Alina smiled, gazing lovingly at her wedding ring as her husband, Julian flipped pancakes in the kitchen, filling their cosy apartment with the scent of warm butter and maple syrup. Alina inhaled the scent, lazily thinking about their first encounter.

She’d met him through a mutual friend- almost by accident, and after only a few months of barely knowing each other, the two had officially tied the knot.

Alina chuckled. She still couldn’t believe how fast everything had happened. An accidental meet. A few late-night conversations. The next thing she knew, he was slipping a beautiful diamond on her finger.

Feeling immensely loved, Alina picked up her phone and began scrolling through their photos together.

Their first official meet. He’d brought her pancakes. And homemade maple syrup. How he had come to know of her absolute craze for maple syrup, it still beat her.

She scrolled to the next photo. Homemade cookies. With maple syrup.

Alina laughed.

She could have maple syrup with absolutely anything.

The third photo. Brownies. And maple syrup.

Alina smiled. She couldn’t recall mentioning her obsession with maple syrup. Thinking back, she couldn’t recall the moments when the photos were taken either. Julian always said it was because they were very happy together.

“Safety equals memory loss,” he always joked. She remembered laughing when he first told her. She just couldn’t remember when it was. After a few attempts at racking her brain, she had let it go. After all, she was happy. Safe. Loved.

 “Earth to Alina,”

Alina glanced up, her cheeks reddening slightly. The phrase always embarrassed her, though she couldn’t, for the life of her, understand why. Julian was standing next to her with a plate of warm pancakes. Alina grinned, watching the maple syrup drip from the pancakes onto the plate.

“I love this stuff,” she muttered, taking a large bite.

Julian leaned closer, using his thumb to wipe away a trickle of maple syrup sliding down her chin. His thumb lingered a little longer than usual. Alina glanced his way. He seemed deep in thought, his eyes fixed on her face. Mid pancake, Alina frowned. A sudden thought occurred to her, making her jolt.

Julian gazed at her.

“All okay?”

Alina opened her mouth to say something, but the thought disappeared as quickly as it had come. Unable to comprehend her inner thoughts, she simply nodded.

“I’ll grab a quick shower and be right back, okay?” Julian said, caressing Alina’s hair.

Alina nodded again.

A few minutes later, the bathroom door slammed shut.

The sudden ringing of Alina’s phone almost made her jump out of her skin.

An unfamiliar number.

Cursing, she received the call. “Hello?”

Silence.

Rapid breathing.

Then – a sudden shriek.

A shrill voice rang out, frightened.

“It’s in the maple-”

Silence.

Alina’s mouth opened in shock and fear.

The voice – it was her own.

Paranoia engulfed Alina.

Her own voice.

The pitch. The tremor. The panic.

With a warning.

Panicked, she tried returning the call. After a short beep, the operator’s voice rang out.

The number you’re trying to reach does not exist.

Alina’s heart raced, her mind in turmoil.

The sudden beeping of Julian’s phone started her again. Julian’s phone lit up, a message glowing on the dark screen.

A message from the same number she received the call from.

She doesn’t remember, does she?