“Eden? Eden, wake up!” Her voice yelled at me as I came to. Her hands were gently tapping my cheeks. I groaned and pushed her hands away. I opened my eyes and propped myself up on my elbows as took in my surroundings. I was on concrete, I think. To my right was the street, and to my left a row of trees that lined the park. Before me was my best friend, her pale blonde hair falling in her face as she peered down at me, inches away.

“Casey?” I questioned, confused. A splitting headache set in and I grabbed my head. “Christ, that hurts like a bitch.” I cursed, apply pressure in a vain attempt to release the pain.

“Of course it does, idiot!” She yelled, leaning back onto her heels. “You just slammed your head into a street lamp!”

I blinked at her, staring for just a moment before embarrassment flooded my face.

“Oh. Yeah. Man, I’ve never wiped out like that. Say, where is my skateboard anyways?”

“Its right over there.” She said, pointing to a bush next to the bench I had attempted on. The board was lodged halfway between two branches. I groaned, trying to push through the headache, which was easing by the second, as I stood. I knelt by the bush a few feet away and tried to grab my board, but it was stuck. Frustrated, I grunted and began to yank on the board harshly.

“Eden, Eden, calm down!” Casey said as she knelt next to me. She gently moved my arms aside as she slid her slender hands into the bush and untangled the wheels, successfully dislodging the board. “See?” She smiled charmingly at me as she held it up between us.

“Thanks Cas.” I said under my breath, not willing to admit she had more patience than myself.

“No problem. Now come on, lets go to your house.” She said.

“My house?” I asked, tucking my skateboard under my arm. I didn’t dare risk it again while my head still hurt from my last accident. “But we always go to your house.”

She gave me an odd look.

“No. We always go to your house. Because my dad is, well, my dad.”

The statement confused me. Her dad was the sweetest man I’ve ever met and I loved going to her house for it, but I could see a darkness behind her eyes. I decided to drop the argument.

“Yeah. Okay. We’ll have to avoid my mom though.” I warned her as we started in that direction.

“Why? Your mom is the best!” Casey exclaimed. I looked at her. She was smiling, excited. I shrugged. “If you say so.”

It was a relatively silent walk to my house. When we got there, Casey practically ran up to the door and hit the door bell.

“Casey, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” I demanded, walking up to her. “My mom is gonna ki-“

The door opened, revealing a woman just taller than I was. Her curly black hair was down rather than up in a bun. Her dark skin easily revealed her age, but her smile was still youthful. She was my mother.

“Eden! Casey, oh im glad to see you! Come in come in!”

“Thank you Mrs. Gregory.” Casey smiled, walking in immediately. I hesitated, shocked. My mother had never been this nice in my life.

“Are you alright Eden?” My mother asked.

I nodded quickly.

“Yeah I’m fine.”

I stepped in the house and was immediately tackled to the ground by a big black and white dog. I screamed in surprise as the dog tried to lick my face.

“Tera, off, shoo!” My mother said, gently tapping the dog’s side, who whined and backed up a few paces, but was still wagging her tail.

“Who’s dog is that?” I asked aloud as I slowly recovered, standing.

“It’s your dog.” Casey filled in, petting Tera’s head. “You got her last year on the way home from the fair, remember?”

I narrowed my eyes.

“No. No, this is a trick. I didn’t go to the fair, you did. You got a dog, you name him Titus.”

Casey gave me a weird look.

“Eden, are you okay? I think you hit your head too hard. Your memories are all frazzled.”

I shook my head.

“No, no I’m fine. These memories are real, I’m sure of it.”

“But they’re not.” Casey murmured.

Fear struck in my chest.