Not A Reality

It was an unusual humid and misty night. She paced through the thick and wild forest. She could even smell the scent of pinecones and nature as she walked along the trails of the forest. She was lost, but for some reason the whole atmosphere of this place felt familiar to her. She’d just awaken, feeling well rested, but why would she have awaken here; in the middle of the forest? Little did she know, this was the beginning of a mysterious event.

About an hour has passed, but she still hasn’t made it to her destination. She didn’t actually know where she was headed, but she just followed her instincts. She could hear wild animals and rustling in the pitch black, dark distance. She grew eager to find civilization, or at least an abandoned cabin or camp site for shelter. All of a sudden she smelled something strangely familiar. It was a very strong, sweet aroma. She smelled cinnamon, with a hint of vanilla. She followed the scent and found shelter. She moved furtively up to the window of the cabin to peer in. Before her eyes, there stood an older woman. Her face contorted. She’d seen this woman before.

She walked into the house. “Yvette, darling, I didn’t expect to see you tonight,” the older woman announced, without even looking up to see who was there. She started to walk nervously towards the lady. “Grandma, I… I didn’t expect to see you either. You’re not supposed to be here.” Yvette hadn’t seen her grandmother in so long. In fact, the only thing she could remember about this lady, is her house smelling of cinnamon and vanilla. Also she could remember that her grandmother had passed away, ten years ago!

“If you’re here, what am I doing here?” Yvette questioned. The older lady made a worried, pitiful face.

“You don’t know, do you?”

“… No, what’s going on?” Yvette exclaimed.

The lady took Yvette by the hand, and led her to the living room. They sat on the couch besides each other. The older lady gestured towards Yvette. “Let’s have a talk. I will only tell you bits and parts, but you have to solve and remember this on your own, my dear.”

Many hours had passed. The older lady told her that she’d gotten hurt in the car accident along with her on the night she’d died. Yvette hadn’t made it either. She’d been living in a false reality. She was living a lie, the life she could have had if it wasn’t for her death that night. “Yvette, darling, you’re dead. I’d been waiting for you. I’m glad you finally joined me.”

Yvette uttered a few words and then started to cry. She felt everything was so real. She felt disappointed and greatly dumbfounded. “It was fun while it lasted…,” Yvette said, before she suddenly disappeared.