(essay)

“Do not touch the shell under any circumstances. It is very dangerous.”

Morphia deliberately ended the briefing with a warning, because this is the most important rule in the process of “desensitizion.” Unfortunately, Nicole didn’t hear this, because she had already begun to dive into the depths of her memory and whisper the moment she needed.

Morphia immediately rolled her eyes and came to her senses as she stood in front of Nicole’s memory. Nicole behind the shell drew a picture by numbers with a guy a little older than her, and sang along to a song that played with a nearby iPhone.

“This is my best friend Carter,” the current Nicole said in a trembling voice. “It was our penultimate meeting. We have been best friends for over 10 years.”

Nicole appeared to be 18 years old. Most likely, she met Carter at school. Morphia didn’t want to ask unnecessary questions — Nicole looked like she was ready to tell everything herself.

“Before we were at that moment we had overeaten burgers and decided to go to my place for tea. Carter came into my room and saw that I had begun to paint a new picture. He said that he wanted to bring a part of himself in my picture that had been planned to enrich the interior of my room. So he wanted to show that he was with me even if I couldn’t see him. He wanted me to feel him in things I cared of.”

The current Nicole was again attacked aggressively by a wave of pain. She flooded her pale cheeks with tears, and the tears burned the wounds on her heart with their salt. Morphia looked from the current Nicole to the Nicole in the flashback and couldn’t understand why she was worried about this moment. Despite the fact that the shell was a joyful yellow and radiant pink, Morphia could smell danger. Her skin shivered quickly, as if she were standing in a fine drizzle.

“God, Nikki, you sing terribly,” Carter grimaced to his friend, but smiled after a second, “and yet I am ready to admit that your voice is what I want to hear in the last minutes of my life.”

“CARTER, NO!” the current Nicole grabbed her head with one hand and reached for the shell with the other.

“Don’t do that!” Morphia wanted to hold on to Nicole, but as soon as she touched the shell, Nicole was immediately swallowed by the moment.

Why did she do this?! What is in this memory?! The shock went through Morphia’s entire body like electricity.

Nicole is stuck in a memory. Now Morphia had to complete a new task — to save the girl from the labyrinths of her memory and return the real world unharmed.

But how many secrets are hidden in Nicole’s memories? Can Morphia pass them away and “desensitize” it without sinking in own feelings?