A Promise From Big Sis

'The human brain is a very fickle thing. It is easy to remove or forget memories, but to force them back in takes time. The brain can not take all the memories back in at once.'

"You know me?" She asked.

"It's not that I know you, but how should I put this?" I hesitated because telling someone they appear in your dreams would sound like a very cliche pickup line. After a few moments to collect my thoughts I decided to just tell her the truth. "The truth is ever since I can remember, you've appeared in my dreams randomly on the verge of crying. I know it sounds wierd but I swear it's true."

"It's not wierd," she said but paused as an unusually strong gust of wind blew past. I didn't have time to process what was wrong with the fact that a wind was blowing inside. She raised her hand and stroked my face, "sleep, sleep and remember."

***

I was surrounded by a dense fog. As the fog cleared I saw her sitting in the shade of a tall tree reading a book.

"Big Sis, I'm here!" A young voice called out from the the house.

"I'm in the back yard," she responded her gentle voice somehow carrying a great distance without speaking loudly.

From the back door a young child came barreling out. I did a double take when I saw the boy, he was exactly how I remember myself from childhood. 'Is that me?' I thought to myself. 'She said to remember, did we share a past in my childhood? But how come she doesn't appear to have aged a day?'

"How was your day Little Mikey?" She closed her book and smiled at the boy.

"It was boring, I just wanted the day to end so I could see Big Sis."

"Silly boy," she said and ruffled his hair, "school is important, you need to learn as much as possible."

"Can't you teach me though? You seem to know everything."

"I could, but you need to spend time with other children too. Making friends is an important part of growing up."

"I don't need friends though, I just need Mom and Big Sis."

"How am I suppsed to spend all afternoon with you if I also teach you all day though? I have business to attend to while you're at school."

"Fine, Big Sis should do her business stuff and I'll go to school." The little boy puffed out his cheeks and pouted.

"If you keep doing that, your face might get stuck that way." She laughed and pinched his cheeks.

"How come you're always alone Big Sis? You're so pretty, shouldn't you be surrounded by people?"

"Wouldn't that distract me from spending time with you though? Do you want to have to compete with others for my time?"

"I don't, but I don't want Big Sis to be lonely either."

She sighed while smiling, "it's fine, I'm just waiting for my king to come and take me away."

"Well, if he doesn't come by the time I grow up, why not choose me instead?"

Her eyes widened at the boy's response. "You would give yourself to me?"

"Of course, Big Sis is the best," he replied with a big grin.

"Then no matter what, I promise I will wait for you to grow up then. From now on everything I own is also yours." She pulled the boy into her embrace and kissed his forehead to seal the promise.

'Was I susch a smooth talker as a child? How come I forgot about all of this?'

The fog closed back in around me.

***

I opened my eyes and saw that I was still in the mall with my head on her lap. "Big Sis?"

"You remember?" she asked as her thumb stroked my cheek.

"A little bit, I think. Did your king ever find you?"

"He has," she replied and smiled.

My chest tightened at her response, "then you don't need me as a backup anymore?"

"Backup? What silly thoughts are running through your head? If you remembered that day, you should remember the promise I made you. You are my king, no one else."

"Then where have you been all this time? How come I couldn't remember you at all? Why haven't you aged a day?"

"Are you scared of me now that you realize I'm not normal?" Her eyes lost their glimmer as she asked me if I was scared.

While I thought about her question, she lowered her hand from my face. Instead of thinking further, I took her hand in mine and placed it back on my face. "How could I be scared? I just want to know everything about you, we made a promise afterall."