Nina stared out the open window as she sat at her desk, the light breeze sweeping through her cropped, dark curls, like soft breaths against her sienna toned skin. The scents of the city—the petrichor smell after the morning's light rain—all converged in her mind, painting a bright picture. It was—she hoped—one that would not fade from her mind all too soon.

"The commissioner of the FDA is still in critical condition after the attempt on his life . . . " Nina only paid minimal attention to the anchor's voice filtering through the speakers of the screen mounted on the living room wall. The woman's tone was clear and detached from whatever breaking news she was rattling off despite the faint and painfully forced expression of concern she put on for the viewers. Nina had little interest for it all.

Her mind was still replaying a strange dream she'd had the previous night, though it was not the first. She recalled with startling clarity the hallways she'd walked down in her dream; walls painted a cream color, soft lighting reflecting off the polished hardwood floor. Nina had walked down the hall with a tune she couldn't quite recall playing from somewhere nearby and the scent of some type of flower she had yet to recognize hanging in the air. Then, there was the painting, some landscape painted in bold, warm tones yet still giving off a soothing sort of mood.

Nina had the strange feeling of familiarity when she thought back to the dream, despite her never having been to such a place. For a while, she thought of what the dream—so simple and yet refusing to leave her mind—might have meant, and could come up with no explanation. In the end, Nina had pushed any thoughts of it to the back of her mind, crediting the dream to her subconscious dealing with all that had happened to her as of late.

At the moment, she just marveled at the fact that she could recall with perfect clarity what she'd had for breakfast the previous day. The crunch of the toast and the nearly overwhelming sweetness of the marmalade, mixing with the scent of freshly brewed coffee, still so vivid she could almost taste it all. Nina could even recall the way the morning sunlight had filtered through the blinds as they slowly opened at the usual time and the insurance commercial that played when the television turned on as she walked into the living room.

It was, as strange as it would seem to the average person, an amazing feeling to remember. Nina didn't think it was something she'd ever take for granted.

". . . Fearnley is currently awaiting trial for the slaying of Alice Cassill. . . ."

"Incoming call from Iris." The notification jolted Nina from her thoughts even as she answered without thinking using a simple voice command.

Iris was a friend of hers and co-worker. Her cheery greeting made Nina smile and she realized at that moment that she had missed the daily interactions with all the people she worked with. Iris, in particular, had always been good company.

"How are you feeling?" Iris asked, voice streaming through the small speaker in Nina's living room. It rang clearly through the room even as Nina moved away from the window and to the small kitchenette.

"Great. I've been doing nothing but resting so that's not surprising." Nina didn't mention the headaches, nor the strange dreams she'd had, didn't think they mattered enough. After all, most medical procedures and medications came with side effects. She didn't think it'd be so surprising to have her neuroprosthesis be the same. "How's work been?"

"Not the same without you around," Iris said, and Nina could hear the smile she must have worn as she spoke. "I swear, you always have the best articles. Gemma's been complaining about it now that you're not around. When are you coming back?"

"In about a week, maybe less if I get bored enough." Nina poured herself a glass of water and moved to the couch in the living room. There was an amused smile on her face at the thought of her boss hassling everyone due to her absence. It was nice to feel appreciated every now and then.

"Well, it'll be nice to have you around again, but don't push yourself. You hardly ever take a break anyway, might as well take as much time off as you can." Nina was quick to see through Iris' casually spoken words. She was concerned for Nina, for the recovery she most likely thought Nina would rush through—something Nina had been tempted to do, if she were to be honest. It made Nina feel a renewed fondness for her friend.

"Don't worry, I promise I'll only show back up at work when I'm perfectly fine."

"Good to know," Iris said, amusement clear in her voice.

She talked for a while longer with Iris, mostly about work and what Nina had been up to—which wasn't much, given that she was still trying to follow the doctor's instructions and rest. Iris didn't dwell on that subject, maybe because she felt that Nina wouldn't want to talk about it. Nina appreciated the gesture—and Iris herself—enough that she was sorry when the call ended and she was once more left with only the voices streaming from the television as company.

A game show was on, one that Nina hardly ever watched. She knew she wouldn't be paying much mind to it then and left it on, the sound of it all that mattered. With that, she walked over to the kitchen, intent on preparing something to eat. On her way, she passed a picture frame hanging on the wall.

It was a simple black frame with a picture of her and her mother shortly before the older woman passed away. Nina had just graduated college, was just barely a young adult about to head off into the world without any idea of what awaited her. At her side, her mother smiled with the barest hint of sadness at the thought of her daughter moving away. Nina almost regretted that.

The picture was one that had once been painful to look at but had become something Nina held dear. A simple, bittersweet memory captured in a second.

The light streaming from the windows reflected off the clear glass and, for a moment, Nina froze. A series of images flashed in her mind, a hallway with a picture hanging from it's cream colored walls—woods in autumn painted in warm shades against a grey sky—and the scent of spices lingering in the air. A soothing song played in the background, melancholy words sung in a foreign language. One moment the painting was in front of her, and the next Nina was standing in her apartment with the sounds of cheering coming from the television in the living room and the smell of petrichor still present around her. The smiling face of her mother gazed back at her through the glass.

The change was jarring, enough so that Nina felt a dull throbbing in her head. Disconcerted by what had just happened, she stood there, trying to figure out where the image had come from.

Before the accident—before the faint memories of heat and pain and the wailing of an ambulance in the distance—Nina had an impeccable memory. She was, after all, a journalist. A good one, with a mind perfect for retaining facts and details. That had all changed in an instant with the screeching of tires and the stifling sensation of being engulfed in flames and smoke. A burning pain inside and out, driving her into unconsciousness.

After that, Nina's mind had been a fractured mess, unable to preserve even the simplest of memories. Her long term memory was gone, according to doctors. Or at least, the ability to create long term memories was. Nina didn't know how she'd felt at that time—couldn't remember how she'd responded—but when she thought back to it, she couldn't help but be horrified.

The last memory she held could have been one of nothing but pain and fear.

The following months were a blank slate in her mind. She remembered waking up after the procedure, confused and with scars that she couldn't recall having gained. Nina recalled the explanation her doctors and her father had given her and the sense of panic at having lost so much time pulsing through her, leaving her a rattled mess.

Memory, she realized, was a strange but precious thing.

Nina didn't want to dwell on that any longer. Her life, she thought, was finally getting back on track. There was no need to linger on things she could no longer change or on the strange visions that plagued her as of late. It wasn't until later that her thoughts returned to her ever changing memories and mental state.

She was in bed, still caught between that odd stage between wakefulness and sleep. The sounds of the city seemed like a distant thing, even with only the glass of her window and the blinds covering it separating her from the outside world. Slowly, her consciousness slipped, trickling away towards a full slumber and just as she was on the cusp of it, the image of that now all too familiar hall appeared.

Nina could smell flowers—lavender, she thought. The scent subtle yet distinct as were the soft, almost delicate piano notes ringing in the hall. Something about it all seemed familiar, like a childhood home Nina had walked through time after time, despite her knowing otherwise. She could hear her own steps, sharp notes that clashed against the soothing atmosphere.

Just a few steps ahead, Nina could see something hanging from the wall. A picture frame, she thought at first, before realizing it was a mirror, framed in silver, glinting even in the soft lighting. Two steps away and Nina felt her hair brush against her cheek and fall over her shoulders.

One step away, and Nina had the distinct feeling that something was wrong.

She stood in front of the mirror only a second later. An unfamiliar face stared back at her through vibrant green eyes—so different from her own hazel ones—dark circles stood out starkly on the pale, freckled skin, almost giving it a sickly look. Chestnut hair fell around her face and over her thin shoulders while pink lips settled in a grim line.

Nina stared back at a stranger.

She awoke with a start, gasping for air and with a deep sense of confusion about what she'd just seen. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, drumming against her ears while her eyes flickered around the room. The time was 1:26 AM and Nina knew already that she would not be getting any more sleep that night.

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Hey everyone! Hope you've enjoyed this chapter. There will be double updates this month so look forward to anew chapter on Friday. As always, please vote/comment if you can and thank you all for checking this out!