Echoes of Time

Chapter 19 - The Unseen Fear

When Adeline woke up, her mind was clouded. A soft pillow cradled her head, and the scent of lavender filled her nose. She blinked several times, trying to focus. The dim, warm light of her bedroom came into view. The familiar surroundings—the patterned curtains, her bookshelf stacked with novels, and the faint hum of her grandmother's old radio playing classical music—grounded her in reality.

But something was wrong.

Her throat felt tight, her heart still racing from the memory of what had happened.

"Adeline?" A soft, worried voice cut through her haze.

She turned her head slowly. Debbie sat at the edge of her bed, concern etched across her face. Adeline's grandmother, Keira, stood beside her, worry creasing her gentle features.

"You're awake, thank God," Debbie said, her voice filled with relief. "You fainted outside the cafe. I found you lying on the street."

Adeline blinked, struggling to form words. "I... I fainted?"

Keira sat down beside her, gently stroking her hair. "What happened, sweetie? You scared us half to death."

Adeline's mind raced. She sat up abruptly, the memory of the frozen world flooding back. "Time... time stopped," she said, her voice shaky. "Everything—everyone—was frozen! Debbie, you were stuck inside the cafe, the people on the streets—they were like statues. I couldn't—"

Debbie exchanged a quick, uneasy glance with Keira. "Adeline," she began softly, "you might've just had a bad panic attack. You've been really stressed lately."

Adeline shook her head fiercely, her hands trembling. "No, no! It wasn't a panic attack! I saw it. I felt it. Time wasn't moving. Everyone was stuck—frozen in place like mannequins!"

Keira reached out to take Adeline's hand, her expression one of concern, but also disbelief. "Sweetheart," she said gently, "I think you're overworking yourself. You've been going through a lot recently. Maybe you were just imagining things."

"I wasn't imagining it!" Adeline shouted, pulling her hand away. "I'm not crazy! I know what I saw!"

Debbie leaned forward, her voice calm but laced with worry. "Adeline, listen. Maybe... maybe it was some kind of hallucination? You've been really stressed, right? Things like this can happen when your mind is overburdened."

Adeline's breath hitched as anger and frustration surged inside her. How could they not believe her? How could they think this was just some kind of stress-induced delusion?

"I'm not imagining things," she said, her voice growing colder. "You weren't there. You didn't see what I saw."

Keira exchanged another look with Debbie, her lips pressed into a thin line. "We just want to help, dear," she said softly, almost too carefully. "Maybe you should rest for a while. Take some time off work and just... relax."

"Relax?" Adeline repeated bitterly. "You think I'm going crazy, don't you?"

Debbie shook her head quickly. "No, Adeline, of course not. We're just... we're concerned. You've been through a lot lately, and—"

"I don't want to hear it!" Adeline snapped, pulling the covers over her as if they could shield her from their disbelief. "I'm not crazy, okay? I'm not!"

Keira sighed softly, sadness filling her eyes. "We're just worried about you, honey. But if you need space, we understand."

Adeline didn't respond. She just turned away from them, her mind swirling with confusion and anger. She couldn't believe they didn't trust her. Why couldn't they just believe her?

After a long, tense moment, Debbie stood up from the bed. "We'll let you rest, Addie. If you need anything, we're here."

Keira gently kissed the top of Adeline's headbefore following Debbie out of the room. The door clicked softly shut behindthem.