“Shadows of My Forgotten Self”

He transformed into a mighty eagle, his wings slicing through the wind as he soared through the sky. Gradually, he descended, landing gently in the backyard. Within seconds, he shifted back into the form of a weary man, his eyes heavy with the burden of memories he didn't yet understand.

He moved cautiously toward the house. The doors were locked, yet his mind seemed to hold all the keys. He slipped inside silently, like a ghost chasing the shadows of a life he might have once lived.

Climbing the stairs with trembling hands, he slowly opened the door to his daughter's room. She lay asleep on the bed, her blonde hair spread like a halo around her head. Dropping to his knees, he reached out to her, tears glistening in his eyes, a cautious smile tugging at his lips as if afraid the moment would shatter if he dared to breathe too loud.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him — a soft, innocent smile that lit a spark deep within him. She reached out her hand, stepping off the bed with slow, cautious steps.

Before she reached him, a voice cut through the silence:

Adam (carefully, with concern): Don't go near him. He'll hit you, just like he used to hit Mom.

Yusuf froze, as if the words stabbed him straight in the heart. He shook his head quickly, his voice hoarse:

Yusuf: No, sweetheart… I would never.

Adam (angrily): You really don't remember?

Yusuf (eyes brimming with tears): I'm sorry… Can you help me remember?

Adam (tone rising): How am I supposed to help you?!

Yusuf (gently): Is your mother home?

Eva: No.

Yusuf: Alright… Is there a place I can put my things?

Adam: Yes. The bedroom… and the office.

Yusuf: Can you take me to the office?

Adam nodded silently and led him there.

⸻

Yusuf entered the dimly lit office, scanning the room like someone sifting through a lost past. He sat at the desk, opened the laptop, and started searching — photos, files, videos. Each new discovery twisted his gut tighter. The truth was terrifying: he hadn't just helped launder money — he was a cold-blooded killer.

Photo after photo of his wife, Sarah, showed her sadness — her face like that of a prisoner. Even the video of their wedding… she was crying, while he laughed.

Then he heard it — the creak of the front door.

Sarah (softly from below): Hello, my darlings…

Adam: Mom, Dad's in the office.

Yusuf's heart dropped. Cold sweat trickled down his back. He rushed to the door to lock it — but it was too late.

Sarah burst in, a gun in her hand. Without hesitation, she fired at the door and flung it open. Yusuf dropped to his knees, raising his hands high.

Yusuf: Please… let's talk!

She didn't listen. She fired again — missed. In a blink, he vanished. A mouse darted across the floor, scurrying under the desk. She fired again and again. He leapt, transforming into a cat, dashing toward the corner. More shots rang out. Then, suddenly — a tiger stood before her, powerful and furious, just inches from the muzzle of her gun.

She pulled the trigger — click. Empty.

She swallowed hard, stepping back until her back hit the wall. The tiger growled in silence, inching closer.

Then came the voice:

Adam: Dad, stop!

The tiger turned toward the children, eyes blazing with emotion.

Sarah (pleading): They're your children. Please… stop!

The tiger hesitated… until Eva ran up and wrapped her arms around him.

Eva (excited): Mom! Look! Daddy's a tiger!

Tears welled up in his eyes. He gently pushed her aside and leapt through the window into the garden.

There, in the dark grass, he shifted back into a man. Lying flat on his back, staring up at the night sky, breath trembling, hand over his heart.

Yusuf (whispering to himself): Who am I? What happened that night? Has this curse always been inside me?