The scream disappeared beneath the roar of the fire.

Nora stood in the corridor, staring at the shattered mirrors scattered across the floor.

Julian pulled her toward the garden door.

“We have to get outside.”

“But the woman—”

“She’s trying to keep us here.”

“Who is she?”

Julian stopped.

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then he looked at the broken mirror beside them.

“Your grandmother.”

Nora’s heart sank.

“My grandmother is dead.”

“Yes.”

“Then how can she be here?”

Julian’s expression was unreadable.

“Because this house doesn’t understand the difference between the living and the dead.”

The flames climbed higher behind them.

Nora followed him through the garden door.

Cold air struck her face.

They ran across the wet grass until they reached the old stone fountain.

Nora bent forward, trying to catch her breath.

The house stood behind them.

Strangely, the flames had disappeared.

The windows were dark.

There was no smoke.

No fire.

Nothing.

Nora slowly straightened.

“What just happened?”

Julian looked at the house.

“It was never a real fire.”

“But I felt the heat.”

“So did I.”

“Then what was it?”

“A memory.”

Nora shook her head.

“I don’t understand anything anymore.”

Julian walked toward the fountain.

“Neither did I, when I first came here.”

“When was that?”

“Twenty years ago.”

Nora stared at him.

“You were here twenty years ago.”

“Yes.”

“And you haven’t aged.”

Julian looked down at the water.

“I told you. This house doesn’t follow ordinary rules.”

Nora stepped closer.

“Tell me everything.”

He remained silent.

“Please.”

Julian finally turned toward her.

“When you were six, you came to this house with your grandmother.”

“I don’t remember.”

“You were supposed to stay for one night.”

“What happened?”

“You disappeared.”

Nora frowned.

“I disappeared?”

“For three days.”

She stared at him.

“Three days?”

“Your grandmother searched everywhere.”

“Where was I?”

Julian’s voice became softer.

“In the dream room.”

Nora looked toward the house.

“What did I do there?”

“You met someone.”

“Who?”

Julian hesitated.

“Me.”

Nora’s eyes widened.

“You were twenty-four.”

“Yes.”

“And I was six.”

“I know how strange it sounds.”

“What happened?”

“You told me you were afraid.”

“Of what?”

“You said someone was following you in your dreams.”

Nora felt a sudden pressure behind her eyes.

A memory.

A little girl running through a dark hallway.

A man’s footsteps behind her.

A blue door.

Julian’s hand reaching toward her.

She grabbed her head.

“I remember…”

Julian stepped forward.

“What?”

“You.”

He froze.

Nora looked at him.

“You were holding my hand.”

Julian’s eyes softened.

“Yes.”

“You told me not to be afraid.”

“I did.”

“You promised you’d find me again.”

Julian smiled sadly.

“I kept that promise.”

Nora’s eyes filled with tears.

“Why did I forget?”

“Your grandmother made you forget.”

“How?”

“She used the mirrors.”

Nora looked toward the house.

“Why?”

“Because she was afraid of what you would become.”

Nora frowned.

“What am I?”

Before Julian could answer, the fountain began to ripple.

The water turned completely black.

A woman’s reflection appeared on its surface.

Nora recognized her immediately.

Her grandmother.

The reflection looked directly at her.

“Nora.”

Nora stepped backward.

“Grandmother?”

The reflection smiled.

“You should never have returned.”

“Why did you erase my memories?”

Her grandmother’s reflection looked toward Julian.

“Because of him.”

Julian’s jaw tightened.

Nora turned to him.

“What did you do?”

“Nothing.”

The reflection laughed softly.

“He’s lying.”

Julian stepped toward the fountain.

“Stop.”

“You promised me you would leave her alone.”

“I couldn’t.”

“You broke the promise.”

“I loved her.”

The reflection became still.

Nora looked between them.

“You knew my grandmother.”

Julian nodded.

“She knew me better than anyone.”

“What happened between you?”

The water suddenly changed.

A memory appeared.

Nora saw herself at seventeen.

Standing beside the lake.

Julian was beside her.

They were laughing.

Then Nora saw herself kiss him.

Her breath caught.

She looked away.

“I loved you.”

Julian nodded.

“You did.”

“But I was supposed to be seventeen.”

“You were.”

“And you were twenty-four.”

Julian’s expression changed.

“It wasn’t what you think.”

Nora looked at him.

“Then what was it?”

“The house changed our memories.”

“What?”

“The girl in your memory isn’t you at seventeen.”

Nora stared.

“Then who was she?”

Julian looked toward the house.

“You.”

“But I was six.”

“You grew up inside the dream.”

Nora couldn’t speak.

Her grandmother’s reflection whispered:

“You were never meant to return.”

The fountain cracked.

Black water spilled across the stones.

Then the reflection disappeared.

Silence returned.

Nora looked at Julian.

“What happens now?”

Julian took a step toward her.

“Now we find the truth.”

“Where?”

“The room beneath the house.”

Nora frowned.

“There is a room beneath the house?”

“Yes.”

“What’s inside?”

Julian looked at her.

“The reason you forgot me.”

They returned to the house.

The front door opened by itself.

Inside, the hallway was completely normal.

No smoke.

No broken mirrors.

No signs of fire.

Nora followed Julian toward the library.

He stopped before an enormous bookshelf.

“There.”

He pulled out a blue book.

The entire shelf moved.

A hidden staircase appeared behind it.

Nora stared into the darkness.

“How far down?”

Julian lit an old lantern.

“Far enough.”

They descended.

One step.

Then another.

The air became colder.

At the bottom was a stone door.

Julian placed his hand against it.

The door opened.

Inside was a small room.

At its center stood a single chair.

Beside it was a table.

On the table was an old cassette recorder.

Nora approached it.

A label was attached.

FOR NORA — WHEN SHE REMEMBERS.

Her hands trembled.

She pressed PLAY.

Static filled the room.

Then a little girl’s voice came through the speaker.

Nora’s voice.

“Julian, if you’re hearing this, I’m already gone.”

Nora stared at the recorder.

The child’s voice continued.

“I know they will make me forget you.”

A pause.

Then:

“But I left something behind.”

The recording crackled.

“The house doesn’t erase memories.”

Nora looked at Julian.

The child’s voice whispered:

“It moves them.”

The tape stopped.

Suddenly, the stone door slammed shut.

Nora turned.

Julian tried the handle.

Locked.

Then a second voice came from the recorder.

An adult woman’s voice.

Her grandmother.

“You finally remembered.”

The lantern went out.

And in the darkness, someone whispered directly behind Nora:

“Now remember why you killed him.”