He rinsed the foam from his face, glancing absently at the toothbrush holder on the sink—red, yellow, blue, purple. His brow furrowed.

  Was mine the red one? Or the blue one?

  The question spun in his mind. He tried to recall the answer, but it slipped away like a soap bubble bursting before it could be touched.

  "How could I forget something like that..." he murmured.

  He stared at the brushes for a long moment before opening a new one, squeezing toothpaste with an unfamiliar rhythm. His heart thumped a little faster, but he forced himself to stay calm. Maybe he just hadn’t slept well.

  In the living room, his father was seated in the same old spot on the couch, watching TV with that usual distant look. But what had they even argued about? Why did the air feel so strange between them?

  His mother passed by—something about her seemed unfamiliar too.

  Panic prickled the back of his neck.

  He turned toward his wardrobe, pulling it open. The clothes inside looked like someone else’s collection. Familiar, yet... unknown. His eyes froze on a black scarf tucked between two jackets. He pulled it out.

  A fox face was stitched into the fabric—smiling? Or mocking?

  A chill rushed through him. He staggered back a step.

  His fists clenched. He didn’t want to let his thoughts spiral—until his phone rang, jarring him back into the present.

  The Warning Call

  “Lucas! It’s me—Alex.” Her voice was tight, almost urgent.

  “What’s wrong?” Lucas gripped the phone.

  “Something’s off with me… Yesterday I played tennis. But today, I don’t remember any of it. My teammates had to remind me. And even then, I still don’t remember drinking coffee—I mean, I had it, but it’s gone from my head.”

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  Lucas felt his stomach drop. He bit his lip. “God... Same here. I couldn’t recognize my own toothbrush or the clothes in my closet.”

  There was a pause on the other end, then Alex replied in a low, serious voice. “We need to talk. I already called Nora and Jake. Let’s meet at Central Park. Two hours.”

  “…Okay.”

  He hung up, unease curling like vines inside his chest.

  The Park’s Unease

  They met at the edge of the park where the breeze rippled through the grass. But the lightness of the weather did nothing to ease the heaviness of their conversation.

  “Can we all just chill for a second?” Jake stretched lazily, trying to downplay the tension. “I signed up for a surfing class next week. No way I’m letting weird dream stuff mess with my summer. Beach, sun, waves, and my glorious abs—what could be better?” He flashed his signature cocky grin.

  Alex rolled her eyes and snapped, “Jake, this isn’t about your abs! Lucas and I are starting to lose our memories! You really think you’re exempt?”

  Jake’s grin faltered.

  “What exactly are you forgetting?” he asked, frowning now.

  Lucas sighed. “I couldn’t even remember which toothbrush was mine. My whole closet felt like it belonged to someone else.”

  Alex added, “I forgot all of yesterday. Even the coffee I drank this morning—if no one told me, I wouldn’t have remembered.”

  Nora suddenly leaned forward, her voice trembling. “Wait... I get it now. The note said we would ‘disappear’—it doesn’t mean physically. It means our memories. We’re losing who we are.”

  Alex’s eyes widened. “That’s... terrifying.”

  Everyone turned to Jake.

  He hesitated. Shrugged.

  “You’re all way too intense. People forget stuff every day. Big deal. That doesn’t mean I’m fading into oblivion.”

  Nora shook her head firmly. “No, Jake. This is different. If you lose your memories… are you still you?”

  Lucas nodded slowly. “Doesn’t that scare you, even just a little?”

  Jake looked annoyed. “Whatever. I don’t want to think about it. If it happens, it happens. Forgetting stuff isn’t the end of the world.”

  He stood up, brushing grass from his jeans. “Anyway, I’ve got surfing prep. Call me if something explodes.”

  He made a mock “call me” gesture and walked off without so much as a backward glance.

  Nora watched him go, her face tightening with concern.

  The Failed Attempt

  “Alright,” Alex said finally. “Let’s try without him.”

  The remaining three moved to a quiet patch beneath a large tree. Nora pulled a book from her backpack, flipping to a page marked with a ribbon.

  “Hold hands,” she said softly.

  Lucas and Alex complied. They closed their eyes, focusing, willing their consciousness to descend—into whatever dream world awaited.

  Thank you for reading.

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