Some memories should stay hidden forever. Like whispers through a thick fog, they flash in and out of my mind, lurking in the dark corners. A stark reminder of a past I never want to acknowledge.
*Citrus scent.
An inkpot and a quill on a shiny table.
A signed document titled, ‘merchant of death’.*
I suck in a breath as my anxiety spikes. At eighteen, just leaving the foster home, I'm excited for the life ahead of me until these unbidden memories that I never knew existed rise up.
My friends and I have plans to backpack around Europe for a few months before the whole adulting thing starts. I take deep breaths, stuffing some underwear into my bag when another memory flash deflates the air in my lungs.
*Running at night.
Whispers in the wood.
“Come home, young lady. I await your return….”*
Panic crawls over me as I break out in cold sweat. I smack my forehead with the heel of my palm - No, no, no!
I pace my tiny room in circles. I can't afford therapy now. My foster parents could barely pay for the sessions I went to years ago and cussed me out about it every day. They were happy to see me leave after my birthday party. Now this?
*A weathered, old mansion.
In the middle of the woods.
The guttural call of ravens on treetops.*
Trembling, I stuff more things into my backpack and zip it. I shoot a quick text to my friends via our group chat. *“Sorry, babes. I can't make our trip. I have to go home. I'll give you a call sometime.”* Or maybe never.
*Home???* Their response comes in faster than I anticipate. I leave it unread. How do I explain to them that this isn't my first rodeo on Earth, and that my twin from a former existence lies mummified in the Chereaux mansion, waiting for me to free her so we can claim the revenge we were denied?
Six decades ago, the Legion Corp took something most precious from us before staking us to death. I combusted before help arrived but my sister was mummified to contain the burn.
Flashbacks play vividly in my head like a movie I can't turn off. My brain feels like it wants to explode. A hidden part of my mind is unlocked and everything falls into place like lost pieces of a puzzle.
There's no running from this - I remember everything now.
*I hope you enjoyed reading this short piece. It's inspired by the Freewrite #dailyprompt phrase ["merchant of death"](https://peakd.com/hive-161155/@daily.prompt/30-october-2025-mariannewests-freewrite-writing-prompt-day-2906-merchant-of-death).*
Thank you for visiting my blog.
*Image credit: [Tabor](https://pixabay.com/photos/castle-building-fortress-facade-1483681/)*