She came every night, that night was no different. Her hair was a dark chocolatey color, her skin a deep tan, and her eyes were hazel. It was a dark night, yet an unexplainable light encircled  her, making her features visible from miles away. The girl wore a silky pink dress, the one she always wore. It was simple and elegant all at once. The soft breeze of the eerie night brushed through her hair, ruffling it gently. A tender smile rested on her face, but there were signs of apprehension. Deep pits of darkness lay under her eyes, as if she hadn’t slept in years. “I need you to listen. Please. I know you’re scared, but we…” As the girl’s voice trailed off,  Elayna shifted uncomfortably in her bed. “I need your…” her voice became more distant as the soft glow surrounding her faded away. Elayna started breathing tediously and uncontrollably. “I don’t...time.” And with that she was gone.
    Elayna jerked into a sitting position on her bed, gasping for air. Tears threatened to come, but with all her willpower she kept them in. No way am I crying over a nightmare, she thought to herself in an effort to calm down. As these words left her mind she realized that it wasn’t just a nightmare. For the past five years, the girl had haunted her. It was the same girl every night. She would usually say something like ‘please’ but other times she would just cry. Elayna often thought about talking to the school psychologist, but she usually brushed the ridiculous thought away. I don’t need help, she thought. I’m not weak. But today was different. Elayna didn’t think she could handle the nightmares anymore. Making up her mind, she pulled of her covers and got up from the comfort of her bed and got dressed.
    The large oak colored door loomed in front of Elayna as she mustered all her courage. It’ll only take a few minutes, she told herself. Just a few moments of talking will make everything fine, Elayna kept repeating. With a sigh, Elayna knocked on the door, expecting the worst. The woman on the other side was a short, plump lady. Her dark brown hair was tied up in a messy bun. She wore sweatpants, and a lavender colored t-shirt.
“It’s unusual for kids to come during summer vacation. It must be important. Why don’t you come in,” the lady said. Elayna entered the room, letting the door slam behind her. “Oh my!” the lady said. “Would you like some chocolate? What it is it teens like nowadays? Maybe some pop?”
    “I’m fine,” Elayna said quietly as she sat down on a large, inviting armchair.
    “Well then, let’s get started.” And with that Elayna began her story.
The lady- Mrs. Connor- would ask a question, and Elayna would go off into a detailed explanation. The conversation seemed to never end. The day turned into evening, but Elayna continued. Mrs. Connor became more concerned with each event, yet Elayna told it all without a hint of emotion. The sun had long set before the conversation ended and Elayna got up from the comfy armchair.
After a long moment of silence, Elayna finally said, “Thank you for listening.”
“No problem. If it happens again, you know where to find me,” Mrs. Connor said, sure that the haunting would end now that Elayna had talked about it.
As she sunk into her bed that night, Elayna thought about the girl and the nightmares. It doesn’t make any sense, she told herself. What if - just then she heard her parents in their room next door. She could tell from their tone that it was something important, something secretive.                
“We have to tell her,” Elayna’s mom said. “She has to know! She’s getting out of control!”
“Are you crazy? That girl is already out of her mind! You tell her and she’ll have the police at our door!”
“The police? Now that’s absurd. We didn’t do anything wrong.”
“And what if they do come? Our story isn’t very believable. What are we going to say, Lennie? That one morning we opened the door and there was a baby girl in a small basket with her birth certificate under her?” Elayna gasped. She couldn’t fathom what she was hearing. “Don’t tell her. It will be the biggest mistake if you do. Lennie, we can’t trust her,” James, Elayna’s father, said. No one said a word after that.
    The blazing sun pierced her skin through the blanket. She saw the door open followed by nervous murmuring. Before she knew it, she was in a house. It was warm and sunny, yet there was uncertainty lurking close by. Everything was blurred together. But she knew what it was. Elayna had seen this before, she had felt it, had been there even.  I’m hallucinating, she thought. Go to sleep and everything will be fine.
    There was no girl that night. Only horror. She saw a woman humming a happy tune while she cooked. Then there was a man dressed in a uniform. He had a letter in his hand and he gave it to the woman. All of a sudden there was a graveyard. The woman sat in front of a gravestone. Her eyes stared with emptiness, and all the happiness had been replaced with sorrow. There was a stroller near the woman. Two baby girls cried in distress, yet the hollow woman sat there, unaware of the world before her.
    Elayna woke up with an uneasy feeling. Not only had she figured out she was adopted, everything she felt the last night was so real. It was like it all happened to her. “Mrs. Connor,” Elayna said out loud. “She said to stop by if anything happened.” Elayna had never been so excited in her life to see someone. It was like there was a bond between them, they hadn’t met before the previous day but Elayna felt it, and so did Mrs. Connor. 
    The next day was spent much like the first. While Elayna talked, Mrs. Connor listened and occasionally slipped a tear. Elayna told her how she was adopted and about her strange visions that seemed to be real. When Mrs. Connor heard this, her face froze, and the sunshine seemed to disappear. “She’s trying to reach you,” she said barely whispering.
    “What?” Elayna asked.
    “The girl. She wants to contact you. And the visions- they’re her memories.”
    “Why would she be contacting me? Why is she giving me her memories? It doesn’t make sense!”
    “There’s no way to know. Unless...you try to contact her back.”
    The girl Mrs. Connor introduced Elayna to was very young. She was in her early teens at most. Anna, the girl, wore a white top and skinny jeans. Her blue eyes complimented her pale skin. She wore her dirty blond hair in a ponytail. Together, Mrs. Connor and Elayna told Anna everything she would need to know. “She is obviously very talented,” Anna said.  “Not everyone can share their memories like that. And coming every night? That’s a talent in itself. I can go at max three days in a row, and I’ve been practicing. In the time we have I assume you’ll be able to contact her for five minutes at the most.”
    “When do we start training?” Elayna asked, bringing a smile to everyone’s face.
    The three weeks that followed were full of intense workouts to prepare Elayna’s mind. Her parents never asked and she didn’t tell them. After all, her parents didn’t seem to care for her. The nightmares and visions continued but Elayna was put at ease. She would often visit Mrs. Connor and they would talk until there was nothing left to talk about. After much training, Anna decided that Elayna was ready to face her nightmare. 
    Elayna once again stood in front of the large oak colored door. It only seemed right to tell Mrs. Connor. She took a deep breath and knocked. The door, which wasn’t closed all the way, creaked open revealing an eternity of darkness. “Mrs. Connor?” Elayna whispered. No answer. Something about Mrs. Connor’s  room seemed inviting. It was like the room was calling to her. She walked in, not knowing why, and turned on the lights. From the corner of her eye something immediately caught her attention. It was a rather small bulletin board overcrowded with pictures. Elayna - having a passion for photography - walked over to the board, curious. Pictures of every occasion were scattered on the board. There was a wedding picture in which Elayna immediately recognized the bride, Mrs. Connor. In another picture there was a man wearing a military uniform. He stood by Mrs. Connor, each of them holding a little pink bundle. Their faces were enlightened with joy. Something about the picture kept Elayna staring at it. Without even thinking, she lifted her hand and touched the picture. All of a sudden, her mind went blank, her eyes shut, and her hand, still on the picture, started shaking.
She opened her eyes and saw a friendly face. He smiled, revealing his perfectly white teeth. His hazel eyes twinkled.  She cooed as his arms tightened around her. “I’ll be back soon,” he whispered as he set her down into her cradle. Elayna’s eyes flew open and she stared at her hand, still shaking. Before she could comprehend what had happened, Mrs. Connor came in, startling Elayna.
“I didn’t know you were stopping by today,” Mrs. Connor said.
“The pictures - ” Elayna said, stuttering. She wanted to tell Mrs. Connor what she had felt but something held her back. “They’re beautifully taken,” she said instead. Mrs. Connor looked at the pictures as a thin film of tears came over her eyes.
“He died when they were just three months,” she said as she tried to hold back the tears.
“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to -”
“Don’t worry about it, dear,” Mrs. Connor said, wiping away the few tears that had escaped. “Now, what was it that that you came here for?”
“She thinks I’m ready. Anna said today’s the day,” Elayna said. Sure that she had upset Mrs. Connor, she turned around and started walking out of the room not knowing what else to say. 
“Wait,” Mrs. Connor said. “Perhaps you could contact her here?” Elayna turned around and smiled.
Within an hour everything was ready. Anna - who had come over as soon as Elayna called her - helped Mrs. Connor relax while Elayna sat on the armchair remembering everything she had learned.
“You have three minutes,” Anna said as Elayna lay on the couch in Mrs. Connor’s room. “Good luck.” Her warm smile was the last thing Elayna saw before she closed her eyes and focused. Everything from the past few days replayed itself. Memories flooded through her mind sparking every emotion she had ever felt. Safety, affection, delight, bliss, neglection, indignation, rage, and hatred swirled inside her like a forceful tornado. And then, there was darkness.
Out of the darkness Elayna saw her. It was the same girl as always. The girl saw Elayna too and her expression changed. Her face relaxed and her lips formed a subtle smile. Both of the girls eagerly walked over to each other. There wasn’t any time to waste. 
“I need answers. You need to tell me everything. Please, I don’t have much time,” Elayna said.
“My name is Elizabeth. We’re twins. We don’t have enough time for me to explain everything. You need to come to Orlando, Florida. Trust me.”
For a reason Elayna couldn’t explain, she believed her. Twins, she kept repeating to herself. “How will I find you?” she asked.
“I’ve led you too far to abandon you. I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” Elizabeth said as her eyes softened. “I’ll be waiting for you.” Elayna began to say something, but everything started to spin and become blurry. Just then the violent storm within her stopped, and Elayna fell into a deep sleep.
When she woke up Anna and Mrs. Connor were at her side. The sun illuminated the room and created a hospitable atmosphere. Mrs. Connor and Anna were eager to find out how the contact had gone, but they didn’t even have to inquire. “She’s my twin,” Elayna said more to herself than anyone else.
“Your twin?” Anna asked. “How is that possible?”
“I don’t know yet. But she said to come to Orlando, Florida. She has answers, I can feel it,” Elayna said. After much talking and arguing, Mrs. Connor, Anna, and Elayna decided that Elizabeth had to be trusted.
Elayna walked in the front door, feeling like a stranger in her own house. She could hear her mom chattering away on the phone and her dad mumbling about something as always. “Home so early?” her dad said, peeking out from the living room. Elayna rushed up to her room  and found her hot pink duffel bag. She stuffed as many clothes as she could into it, and grabbed a piece of paper. Elayna quickly scribbled something on the paper and ran back downstairs. She set the note on the front table, and left the house. “What was that all about?” her dad said as he walked over and picked up the note. I know I’m adopted. Going to find my twin sister. Don’t need guardian permission...I’m already 18.  His jaw dropped to his feet and all he could do was stare.
It was early Saturday morning when Elayna and Mrs. Connor got to Orlando, Florida. Elayna had spent most of the trip thinking about her sister, hoping she would like her. Earlier that day when Mrs. Connor  asked her if she was ready she had said yes, but now she started to question herself. What if we don’t get along? What if she was lying and we’re not even twins? Thoughts flooded Elayna’s mind as she tried to keep her confidence. The unsatisfying thoughts consumed Elayna, making the hours drag on forever. Not long after they stepped of off the plane and got their luggage, Elayna spotted a shiny white BMW parked outside the airport. “There’s our ride,” Elayna said pointing over to the car. Mrs. Connor, not sure what to make of the situation, followed her. 
The driver was a jovial, mid-aged man. He helped Elayna and Mrs. Connor load their luggage in the car and - despite the boiling temperature - bought them coffee from a nearby coffee shop.
“Elizabeth is very excited to meet you,” he said. “But you should know that she hasn’t been acting like herself lately. I mean her long lost…” his voice trailed off as Elayna lay her head on Mrs. Connor’s shoulder and fell asleep.
When Elayna and Elizabeth met, it was like they were looking into a mirror. They had the same hair, the same eyes, and the same skin tone. Both girls stood there, staring at each other. “Five years,” Elizabeth said as she reached towards Elayna. “The day I dreamt of for five years is finally here.” Together they - even Elizabeth’s foster family - rejoiced.
Elizabeth lived with a mid-aged couple and a little girl named Julie.  Her house was more like a palace than a house with its many rooms and grand structure. Elizabeth’s family warmly welcomed Elayna and Mrs. Connor, treating them like they were part of the family. Elayna and Elizabeth had a lot of catching up to do and they didn’t waste a second.  Within an hour of Elayna’s arrival they were laughing and telling each other secrets. It was like they had known each other forever. Everything seemed to fall in place and fit together.
Days passed and soon turned into weeks. Each day was better than the last. One morning when Elayna woke up, she realized that Elizabeth was gone from her bed. She pulled off her blanket - which was practically already off due to the unbearable heat -  and went downstairs. Elizabeth’s foster dad, Julie, and Mrs. Connor sat at the large dining table. Weary looks replaced their once bright faces. All the joy from the previous night had vanished.
“She went to get fixed,” Julie said answering Elayna’s unasked question.
“Fixed?” Elayna said, unsure of what was going on.
“Elayna, dear, you should sit down,” John, the father, said. Elayna slowly walked over to an empty seat and sat down. “She didn’t want it to ruin your relationship.”
“What? What wasn’t supposed to ruin our relationship?”
“Elizabeth was diagnosed with Leukemia when she was ten. She got treated and we thought it was gone… that it would never come back. But it came back two years later when she was twelve. The doctors said there wasn’t much they could do for her. They said she had a few more years. When she was thirteen, she realized that she wasn’t going to be a normal teen. That’s when we told her we weren’t her birth parents. She figured out that you existed and she wanted to find you, she wanted you to know-”
“Stop! Please! I want to see her.” Tears swelled up in Elayna’s eyes, but she didn’t want them to know. She ran up to Elizabeth’s room and put on a pair of ripped jeans and a t-shirt - her normal attire. By the time she came back down everyone was already sitting in the car. The drive to the hospital took forever. With every passing second, the tears became heavier in her eyes. As soon as they parked, Elayna opened the door and ran towards the entrance. She asked the lady at the front for the room number, but the lady said that only family could  go in. “I am family!” Elayna told the lady. “Can’t you see that I look just like her?” Just then John, Julie, and Mrs. Connor walked in.
“She’s Elizabeth’s twin,” John said, “You need to let her go in.”
“Well, only two of you are allowed in and I guess she’s one of them,” the lady said.
“Can I go, Daddy?” Julie asked. The lady at the front desk pulled out two wristbands and pointed Elayna and Julie in the direction of Elizabeth’s room.
    Her dark brown hair surrounded her head like a halo as she slept. A billion tubes were attached to her fragile body. She lay there waiting to be taken. Elayna held Julie’s hand as they walked into the room. Her foster mom, Diana, sat by Elizabeth. She sniffled and her eyes were swollen and red. Elayna walked over to Elizabeth’s bed and pulled up a chair, leaving Julie to go to her mom. She sat down and held Elizabeth’s hand. Her eyes opened just enough for her to see Elayna sitting at her side. “Our last name,” she said, becoming quieter with every word. Elayna leaned her head closer to Elizabeth. She whispered something into Elayna’s ear and Elayna said nothing but “I know.” Just then Elizabeth closed her eyes and the humming of the machines stopped. Elayna gripped Elizabeth’s hands tighter but she knew it was of no use. All the tears that had once been controlled were now free. She let go of Elizabeth’s hand and ran out of the room and into the main lobby. She ran over to where Mrs. Connor was sitting looking at pictures with tears in her eyes. As Elayna approached her she got up, letting go of two pictures that she previously held tightly. One was of a baby girl, and the other of her husband. Elayna embraced her and between sobs she quietly whispered, “Mom.”