Back to "old self"

Aurora finds that her early flashbacks bring to mind another important event in her life after putting her experience with John and Amelia behind her. Taking a deep breath, she flips the antique pocket watch back on and focuses on a moment before the pain of betrayal ever entered her life.

Aurora senses that she is being carried back through the passageways of time as the environment around her starts to change and become less distinct. Shortly after, she finds herself in front of her childhood home, the memories coming back to her with uncanny clarity.

Aurora enters the house via the front door with a mixture of excitement and anxiety and is greeted by nostalgia's reassuring embrace. The smell of her grandmother's cooking, the warmth of the sunlight coming through the windows, and the sound of laughter that used to fill the house all bring back memories for her.

As she walks through the familiar rooms, Aurora is overwhelmed by a sense of longing for the simplicity and joy of her childhood. The realization that those moments are gone forever fills her with a bittersweet ache, reminding her of the passage of time.

As she explores the rooms of the house, memories come flooding back to Aurora like a torrential downpour. She recalls the simple joys of her youth—the games she played with her cousins, the stories her grandma used to tell her at bedtime, and the unconditional love that surrounded her every day.

But amidst the happy memories, there are also shadows lurking in the corners of Aurora's mind—the whispered arguments between her grandma and grandpa, the nights spent lying awake, wondering why they couldn't just be a happy family like everyone else.

With a heavy heart, Aurora finds herself drawn to the attic—the place where her childhood innocence has begun to unravel. As she climbs the creaky staircase and pushes open the door, she is met with a flood of memories that threaten to overwhelm her.

In the dim light of the attic, Aurora finds the old chest where she used to hide away her most cherished possessions. With trembling hands, she lifts the lid and is met with a treasure trove of memories—old photographs, toys long forgotten, and a dusty journal tucked away in the corner.

With a mix of excitement and anxiety in her chest, Aurora picks up the journal and flips over the pages. As she reads the sentences written by her younger self, she is transported back to simpler times when there were more opportunities and dreams meant to be realized. However, Aurora also hears whispers of suffering and longing within that innocence of youth—cries for warmth, attention, and the urgent need to be seen and understood.

As she closes the journal and tucks it away once more, Aurora feels a sense of closure wash over her. Though the scars of her childhood may never fully heal, she knows that confronting the ghosts of her past is the first step towards healing and forgiveness.