Rhiana stayed home from school the next day. She couldn't face the questions or the concerned stares. Her parents let her rest, assuming she was tired or catching a cold. But she wasn't sick.
She was unraveling.
She spent the morning lying in bed, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Her mind kept returning to that moment—Monica. That name had echoed so clearly. The man's face. His voice. The way her own hands had looked in the vision. She didn't just dream it. She felt it. She had been that girl.
She pulled out her sketchbook and began to draw. Not because she wanted to—but because she couldn't stop herself. The pencil glided across the page with a will of its own. In just minutes, a familiar house took shape. Slanted roof. Wide porch. Wind chimes hanging in the corner.
She had never seen that house in real life.
And yet she had drawn every brick from memory.
Later that evening, her parents called her down for dinner. They asked her about school, her friends, whether something was bothering her. She gave short answers, smiled where appropriate, but none of it was real. The girl sitting at that table wasn't fully present.
Her mother reached across the table and gently touched her hand.
"Rhiana, you've been somewhere else lately. Talk to me."
Rhiana hesitated. She wanted to tell her. She really did. But how could she explain visions of another life? How could she explain painting strangers' faces and waking up with dirt under her nails?
Instead, she said, "I'm just tired, Mom. I think I need rest."
That night, she couldn't sleep. Not because of nightmares—but because she was afraid the dreams would come back.
YOU ARE READING
Fossils of Memory
FantasySome memories are not your own-until they begin to haunt you. Rhiana Fosters has everything-a loving family, close friends, and a talent for painting. But when a recurring dream pulls her into a world she doesn't recognize, her perfect life begins t...
