" he asked, looking between Selena and the unusual pair of Morpheus and Matthew.

"Hi" she said, her voice trying to be calm. "I used to live here. My name is Selena. Is Mrs. Henderson home?"

The boy's eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. "Mom! Someone's here for you!" he called out, still eyeing the young woman and her companions warily.

Selena heard the familiar sound of Mrs. Henderson's footsteps and her characteristic grumbling. Just a few second later, the woman appeared at the door, her expression one of mild irritation.

"What is it?" Mrs. Henderson demanded, her eyes sweeping over the group. It took her a few moments to recognize her. "Oh! What are you doing here?" She stayed silent for a second "We don't have any of your things anymore; we sold them all. And don't come asking me for money," she continued.

She snickered nervously, not surprised by her behaviour "Nothing like that. I just need to ask you some questions about my parents."

"Who are these people with you?" The old lady asked, eyeing Morpheus up and down. "Who's this goth guy? You're hanging out with people like that? And he has a raven too. You've really hit rock bottom, my poor girl."

Selena took a deep breath and steadied herself. "Mrs. Henderson, this is important. I need to know anything you can tell me about my biological parents."

Mrs. Henderson crossed her arms, clearly unimpressed by the two immortal companion. "Why do you want to know now, after all this time?"

"It's complicated," Selena replied, glancing at Morpheus for support. "But it's crucial for me to understand where I come from."

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