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On my mother’s deathbed, she told me something very important. Something that would change my life forever.
“Anna,” she said, “I have been the Memory Caller for the past lifetime. Now it’s your time.”
Then she grabbed my temples and pulled my forehead to hers. My auburn hair hung down, mixing with her brown and gray hair.
Immediately I was pounded with a heavy group of images- no, memories. I groaned as they all searched to find a place with my own.
Something was off about the memories. “These aren’t mine.” I whispered.
Mom weakly shook her head and burst into a fit of coughing. Once it had settled, she replied, “No, they’re mine.”
One memory visualized replacing my sight. I- as my mother- sat on a bed not unlike the one I had been at seconds ago. Replacing my mother was an old man.
“Elise, this is hard on me. I’ve loved this responsibility since it became my job, but now it will pass onto you.”
“What will pass onto me Father?” I heard my mother’s voice say.
A wry smile appeared on his cracking lips. “You will be the next Memory Caller. Oh, there’s so much I want to tell you about it, but we don’t have the time, and I was swore to secrecy- None of this can ever be said aloud, do you understand me?”
Mother shook her head. “No, I have no idea what’s going on-”
My grandfather sighed. “Come here Elise.”
While my mother was dying from a sickness, my grandfather had died of old age, signs showing through his ancient body. Grandfather’s bony hands reached for my head, and he pressed his forehead to mine.
The sequence would’ve kept repeating, if not for my mother tightly gripping my arm and shaking me of my stumor.
“Those are called rebound memories. They come from the previous memory keeper and are the most dangerous memory because unless someone is there with you to wake you up you may be trapped in the memories forever.”
Mother gasped sharply. “It’s coming.”
“Mama, please don’t leave me… I don’t know… I don’t know what to do…” I sobbed.
A peaceful look replaced the pained one on her face. She squeezed my hand. “Just listen to the memories Anna. Just listen.”
Mother’s eyes glazed over. “I love you… listen.” She breathed.
She was gone.
