The Scene She Couldn’t Forget By Syed Zeeshan Ahmed

Amelia still isn't sure what it was she saw that day exactly, but the scene keeps repeating itself in her mind. Of course Amelia Jacobs was someone who always thought well before coming to a conclusion. She was a school teacher by profession and currently on a leave. As she stood from her chair, and moved towards the kitchen she noticed herself in the mirror. Her green eyes, her hair, which had shades of grey now. Her small nose, and her thin lips. Even in her late forties Amelia looked quite young. She smiled, and entered the kitchen. She made herself a cup of tea, and went back into the living room.

Remarkably, as soon as she was done with the tea, she fell asleep. Perhaps she was too tired.

Amelia was standing near the bookshop. She saw a person wearing a dark green cardigan leave the shop carrying a lot of books. He noticed her there, and smiled. Amelia did the same. It all looked familiar. She realized it was the same scene, and she was going through it again. Surprised, and yet unable to stop herself from following the same sequence of events. She walked towards an alley, which led her to the street where she lived. She was afraid. If only she could change the sequence of events: take a different route, or go somewhere else. She felt helpless.

It was right in the middle of the alley when she saw him again. He was a tall man, and he was wearing an old and dusty black coloured blazer. His pants were torn from places. His face covered in bandages, and his bloody hands. She saw him and felt the fear, all over again. She tried to run away but she felt paralysed. She heard a deep guttural voice, just like before. “Do you know where your heart is?”

Confused and terrified Amelia screamed. She heard him again “Do you know where your heart is?” The man then lifted one of his hands up in the air. She noticed a large knife in his hand. Blood was dripping from the knife as well. “Do you know where your heart is?” She couldn’t move. This can’t be real. It’s different! I ran away from the alley that day! There is something wrong! she thought. She woke up screaming, only to see a face covered in bandages. A hand holding a large knife moved towards her, as she sat there.  

“Do you know where your heart is?”