Future Memories Essay Example

sweat. The manor and its surroundings turned icy and snowy for weeks on end, but indoors, the cozy ambience was evident from the warm embers of the fires.

As Christmas approached, the joyous and contented mood of the small household was marred by Maggie's deteriorating sleep. The subject of her dreams had shifted; now she was the pursuer, rather than being chased by the pale girl. The object of her pursuit was a younger girl who bore a striking resemblance to Maggie, although it may have been mere chance. On the evening following this dream, Hester and James, Maggie's parents, summoned her to the parlour for a discussion. "There is something we need to tell you," James began solemnly.

During a conversation about their family, Hester revealed some news that made Maggie suspect something was amiss. To clear up any confusion, Maggie questioned her parents directly. Despite her concerns, Hester reassured Maggie that everything was fine. However, Hester and James suddenly broke out into huge smiles, leaving Maggie unsure of what was going on. In unison, they announced that they were expecting a baby.

Maggie was unsure of what words to express. Her expectation was to be joyful, however, how could she contemplate that notion? The fact that her parents' affection will now have two individuals to consider instead of just one was excruciating to bear. Maggie rushed up four flights of stairs until she arrived at her attic room. She settled herself on her bed, drew the curtains of her four-poster and wept.

Considering the prospect of having a sibling, Maggie realized the extensive sacrifices she would have to make. She would have to relinquish her toys, personal

space, privacy, books, and free reign of the environment. Although her parents appeared elated when they disclosed the news, Maggie felt somewhat remorseful.

Expecting her to smile and give them a hug, they were instead met with a bratty girl solely concerned about her belongings. Upon this realization, Maggie wiped her tears and approached her parents, where she proceeded to give them a hug while apologizing meekly.

"I was shocked, but now I'm happy," Maggie expressed. Hester comforted her, apologizing for the surprise and assuring her that she'll always be treated with utmost care. Time passed and Maggie welcomed a new baby sister named Lucinda. Hester's appearance had also changed from a slim and lovely brunette to a plumper, aged housewife with visible wrinkles and dark circles around her eyes.

Although the baby was mostly responsible for the changes, Hester was neglecting her well-being. This behavior was out of character for Hester, who had always been very dedicated to her routine. However, Maggie noticed that something was interfering and suspected it was due to alcohol. Despite not knowing what triggered Hester's habit, Maggie knew that her mother seemed depressed and that she and James were experiencing significant difficulties.

During their disagreements, Hester and James often resorted to violence. Maggie remembered one specific argument that occurred before their major issues arose. Hester yelled, "Why don't we ever go anywhere?" and James responded sarcastically, "What's the point? You wouldn't be able to fit it into your 'schedule.'" Hester countered, "How would you know? You're too self-absorbed to ever consider asking me."

"I don't have time," James grumbled, blaming Hester's busy schedule with the household and taking care of Maggie. Hester defended

her daughter by insisting, "Leave Maggie out of this!" James countered, "Why? She's the reason why you're so hard to deal with!" This made Maggie cry. Hester shouted, "What are you talking about?" To which James mimicked her response and accused her of always favoring Maggie over him and Lucinda. The argument escalated when Hester hurled a vase at James's head, causing chaos.

After a large gash appeared on the pale white skin of his face, he fainted, causing Hester to fall to her knees beside him and apologize. She quickly fetched a jug and a cloth while Maggie pondered how quickly her parents could switch from fighting to becoming a happy family again in the face of injuries. For Maggie, this argument seemed to be the worst, but it was only the beginning.

As Lucinda grew, so did the frequency and intensity of Hester and James' fights. Hester bore a long cut on her arm and multiple bruises, while James had a gash on his head and an injured leg. One summer morning, Maggie was awoken by loud thudding sounds from downstairs accompanied by her sister's cries. The 8-year-old put on her silk dressing gown and slippers before carefully descending the wooden stairs. Despite her efforts to be silent, her little feet made some noise as she peered through a crack in the door to locate the source of the commotion.

As she gazed upon the gruesome sight, Maggie was overcome with terror and unable to budge. The memory of this moment would remain vivid in her mind, despite any future joy that may come. Before her lay the lifeless body of James, her father, in a

ghastly condition. Hester stood over him from within the room.

Although his features were obscured by blood, the man's daughter could still unmistakably recognize him. Hester was thin and stunned, nearly sorrowful, as she lay unconscious on a chair with a knife nearby. Maggie considered the possibility that Hester may be feeling remorse but dismissed it due to her capacity for heinous acts. Suddenly, Hester looked up and spotted two small eyes peering out from behind the doorframe.

With labored breath, Maggie whispered a faint inquiry: "Sweetheart?" The idea of her mother causing harm filled her with panic. She raced up the stairs and swiftly locked herself in her room, without hesitation. Assuming her mother lacked the energy to follow, she heard no sounds from beyond the door. Meanwhile, Lucinda's sobs shattered the normally tranquil atmosphere of the manor. Maggie was left with numerous unanswerable questions plaguing her thoughts.

Maggie was filled with numerous uncertainties, questioning her mother's actions and what her father did to deserve them. The shock of not knowing her own fate along with Lucinda's left Maggie too overwhelmed to even cry. Despite this, she realized that remaining in her room indefinitely was not an option and began considering the next course of action. Suddenly, a voice startled Maggie as they asked for permission to enter.

As she pondered whether to permit her mother's entry, Maggie was unsure of what course of action to take. Hester comforted her and made a solemn promise not to cause any harm, but Maggie remained skeptical and inquired, "How can I be sure?" To this query, Hester replied that there would be no way for Maggie to know unless she

gave permission for her mother to enter. Eventually, Maggie slowly approached the door from where she lay in bed.

Midway through the room, Maggie suddenly halted, feeling lightheaded and unfocused. The bright lights shifted to dullness and vice versa, accompanied by a pounding headache. The sensation was familiar to her since the age of six when she once fainted after being scolded by her dad for breaking a vase.

Maggie was unable to fully focus on her father because of unusual symptoms and intense emotions. Suddenly, she felt as though she were falling and lost consciousness without understanding why. Later, Maggie awoke in her own bed with curtains drawn around it and a glass of water nearby.

Maggie initially experienced a sense of relief upon discovering the condition of her bedroom door, believing it to be merely a nightmare. Nevertheless, her elation transformed into shock when she realized that the door had been forcibly removed from its frame, resulting in debris strewn about both her carpet and the landing area.

Maggie had a dream in which her mother attempted to enter a locked door. This caused her to become determined to investigate by searching for her parents, but she did not check the living room. Upon entering the living room, Maggie discovered a frightful sight - Hester was seated in the same chair from her dream and there were bloodstains found exactly where her father's lifeless body had been located.

"I can't," Maggie stammered as Hester tried to comfort her saying "Maggie baby?"

Despite comprehending the veracity of the situation and not fleeing, Maggie passed out, but fortunately, she remains unscathed and is expected to recover. Upon awakening, she

spontaneously embraced her mother tightly without understanding why she felt elated.

Despite her father's lifeless body lying nearby, Maggie was experiencing an overwhelming sense of guilt that surpassed any previous experiences. Even when she had fled in tears due to a baby, she did not feel as guilty as she did now. However, despite attempting to hold back her emotions, a smile was almost emerging from within. Maggie believed that her sudden happiness arose from the immense relief of being secure and unharmed. Nonetheless, deep down, she acknowledged that at that moment, she felt more satisfied and guarded than ever before.

After eight years, life at the old manor had drastically transformed. In Maggie's case, the changes were for the worse as she was now sixteen and unrecognizable from her younger self depicted in portraits. Looking in the mirror, she no longer saw her former self but rather a tall, pale girl with long straight black hair, a gaunt face, and cruel black eyes.

Hester's appearance has worsened significantly. Even when she transitioned from being thin and elegant to a disheveled homemaker, her current look surpasses it. Her wardrobe solely consists of black clothing items - tops, jewelry, skirts, dresses, and shoes.

In addition to Hester and Maggie's transformations, the house has also undergone significant changes. The most noticeable change in Hester's appearance is the black make-up that covers her face, giving the impression that her previously dark green eyes are now black because of the all-black eye liner, mascara, and eye shadow she wears. The once-colorful paintings and china sets have been replaced by eerie statues.

The manor had transformed into a gothic style, adorned with black

lace and adorned with wrought iron tables and chairs, candles, and stuffed animals, replacing the once beautifully carved oak furniture. The change was all thanks to Hester's whims following the death of her husband. Despite Maggie's joy over her mother's sobriety, she couldn't help but notice her strange behavior and significant mental changes. Maggie's theory was that these changes came from a deep-rooted mental problem.

The only person who appeared unchanged was Lucinda, except for her eight years of growth. She did not have to alter her personal appearance in any way. Unlike Maggie, she was not overprotected and could freely enter the grounds, even at night. Maggie, on the other hand, was confined to areas where her mother could monitor her as soon as twilight approached. This led to resentment from Maggie as Lucinda now had the upper hand on using the grounds. Maggie questioned why Lucinda did not have to be subjected to the same level of protection and attire requirements.

"Because you're my precious little baby and I want you to follow in my footsteps," was always the response that Maggie despised hearing. She had hoped that her mother would always favor her over a new baby sibling, but now Maggie wished that she could be the only one given half-hearted love like Lucinda was receiving. Maggie had been living under the shadow of her mother's preferential treatment for as long as she could remember, and it was driving her insane.

Every night, she experienced a recurring dream that she couldn't recall upon waking. Despite the familiar sensation, Maggie couldn't visualize any of it. That is, until one night when she went to bed

and could suddenly remember the dream.

Startled, she jolted up and glanced at her clock, realizing the darkness indicated it was early; indeed, it was only three in the morning. Curiosity piqued by noises outside, she approached her bay window to investigate. With their mansion's secluded location, she couldn't fathom who would be passing by.

While observing a little figure moving around on the lawn, Maggie identified it as her sister Lucinda. Despite her desire for the same freedom, Maggie didn't wish for her younger sibling to get injured. The unfavorable weather conditions with cold, darkness, and wetness could lead to accidents causing broken bones or even catching pneumonia.

Donning her coat, she hurried down the stairs to the entrance hall and carefully opened the massive oak front doors so as not to wake her mother. Once outside, she scoured the area where she had spotted her sister earlier from her window. Despite the rain lashing onto her face and causing shivers, it wasn't necessarily the only reason for Maggie's trembling, as it was her first time venturing out alone in the middle of the night.

Just as Maggie identified faint tree and bush shapes in the dark, they vanished and she found herself in pitch darkness. In her mind, she pictured a girl who was a spitting image of herself - the same girl from her dream. Unlike before, the girl's formerly lifeless eyes were now filled with liveliness.

The girl, who resembled the one from Maggie's dream, started pursuing Lucinda towards the fireplace; a sequence of images playing in her mind. Maggie perceived this as a possible occurrence of her condition. Gradually, her environment came back

into focus, revealing rows of flowerbeds and trees, but Lucinda was nowhere to be seen.

Maggie was terrified to see another person who resembled the girl from her dream. This girl's voice, sounding like Maggie's, urged her to move on and end her jealousy, allowing her and her mother to live in harmony. Maggie was puzzled by the strange voice but experienced a tremendous surge of energy that propelled her to search for Lucinda.

Maggie searched relentlessly for her sister Lucinda, enduring harsh weather conditions in the process. Her sole focus was finding her sibling and despite the challenges she encountered, Maggie persisted. Eventually, in the orchard, she caught a glimpse of hope - spotting a pair of eyes shining from behind an apple tree.

Maggie chased after Lucinda, screaming menacing phrases like "you'll regret being alive" and "I'll murder you." Lucinda fled toward the house and into the entrance hall where she yelled before darting into the massive library. It was then that Lucinda realized her mistake - there was nowhere left to hide.

The sound of clattering and feet running down the stairs alerted the two girls. Maggie had to take swift action and cornered her sister in the deep fireplace, disregarding her cries and petitions for leniency. By pulling a lever next to a bookcase, Maggie triggered the back wall of the fireplace to revolve, ensnaring Lucinda behind it.

Inside the fireplace there was commotion - banging and screaming, accompanied by an attention-grabbing cough from Hester who was behind Maggie. The sight of this filled Maggie with fear since her mother had witnessed everything. However, instead of reprimanding her daughter, Hester rushed over and embraced her. Perhaps

Hester took pride in the fact that her daughter had followed in her footsteps of murdering a family member. Alternatively, they now shared a dark secret which bound them together.