Ayla slowly made her way to the neighboring complex, where Elzira lived. The streets grew quieter, with only the rustle of leaves in the wind and a few streetlights flickering dimly.
Ayla wrapped her arms around herself, trying to ward off the cold that pierced her to the bone. In her heart, she hoped Elzira could help her.
When she reached Elzira’s house, Ayla hesitantly pressed the doorbell. It wasn’t long before she heard footsteps inside, followed by Elzira opening the door with a wide smile.
“Ay, it’s you! What are you doing out so late? Come on in,” Elzira said in surprise, though her voice was as warm as ever.
From inside the house, Ayla could hear women chatting, reminding her that Elzira was hosting a neighborhood gathering tonight.
Ayla gave a faint smile, a little relieved to see her familiar friend’s face. “I’ll stay out here. Sorry to bother you, El. I didn’t know where else to go. I’m looking for Blue.”
“Blue?” Elzira furrowed her brow, looking confused. “Who’s Blue?”
Ayla’s heart sank. She stared at Elzira, eyes wide. “My cat, El. His name is Blue. You know him, right? The one who often comes here to play with Namu.”
Elzira gave a small laugh, but her face remained puzzled. “Ay, are you joking? I didn’t even know you had a cat.”
Ayla fell silent. Her throat felt dry, as if something were pressing on her chest. “El, are you serious? Just this afternoon, we made plans to play with Blue and Namu tomorrow. Don’t you remember?”
Elzira’s expression slowly changed. The smile faded from her face, replaced by a worried look. “Ay, I don’t know what you’re talking about. I only have Namu, and I don’t remember making any plans like that this afternoon.”
Ayla shook her head hard, refusing to accept the reality crashing down on her again. “El, you’re kidding, right? You have to be kidding—!”
“Ayla,” Elzira said gently, looking at her with concern. “Are you okay? Did something happen to your dad while he was busy with that case?”
Ayla looked at her friend, her mouth open as if she wanted to argue, but no words came out. She just stood there, feeling as though she’d lost her balance, as if the world around her were beginning to crumble.
Elzira gently took Ayla by the shoulders, trying to calm her down. “Maybe you’re just too tired? If you want, I can go with you for a while. We can look for your cat together, okay?”
Ayla lowered her head, trying to hold back her tears. Elzira’s offer sounded sincere, but that only made her more afraid. If Elzira—her closest friend—didn’t remember Blue, then something was terribly wrong.
“Don’t worry about it, El,” Ayla finally replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “I just need some fresh air, really. Sorry to bother you so late.”
Elzira seemed unsure, but eventually nodded. “All right, but be careful, okay? Remember, there’s a curfew now. They still haven’t solved that murder at the hospital, and the culprit is still at large.”
Ayla just nodded, too tired to answer. She turned without waiting any longer and continued down the increasingly dark street.
Blue didn’t even exist in Elzira’s memories.
The girl stopped in the middle of the road, gazing at the shadows of trees swaying in the wind. The cold took hold of her again, but this time, she knew it wasn’t just the chill of the night air. It was a coldness creeping up from within her, a fear that something was happening—something Ayla couldn’t understand.
“What’s happening to everyone? Everything’s gotten so strange and confusing.” Ayla felt her heart racing.
She wanted to get home soon, since it was getting late. And knowing that a killer was still roaming free, she should have turned around and headed straight back.
But Ayla couldn’t just stop here, so she continued on toward another complex, a little farther from her own neighborhood, hoping her efforts wouldn’t be in vain and that she’d soon find Blue again.
Ayla would prove that it was everyone else, not her, whose memories were wrong.