I woke in the world where no one remembered me. At first she thought she was dreaming, but as she swung her legs over the side of the bed, reality slapped her in the face. Her room, her home, yet everything seemed familiar yet strange.
Maria stepped out of the bed and went to the kitchen, hoping to find some sense of normalcy. Maria’s family sat around the dinner table eating and chatting about their day. But as she approached, there was silence. Their eyes turned to her, filled with confusion and concern.
“Who are you?” Maria's mother asked.
Maria felt like she had been punched in the gut. “What do you mean?” she replied, trying to keep her voice calm. “I'm your daughter and a member of this family.”
Maria's family exchanged worried glances. “We’ve not seen you before,” her brother said with a soft voice. “You must be mistaken. This is not your family.”
She was worried and felt a wave of panic wash over her. What is happening? Why did my family not recognize me? She said to herself trying to remember the moments they shared, but they felt like someone else's.
Maria was desperate for answers, she set out to find someone, anyone, who might know her. She walked down to her school, hoping friends and teachers would recognize her, but every face was a stranger. The principal's office was filled with unfamiliar faces and her locker was assigned to someone else.
As the day went on, she encountered more people who didn't know her. Even her best friend looked at her as if she was crazy when she said we were friends. Her best friend claimed they have never met before.
Maria felt she was losing her grip on reality. “Who am I? Why does no one remember me? What really happened to me that made everyone forget me?" Those were her questions.
As night fell, Maria curled up on the couch, feeling like a ghost haunting her own life. Her family watched her in a wary manner, unsure what to do with a stranger who claimed to be one of them.
In the silence, she realized she had two choices. To accept her new reality or to fight to reclaim her identity. She decided to sleep for the day and hope by the next day, everything will go back to normal.
Thank you for reading.
Images used are generated by Meta Ai.