The next morning, the Russian air was sharp and icy. Mia and I pulled our coats tight against our chests as we made our way to the famous castle. It was a massive, ancient structure, its spires rising like frozen fingers toward the grey, overcast sky.
Inside, the atmosphere was heavy with the weight of centuries. We walked through cavernous halls where the air felt still and smelled faintly of old stone and floor wax. We wandered from room to room, looking at historical treasures kept behind thick glass. There were rows of rusted iron swords that had clearly seen forgotten battles, along with dented, heavy shields and coins that had been out of circulation for hundreds of years. In the center of one grand chamber, a golden crown sat on a velvet cushion. It looked surprisingly small, yet it carried an undeniable sense of power.
"This is all so amazing," I whispered, feeling tiny amidst the sheer scale of history. "It feels like we have truly stepped back in time."
We kept walking, our footsteps echoing against the cold, polished stone floors. Eventually, we reached a very long, quiet hallway that seemed hidden away from the rest of the museum. The air here felt even stiller, almost frozen in time. The walls were lined with large, golden-framed portraits of long-dead nobles. We walked slowly, peering at each painted face, observing the intricate details of their velvet clothes, their stern expressions, and the way the light played off the gold frames.
Suddenly, Mia stopped walking and gripped my arm tightly. Her movement was so abrupt that I nearly stumbled. "Mary Ann, wait. Look at this one!"
I followed her gaze and walked over to the portrait she was pointing at. It was a woman seated in a lush garden, wearing a stunning, deep-blue silk dress that seemed to shimmer even in the dim light. She was not sad at all; instead, she looked vibrant and full of life, a stunning woman with a gorgeous, warm smile that seemed to light up the canvas. It was a smile that reached her eyes, full of intelligence and grace.
Mia's voice was shaking as she spoke. "Mary Ann... look. She looks exactly like you! She has your eyes, your nose, and your face. It is like looking at a twin from the past."
I shook my head, laughing with a nervous energy. "No way," I said, though a strange, cold shiver raced down my spine. "It is just a coincidence. She doesn't really look like me. You are just tired from the flight."
"I am serious!" Mia insisted, looking from the painting to my face and back again, her eyes wide with shock. "It is really you. It's uncanny. It's like you were painted centuries ago."
I did not believe her, but I felt deeply unsettled. I found myself looking at the painting again, trying to find a difference, but every feature—the arch of the brow, the shape of the chin—was identical to my own reflection. The rest of the tour was a blur. I couldn't focus on the swords or the crowns anymore; all I could see was that smile.
Once we were back in the quiet safety of our hotel room, I couldn't stop thinking about that painting. My curiosity grew until it was a physical ache. I took out my phone and began searching for the castle's art collection online, scrolling through dozens of pages until I found it. My heart jumped into my throat when I saw the digital image. The woman in the painting was officially titled Lady Mary Ann.
"Mia, look," I said, my voice trembling as I handed her my phone. "Her name is Lady Mary Ann, too."
Mia stared at the screen, her mouth slightly agape. "See? I told you it was strange. This isn't just a coincidence anymore."
I felt restless, trapped by the strange feeling of being watched by a memory. "I am going to the convenience store to buy some water and snacks," I said, needing the cold air to clear my thoughts. "I'll be right back."
I walked out into the chilly evening. The streetlights flickered above me, casting long, dancing shadows on the sidewalk, but I didn't pay attention to where I was going. My mind was spinning, a whirlwind of confusion. Why does she have my face? Why does she have my name? Is it just a name, or is it a destiny? I was so busy thinking about the painting and that gorgeous, knowing smile that I didn't hear the tires screeching on the pavement behind me. I didn't see the headlights until it was too late. There was a sudden, blinding flash, a loud, panicked horn, and then everything turned black.
I woke up because I heard the sound of the wind howling through dense, swaying branches.
My head throbbed with a sharp, rhythmic, and painful ache, and my body felt heavy and exhausted, as if I had been running for hours. I wasn't on the city street anymore. I was lying on the damp, cold ground in a dark, thick forest. The trees were massive and ancient, their branches knitting together far above me like a cage, and a thick, unnatural fog swirled around my feet, clinging to my clothes.
"Mia?" I called out, my voice sounding thin and weak in the vast, empty space. But the forest only swallowed my sound. No one answered.
I looked down at myself in panic, expecting to be covered in blood or dust from an accident. But I was fine. I was still wearing my jeans and my jacket, just as I had been when I was walking to the store. I hadn't changed at all. It felt as though I had been plucked out of the world and dropped here, teleported into this silent, eerie place without a trace.
I stood up, my legs shaking, and looked around. There was no city, no hotel, no cars. Just the dark, endless woods. I was all alone, and the modern world I knew was gone.