Laura's world stopped.

The woman in her view smiled, and suddenly Laura was seven years old again. Sitting by a fireplace while gentle hands braided her hair. Listening to that same soft voice tell her bedtime stories.

"Mama?" The word slipped out before she could stop it.

Tears spilled down her cheeks. Her mother had been dead for fifteen years. Died of fever when Laura was barely old enough to understand what death meant.

But there she was. Standing in the moonlight like she'd never left.

"My beautiful girl." Her mother's voice was exactly how Laura remembered. Warm honey and summer rain. "Look how strong you've become."

Laura's hands shook....