Memories

The river flowed backwards on the day the Queen vanished. That's what the tales say, and it's difficult to disagree when you've seen something as bizarre as I did that fateful afternoon. I was standing by her side as usual, and I had no idea what was going to happen.

It was the day before midsummer, a period when the kingdom was typically bathed in the sunlight of prosperity and harmony. The Queen, a woman of grace and quiet strength, reigned with knowledge well beyond her years. She was popular among the people and trusted by her advisors. Even the most stable of kingdoms can conceal unknown risks, and that day demonstrated that nothing is as secure as it appears.

We were in her cherished rose garden, the only place she sought refuge from the pressures of the throne. The roses were in full bloom, their petals vividly colored red, pink, and gold, filling the air with a smell that made the world feel at ease, if only for a brief while. The sky was clear, the sun was warm on our faces, and everything appeared perfect—until it wasn't.

The first clue was a distant rumble, low and menacing, as if the earth were groaning beneath us. The Queen and I hesitated and exchanged anxious glances. I detected a change in the air; something was off. But before I could express my alarm, the sky went black. Not gradually, as with a storm, but abruptly, as if the sun had been extinguished. Darkness surrounded us, and I felt a deep chill run through my bones.

"What's happening?" I whispered, reaching for the Queen, but she had already left my side. I panicked and called her name into the vacuum, but the only thing that came back was a roar, like if the wind itself had come alive, roaring and screeching all around us.

I stumbled and the earth underneath me shifted. The world spun around, and then nothing happened. Just blackness.

When I awoke, it seemed like a lifetime had gone. My head was throbbing, and I could taste blood in my mouth. There was a severe pain in the back of my skull, and as I reached up, I found a large, painful, and swollen bump. I blinked, hoping to make sense of my surroundings, but everything seemed blurry. Shapes began to develop gradually, such as tree outlines and jagged rock silhouettes. The sky was still gloomy, but not in the same inky blackness as before. It was the eerie twilight right before morning, with no sun visible on the horizon.

Then I noticed her—the Queen—lying just a few feet from me. Her complexion was pale, and her hands trembled. Her temple was stained with blood, and she breathed shallowly. I crawled up to her, my heart beating in my chest.

"My Queen!" I gasped and shook her gently. She moved, her eyes flickering open. Relief flooded over me briefly. Something was horribly wrong.

"Where are we?" She whispered, her voice thin and harsh.

I looked about, trying to figure it out for myself, but nothing felt familiar. We weren't in the rose garden anymore. In reality, I didn't know where we were. The environment was weird and distorted. The trees were withered and lifeless, with branches that stretched out like skeletal fingers. The ground underneath us was fractured and dry, as if all life had been taken from it.

"I...I don't know," I confessed. "But we need to acquire your assistance. "You are hurt."

She shook her head and winced in pain. "No. Not yet. There's something more going on here."

Even amid grave times, the Queen maintained a bright intellect. She sat up slowly, grimacing and touching the wound on her head. Her eyes went to the horizon, where something peculiar piqued our interest.

The River.

It was flowing in reverse.

"What... is that?" I whispered, astounded by the sight. The previously calm, glistening river that wove its way through the kingdom was suddenly rushing backward, breaking natural law. The water was dark, nearly black, and swirled furiously, as if it was attempting to flee from some unknown power.

"This... this isn't real," I exclaimed, my voice quivering. But it was. It all seemed too genuine.

"We've been taken," the Queen murmured calmly, her gaze fixated on the water. "Somewhere... or some when."

I scowled, unable to understand her remarks. "What do you mean?"

Despite her frailty, she turned to face me with an earnest stare. "I'm not sure who or what is responsible, but this isn't our reality. It is a trap. "We've been drawn into it."

The weight of her words struck me like a stone. A trap. But, for what purpose? And by whom? My mind raced, attempting to make sense of the scenario, but nothing matched up.

Suddenly, a guy appeared from the trees. Tall and covered in shadow, it approached us slowly and deliberately. I tensed, instinctively rushing to protect the Queen despite the fact that I had any weapon or methods of defense.

The figure came to a halt a few feet away, and as it stepped into the dim light, I caught sight of its face—or lack thereof. The creature lacked distinguishable features, only a smooth, blank surface where a face should have been. Its body was humanoid, yet warped, as if stretched and twisted by an abnormal force.

"Who are you?" I demanded, my voice trembling. "What do you want?"

The monster did not talk, but I could hear a voice in my head. Cold. Distant. You shouldn't have come.

The Queen staggered to her feet, despite her injuries. "We didn't come by choice," she continued, her voice growing stronger. "But I will not be held captive here."

Captive? The mocking voice resonated through my head. You are not a captive. You're... forgotten.

The words shocked me to my core. Forgotten? How could this be? We'd just been gone for what felt like hours, possibly less. But when the creature's words settled in, I began to wonder. Time felt different here—slower and heavier. How long had we actually been gone?

The Queen narrowed her gaze at the monster. "We will return to our world," she said, her voice full of conviction. "Whatever this place is, it will not hold us."

The monster inclined its head, as if pondering her remarks. Then, without warning, it raised its hand, and a blinding light enveloped us both.

When the light faded, we found ourselves back on the riverbanks, but this time something had changed. The river continued to flow backward, but there were now dozens of persons standing in it. They were translucent and ghostly, with blank faces like the creature's.

"Who are they?" I whispered, appalled at the sight.

"They are the forgotten," the Queen replied, her voice full of sadness. "People who were lost to this place, trapped in the flow of time, never to return."

A shiver went down my spine. Were we intended to be like them? Our names have been lost and forgotten; have they been obliterated from history?

"We must find a way out," I whispered, terror mounting in my heart. "We can't stay here."

The Queen nodded, but the grimness in her eyes disturbed me. "There may be a way," she responded softly. "But it will come at a cost."

"What do you mean?"

She turned to face me, her countenance unreadable. "This location... it thrives on memories. It erases them one by one, until nothing remains of the individual who previously lived here. If we are to escape, we must give something in exchange."

I glanced at her with horror. "You mean... our memories?"

She nodded. "Just a part. Enough to satisfy it. "But it must be something valuable."

My thoughts raced. What could I give up? What memory was valuable enough to preserve us but not so critical that losing it would destroy me?

"I will do it," the Queen announced abruptly, her voice steely. "I will offer a memory."

"No," I argued. "You cannot. You are the Queen. "You are too important."

She smiled sadly. "Even the Queen is not exempt to sacrifice. And my recollection... that will be sufficient."

Before I could stop her, she took a step toward the river, her hands quivering. She closed her eyes, and everything became motionless for a little minute. Then the water rippled, and the transparent creatures faded.

The Queen gave a faint gasp, her body shivering. When she reopened her eyes, something was changed. She stared at me, puzzled.

"Who... who are you?" She inquired, her voice shaking.

I felt my heart breaking. She had forgotten about me, her most devoted companion, the one who had been by her side through it all. And now I was a stranger to her.

But we were free.

The sky began to clear, the darkness lifted, and the world around us gradually restored to normalcy. The river's flow adjusted itself, and the phantom creatures disappeared.

We were at home.

But the Queen's sacrifice weighed heavily on me. She no longer knew me or remembered the bond we had formed. Even though we had escaped the trap, a part of us would be lost forever.

The river had run backwards, taking something important from both of us.