Hearts Remember What Minds Try To Forget by Rex Wilder 22

The rain poured down in sheets. 

An hour later, Lucas brought me to the beach. 

Not a soul was in sight. Turbulent waves crashed against the shore. I gazed out the window, carefully choosing my words before turning to Lucas. “Could I go down and collect a few seashells as a souvenir first?” I asked softly. 

Lucas hesitated for a moment. “Yes,” he said. 

A wave of relief washed over me, and my face brightened. 

But Lucas quickly added, “I’ll come with you.” 

My heart plummeted. I scrambled for a plausible excuse. “I’ll be right back,” I said, trying to sound casual. “The rain’s pouring down, you’ll get soaked. There’s really no need for you to come with me. It’s just a small thing.” 

“How can this be a small thing?” Lucas’s expression was deadly serious. “Nothing that concerns you, nothing at all, is ever a small thing.” 

Once upon a time, words like these would have sent me over the moon. 

Now, though, they just felt like the cruelest irony. 

Before I could say another word, Lucas was already out of the car, an umbrella popping open over his head. He pulled open my door, his hand reaching for mine, guiding me out into the downpour. “Which way do you want to look for shells?” he asked, his voice serious. 

I glanced left, offering a noncommittal, “Just here.” 

Lucas fell into step behind me as we walked forward, the seawater soon lapping over my ankles, soaking my shoes. 

I was waiting for my moment. 

I clenched my fists, hearing Lucas’s voice from behind me, laced with worry. “Babe, let me just find you a few ordinary shells quickly. The waves are too strong; what if we get swept out to sea?” 

I shook my head stubbornly. “I have a specific kind in mind. It has to be really special.” 

As I spoke, I steeled myself and waded deeper into the ocean. 

Lucas’s brows furrowed with unease. He closed the distance between us in a single stride. “Babe, don’t go any deeper,” he urged, his 

voice sharp with alarm. “It’s too dangerous.” 

“It’s fine,” I murmured, my voice soft, meant to soothe Lucas. “I come here all the time. Nothing ever happens.” 

But the waves directly ahead were surging higher, and Lucas had already caught on to the danger. “No, you can’t go any furth-” 

His movements were desperate, but he lost his footing, nearly tumbling into the churning water. 

This was the exact moment I’d been waiting for! 

It was only a matter of seconds, but it was enough for me to slip beneath the surface! 

This was how I planned to escape Lucas: a dangerous gamble, 

But just as I went under, a colossal wave surged, poised to crash directly down on me. 

Heedless of his own safety, Lucas dove after me, plunging beneath the surface and pulling me into his arms! 

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Wave after wave slammed down, churning into a massive, tsunami–like vortex that swiftly swallowed both Lucas and me. 

Below the surface, the ocean battered me with a brutal force I couldn’t possibly withstand, and I lost consciousness in an instant. 

All I remembered was Lucas’s arms, a fierce, protective embrace around me. 

I had a dream. 

A long one. 

In my dream, I saw my younger self, chasing relentlessly after Lucas, terrified he would leave me behind. 

But just as I finally caught him, he turned, his gaze frigid, and told me, “Stay away from me. I’ve wronged you, and I have to bear this 

burden alone.” 

I couldn’t grasp his words, but then a voice, urgent, started calling my name. 

“Anna! Anna…” 

My eyes snapped open, and I coughed violently, spitting out mouthfuls of salty seawater. 

Slowly, I lifted my head, my blurry vision focusing on the paramedics crowded around me. 

It was Evan who had been holding me, and as soon as he saw my eyes open, he pulled me into a tight, relieved hug. 

“Oh, thank God,” he breathed, “You’re finally okay!” 

My head swam as I leaned into Evan’s embrace. Faintly, I heard the paramedics nearby. “Such a shame,” one muttered, “only she was found. The other one’s body… hasn’t surfaced.” 

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