Where the Wind Remembers

city as he made his way to the university. The streets were still quiet, with only a few early risers tru

he door shut tight. But something about it lingered in his thoughts, like a ha

ered walls, students rushing to and fro. It was bigger than he expected. The noise a

way to the administration office. As he walked, his footsteps seemed s

where his first class was being held. As he rounded the corner, he collid

an quickly apologi

t made it impossible to gauge her thoughts. Her uniform was neat, but there was something about

t watched him. Then, her lips cur

er voice soft but clear. "Y

pped. How did s

... How d

ered, her smile barely shiftin

out to ask what she meant when her gaze flickered t

e said, voice suddenly sharp, as if to

y, blending into the crowd of students. Her long hai

ad he imagined it? Was she someone from his past, or ju

head, tryin

by a professor who smiled warmly but with an

you could join us today. I believe you're familiar

room seemed to t

u mean," he stammered, his pul

on Ayan like he was trying to place him. Then, as if it were nothin

him. It was like everyone in the room knew something he didn't. He could feel it

ves in a forgotten rhythm. And, for just an instant, he thought he saw the girl with d

blinked, s

little more than background noise. Ayan's mind kept wandering, his thoughts circling back to the girl

place, or the strange sense that everything around him was already written

yan stood up, stretching his stiff limbs, and glanced around. He

buildings were quieter now, the rush of students having settled into a more subdued r

ld, narrow staircase spiraled upward into a dimly lit section he hadn't noticed befor

oor, slightly ajar. He pushed it open

ung on the far wall, its surface streaked with years of neglect. The air felt heavy in he

closer to

st him. But then the reflection seemed to shift. The corners of his vision blurred, and the image of his own face gre

urred, but there was no mist

eath c

but the room was empty. Just the old chair and

magining

ce broke thro

uldn't b

voice was faint, as though it had come from so

unlocked it. He needed to check the time, or maybe j

ething odd about

w me

m an unkno

Ayan. You will remember.

t skippe

d read any further, the screen flic

the hairs on the back of his neck

n away thi

mean? Who ha

did th

d him, spinning the room into a haze. He turned and rushed ba

Something that had to do with this pla

om he'd just left still open. As he passed, he caught a gl

gi

ecognition, something old and buried beneath the surface. She didn

was t

the room before he

nap. She didn't speak at first, just

er, do you?" she asked,

to ask her everything - who she was, why she knew him, wh

shook

s flickering to the door. "You'll remember when the

d walked past him, brushin

was starting to feel like a character i

buried here. And the more he tried to igno