Selena Sinclair sat by the window, watching the rain wash away the streets of the city. She felt trapped between the real world and the memories that never ceased to chase her. In her mind, time didn't seem to pass as it should. Every detail of her life, every moment, was stored so clearly, like memories etched onto glass sharp and unforgettable.
She possessed a rare abilityâHSAM, or Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory. Every day, every second, all of the moments from her past flowed back into her mind with perfect clarity. But what she could remember often were things she wished to forget. The scars from her childhood, her parents' endless fighting, and all the tension that filled their home.
Like now, when Selena stared out the window, her mind jumped back to her darker childhood days. The scene unfolded so clearly, as if she were watching it in a moving picture.
"Why can't you ever understand me?" Her mother's voice, full of anger, echoed in her ears.
Then her father's voice shouted, "Because you're always wrong, Eliza!"
It all returned, complete with colors, sounds, even the smells of the room where they fought. Selena could feel the cold air biting her skin, even though she knew it was just an illusion created by her memory.
For a moment, the world around her blurred. The pain wrapped around her like a thick fog, and everything seemed dark and bleak. She was trapped in a memory she couldn't escape, even though she desperately tried to forget.
But, as always, the memory suddenly faded, and Selena returned to reality. The rain was still pouring, and the world outside seemed unchanged. She took a deep breath, trying to distract herself. But her memories never truly left. She could still hear those voices, visualize her parents' faces arguing in her mind. Everything felt so real, like a scene playing over and over in her head.
For a moment, the world around her became a blur again, the weight of her past pressing down on her chest.
"Selena," a gentle voice brought her back. She opened her eyes to see her best friend, Chloe, standing in the doorway. "I know you're thinking a lot right now, but you can't keep doing this. You have to start letting go."
Selena turned and forced a small smile. "Let go? How can I forget all of this?" she replied, her voice full of doubt.
Chloe walked over and sat beside her. "I'm not saying you have to forget. But you have to learn to accept, Selena. Your life is more than just those painful memories."
Selena gazed at the dark sky, as if searching for an answer that never came. She wanted to believe, to think that one day she could find happiness but how could she, when her past memories kept haunting her?