The Stranger’s Note

Lena had always been a creature of routine. Every morning, she walked to the same coffee shop, ordered a caramel latte, and sat by the window to watch the world go by. It was a small ritual that kept her grounded.

But today, something was different.

As she reached for her usual seat, she noticed a folded piece of paper on the table. Curious, she picked it up and unfolded it carefully. The handwriting was neat, almost meticulous.

"To the person who finds this,

If you’re reading this, then fate has chosen you. I’ve left something behind—something important. Meet me at the old bookstore on 5th Avenue at 8 PM tonight, and I’ll explain everything.

—A Stranger"

Lena frowned. A joke? A prank? But something about the note unsettled her. There was no name, no further clue—just an invitation wrapped in mystery. She could throw it away and move on with her day.

But she didn’t.

---

The bookstore was nearly empty when Lena arrived at 8 PM. The faint scent of old paper and coffee lingered in the air. She had barely stepped inside when a voice called out from behind a bookshelf.

"You actually came."

Lena turned to see a man—perhaps in his late twenties, wearing a dark coat and glasses. He looked surprised but relieved.

"You wrote the note?" she asked.

He nodded. "I wasn’t sure if anyone would."

"What is this about?"

The man hesitated, glancing around as if checking for eavesdroppers. Then he pulled a small, leather-bound book from his coat. "This."

Lena stared at it. "A journal?"

"More than that," he whispered. "It’s my past. And I don’t remember writing a single word of it."

---

They sat in the quiet corner of the bookstore, surrounded by forgotten stories, as the man—who introduced himself as Daniel—flipped through the pages.

"I found this book in my apartment yesterday," he explained. "But the thing is... I don’t remember ever writing it. The handwriting is mine, but the memories inside—none of them feel like they belong to me."

Lena leaned in, intrigued. "What kind of memories?"

Daniel took a deep breath and turned to a random page. "Here’s one. It talks about a girl named Emily. Says she was the love of my life. That I promised to marry her." He looked up, troubled. "I don’t know any Emily."

Lena shivered. "Could it be fiction?"

He shook his head. "It’s too detailed. Dates, locations, conversations—things only I would know. But none of it matches my life."

A strange feeling crept up Lena’s spine. "So why did you leave the note?"

Daniel hesitated before answering. "I thought maybe... someone else could confirm if I’m losing my mind."

Lena studied him. His hands trembled slightly as he held the journal. He wasn’t lying.

"Let me see," she said.

Daniel handed her the book, and she flipped to another entry. This one was dated two years ago.

"Emily and I watched the sunset from the bridge today. She told me she was scared of the future, but I promised her we’d face it together. I’ve never loved anyone more."

Lena’s chest tightened. There was something unsettlingly real about the words. She turned to the back of the book, where a loose photograph was tucked between the pages.

She pulled it out.

And her heart stopped.

It was her.

Lena, standing on a bridge at sunset, laughing as the wind played with her hair. And beside her was a man—Daniel.

She stared at the photo, her fingers trembling.

Daniel’s expression changed when he saw it. "That’s you." His voice was barely above a whisper.

Lena couldn’t breathe. "I don’t remember this," she admitted. "I’ve never met you before today."

Daniel swallowed hard. "Then why are you in my past?"

Silence stretched between them. The bookstore suddenly felt colder.

Lena looked at the journal again, flipping through more pages. Her name appeared over and over, each time wrapped in memories she didn’t recall living.

"What does this mean?" she whispered.

Daniel’s eyes darkened. "I don’t know. But somehow… our lives are connected in ways we can’t remember."

A chill ran down Lena’s spine as she realized something else.

The last entry in the journal was dated tomorrow. And it said:

"Lena will remember everything. But it will already be too late."

---

To be continued…?

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