This mini story was inspired by a dream. Welcome to the inside of my subconscious.
Same Name
I was at a book signing. My book signing. Only something wasn’t right. Someone was pulling on my arm, trying to drag me out. Like I didn’t belong. But I saw the sign. It had my name on it. This was my event.
“Lady… Lady… wake up.”
I jolted, realizing the voice was coming from the living room. Had I been dreaming? Blinking to clear my vision, I saw a little girl standing in front of me.
“Hi,” I said, scanning the apartment for her parents. Did they just get here?
“Can you play with me?” she asked, pulling a small rainbow-colored ball from her bag.
“Where are your parents?” I asked.
“My dad’s over there. But he can’t play right now. He’s having adult conversation. No kids allowed.”
I looked toward Kyle. He was deep in conversation with his work bros, not paying attention. Guilt rippled through me.
“I’d love to play with you,” I said. “I’m Ryleigh. What’s your name?”
“You have the same name as me! My name’s Riley too.”
“Well, it is a pretty cool name. So tell me Riley, what do you want to play?”
“Catch!”
“Okay, but let’s be careful and just roll the ball on the floor. Like this.”
I rolled it across the living room toward the kitchen, but it kept going, almost like it had a mind of its own. Riley’s pigtails bounced as she chased after it, giggling. I got up, following her toward the back porch where it had rolled.
The lights were off, and I lost sight of her. When I stepped into the room and flipped the switch, Riley was standing over a vent in the floor, smiling, ball in hand.
Then came the crack. A sharp, explosive sound. Before I could react, Riley fell through. I lunged, trying to grab her, but I was too late.
I ran to the back door, reaching for the knob but it shifted into a brick wall. Heart pounding, I spun around and bolted toward the front door.
“She fell! She fell! Riley!” I screamed, but no one even looked at me.
I kept running, and when I opened the door to the stairs, I was suddenly in an elevator. The apartment was on the third floor, so I should’ve been able to reach the basement fast. But when I pressed the LL button, the elevator started going up.
Sweat ran down my temples. My heart hammered against my ribs so hard I could hear it echo in the elevator. I pressed the button over and over.
“Please, please, please go down. Please let her be okay,” I whispered, the words looping until the doors finally opened.
I sprinted through the corridor, yelling, “Riley! Riley! I’m coming!”
At the end of the hall, I saw her. Riley. Perfectly fine.
She was in the arms of an older woman, maybe in her seventies. The woman’s face was eerily familiar, marked by the same labret piercing scar as mine.
The woman smiled. “You finally made it. We’ve been waiting for you, you know.”