During the first semester of Nelson’s second year in high school, the school organized a Top Ten Singers competition to alleviate the students’ stress. Watching her classmates jump around like monkeys let out of a zoo, Maeve felt completely indifferent.
On the day of the finals, she sneaked backstage to sleep, undisturbed by anything.
She didn’t expect to sleep so soundly. By the time she woke up, the stage and backstage were deserted. Darkness enveloped the room, and the window was slightly open, letting in a cool night breeze that felt particularly eerie.
She slowly stood up, trying to see clearly but could only make out faint shadows. Her heart pounded as she swallowed nervously, found the wall, and began to inch along it, trying to find the door.
Her rapid breathing echoed in the dark room, making her legs feel weak.
When the door suddenly clicked open, she jumped in fright, screamed, and then collapsed to the floor in a very awkward manner. The person who opened the door seemed startled as well and stood frozen at the entrance.
It was then that Nelson came into her view. Seeing him clearly, she almost cried out, “Nelson!”
Nelson stood straight at the doorway, still in the posture of having just opened the door.
He looked a bit surprised too. “Maeve, what are you doing here? I’ve been looking for you everywhere!”
She got up, her voice muffled with lingering fear. “I fell asleep, and no one woke me up.”
Young Nelson laughed. He walked over and casually slapped his hand on the wall, turning on all the lights. The sudden brightness stung her eyes, making her squint. She closed her eyes and only opened them after a while.
She dusted off her clothes and looked at him in his school uniform-tall and thin. He bent down steadily to open a drawer and took out a pair of white earphones. He said, “If I hadn’t left my earphones here, I wouldn’t have found you.”
She childishly reached out her hands, asking to be carried.
Nelson sighed but reached out to carry her on his back and walked out.
Lying on his back, she felt sleepy again and suddenly remembered something. “Nelson, did you participate in the Top Ten Singers? What did you sing?”
Nelson was surprised. “You don’t know?”
“I don’t know! Was it a nursery rhyme?” she asked innocently.
“… An English song,” Nelson replied helplessly. “You’re still a kid; I’ve already grown up.”
“How grown up can you be? You’re only three years older than me!”
Three years can make a significant difference in maturity.
The summer she graduated from elementary school, she barely passed and got into the middle school affiliated with her current school. Nelson’s grandpa was very pleased and took both of them on a trip abroad.
Strangely enough, she was fine during the trip to such a distant place. But on the night before school started, just returning home from Nelson’s grandpa’s house, she disappeared from the lives of two people who loved her dearly.
This dream was chaotic, with many things surfacing in her mind, rushing out vividly and clearly.
The young figure in her dream gradually matched the man before her eyes. A strong sense of dependence surged within her, almost making her cry out.
“Miss Marsh! Miss Marsh is awake! Where’s the doctor?” A familiar voice sounded by her ear as she struggled to open her eyes and saw a white ceiling.
Her forehead hurt, and so did her head.
Callie stared at the ceiling for a while before accepting that she had woken up from a dream.
Why did she wake up? Perhaps because there were no more memories left.
“Miss Marsh?” The doctor measured her vitals while asking, “How do you feel?”