I woke up with a heavy head, the room around me feeling utterly unfamiliar. Blinking against the dim light filtering through the blinds, I squinted to make out my surroundings. Sitting up, I rubbed my temples, trying to shake off the remnants of a dream that faded like smoke. The last thing I remembered was the blinding light and Evelyn's voice urging me to hold on. But now... where was I?
My eyes scanned the room. It was minimalist yet elegant, a large mirror hanging on the wall opposite me, reflecting my puzzled expression. The bed beneath me was too neat, as if it had never been slept in. My clothes, however, felt strange—a shirt I didn't recognize, tailored pants that weren't mine. Swinging my legs off the bed, I stumbled toward the mirror.
As I caught my reflection, my heart skipped a beat. The man staring back wasn't the Ryan I remembered. My hair was slightly longer, and there were faint creases at the corners of my eyes. I looked older—six, maybe seven years. The realization sent my thoughts racing. How could this be possible?
Before I could process any further, my phone buzzed loudly on the nightstand, jolting me from my daze. I hesitated for a moment, then picked it up. The caller ID was just a series of unfamiliar numbers.
"Hello?" I answered, my voice shaky.
A cold, commanding voice came through the line. "You're expected at the party. Don't be late."
"What? Who is this? Where am I?" Panic rose in my chest, but the line went dead, leaving only the soft hum of silence.
Confused and frustrated, I looked down at the phone. A party? What party?
There were no other clues, no answers in this room. My gaze fell on the clothes laid out for me on a chair near the door—a sleek, black suit, almost like it had been tailored for me. With no other options, I got dressed. Slipping on the suit jacket felt foreign, my body strange and unfamiliar.
After what felt like hours of wandering through my thoughts, I found myself standing at the entrance to a grand building, its towering facade lit by golden lights. I had no idea how I got here; my mind had been on autopilot, following the only lead I had. Music and laughter floated out from behind the large, ornate doors. Hesitating for just a moment, I stepped inside.
The moment I entered, the atmosphere shifted. Eyes turned toward me, and a wave of people began moving in my direction. Faces I didn't recognize wore smiles that seemed too familiar, all welcoming me.
"Ryan! It's been so long!"
"How have you been?"
"We've missed you!"
Their voices blended into an indecipherable blur, buzzing around me. I nodded mechanically, offering a weak smile, but my mind was spinning. Who were these people? How did they know me?
Suddenly, a man with salt-and-pepper hair clapped me on the back, laughing. "Remember that trip we took to the coast? Man, those were the days!"
I blinked, trying to keep up. "Uh... yeah, I—"
Before I could fumble my way through another conversation, a hand slipped into mine. Soft, familiar. I turned, and there she was—Evelyn, stepping out of the crowd as if she had been watching me the whole time. Our eyes met, and a silent understanding passed between us.
"Excuse us," she said smoothly, her voice a calming presence. "Ryan's still recovering from the long trip."
With effortless grace, she guided me through the crowd, deftly deflecting questions and laughing at jokes on my behalf. Each time someone tried to speak directly to me, she answered in my place, her charm disarming them effortlessly.
"Ryan, you've always been the quiet one," a woman teased, lightly touching my arm.
Evelyn laughed softly, leaning in as if sharing an inside joke. "That's part of his charm. Isn't it?"
As we moved further into the party, I felt the weight of my confusion growing. Everyone seemed to know me intimately, yet I didn't know any of them. Each moment felt like being trapped in someone else's life, like living a memory that wasn't mine.
Finally breaking free from the throng of people, Evelyn pulled me aside, her grip still firm on my hand.
"What the hell is going on?" I asked, my voice a whisper edged with desperation.
Evelyn's eyes flickered with something—sympathy? Regret? She glanced back toward the crowd, then back at me. "I'll explain everything. But not here. Just play along a little longer. Trust me, Ryan."
But how could I trust her when nothing around me made sense? Even so, something in her gaze held me back from demanding more. For now, all I could do was follow her lead. I had no other choice.