The Forgotten Memory(Short Story)

“Get one of the big, comfy ones.” Says Mum. She was saying for me to go down into the attic and get a blanket. An extra one since my little sister's blanket became very dirty.

I tiptoed cautiously down the stairs. None of us ever go down here. The last time someone went down there was 7 years ago. I was too young to remember why.

I had to turn on the flashlight on my phone since it was too dim to see without light. 

I walked to the back of the attic. From what I remember when I was like 4 me and my mum would come here together and that’s where I would normally find it. 

The back of the attic had rows of shelves with fat boxes. I checked every box until I came across the box with the blankets. As I took the box down and placed it on the floor, I was about to take one out when I noticed a piece of paper underneath one of the blankets. 

I pull it out and examine the paper. It was a picture of everyone in my family. All my aunties, uncles, cousins, grandparents, parents and siblings were there.

I turned the paper and there was a date on there in cursive handwriting.

Wednesday 12th of June 2014. 

I searched my memories with all my family members but I couldn’t find a single memory on this date. 

I look at the picture. My little sister Hannah was sitting on my dad’s shoulders at the back. If she was to stand she wouldn’t be in the picture. 

Hannah was born 12th of June 2015. How is she in this picture if it was a year before she was born? She looked like she was about 2 but how is that possible?

I grab one of the blankets and I put the picture in my pocket as I run back up the stairs. 

“Ah good. You have the blanket.” Mum was waiting for me at the top of the stairs.

I give the blanket and I show her the picture.

“I don’t remember that day but I do know that Hannah died a month after this picture was taken.”

WHAT?

“But how? She was born in 2015 and on the back it says 2014.”

“You must be mistaken.” Mum says. “She was born in 2013.”

Have I forgotten a huge chunk of my life? How could I not remember when my own little sister was born?

“Wait here.” Mum says. I was so focused on trying to think why I wouldn’t remember that when my mum came back I almost didn’t see her.

She lifts my hand and places a piece of paper in my palm.

“What’s this?” I say.

“Read it and you will find out.”

I began to read making sure I didn’t misread anything.

Wednesday 12th of July 2014

The Girl who died

A 2 year old girl who is named Hannah died on the 12th of July 2014 at 3pm. She was in the car with her Dad and died in a car accident and her Dad was the only person who survived. 

This was an unexpected event for the family members of Hannah and some of them don’t even know yet.

For more information on this event read page 12.

“I don’t understand.” I say. “That day she went to Spain with Dad to live there and they are still living there now.”

“No.” Says Mum. “She died. Your Dad went to Spain so you wouldn’t find out.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” 

“You were too young.”

“Wait, what about the picture?”

“I’m not sure all I remember is that something really bad happened and the whole family made themselves forget.”

“So if I ask any family member they won’t know?”

“Yes.”

What happened? Why doesn’t anyone know?