"It wants what you forgot."
Aarav's words echoed in my mind.
Loud. Heavy.
Terrifying.
"What does that even mean?" I asked, my voice shaking.
The darkness around us felt alive.
Breathing.
Watching.
Waiting.
Aarav held my hand tighter.
His grip warm… grounding.
"It means," he said quietly, "you're not just seeing dreams…"
A pause.
"You're remembering them."
A chill ran down my spine.
Before I could ask anything else—
The shadow moved.
A dark shape began forming in the corner of the café.
Twisting.
Growing.
"Close your eyes," Aarav said urgently.
"What—why?"
"Just trust me!"
Something in his voice made me listen.
I shut my eyes tightly.
"Don't let go of my hand," he whispered.
"I won't," I replied.
The air around us shifted.
Like the world itself was bending.
A loud ringing filled my ears.
And then—
Silence.
"Open your eyes."
I slowly did.
But…
We weren't in the café anymore.
My breath caught.
We were standing in the rain.
Cold droplets hit my skin.
The sky was dark.
The road beneath us—
Familiar.
"The same road…" I whispered.
But this time—
It wasn't empty.
There were people.
Cars.
Lights.
It looked alive.
Like a memory.
"What is this place?" I asked.
Aarav looked at me.
Softly.
"This…" he said, "is the night you forgot everything."
My heart stopped.
"What?"
Before I could process it—
I saw someone.
Standing a few steps ahead.
A girl.
She looked… scared.
Confused.
And then—
I realized.
"That's… me," I whispered.
A younger version of me.
Standing in the middle of the road.
Rain pouring.
Tears mixing with it.
My chest tightened.
"What is she doing there?" I asked.
Aarav didn't answer.
Instead—
He pointed ahead.
And then I saw him.
Another Aarav.
Running toward me.
Toward her.
"Wait…" I stepped forward.
My heart started pounding.
Everything felt too real.
Too close.
"I remember this…" I whispered faintly.
The younger me stepped back slowly.
Shaking.
"No… stay there!" Aarav shouted.
But it was too late.
A loud sound cut through the rain.
A car.
Speeding.
Too fast.
My breath stopped.
"NO!" I screamed.
Everything happened in seconds.
Aarav ran forward.
He pushed me—
her—out of the way.
And then—
Silence.
The world froze.
The rain stopped.
The sound disappeared.
I couldn't breathe.
"No…" I whispered, tears filling my eyes.
Aarav stood beside me.
Silent.
"That's the moment," he said softly.
"The moment you forgot."
I turned to him slowly.
"What do you mean… forgot?"
His eyes met mine.
"You weren't supposed to survive alone," he said.
My heart shattered at those words.
"What happened to you?" I asked, already knowing the answer.
He gave a faint, sad smile.
"I stayed."
Tears rolled down my cheeks.
"And you… left."
Everything inside me broke.
"That's not true…" I shook my head. "I wouldn't leave you."
"You didn't choose to," he said gently.
"Your mind… erased me."
I stepped back, unable to process it.
"No… no, I would remember…"
A sudden pain shot through my head.
Flashes.
Laughter.
Late-night talks.
Holding hands.
"I… I knew you…" I whispered.
Aarav nodded slowly.
"You loved me."
The words hit me like a storm.
My legs felt weak.
"And you loved me too," he added.
Tears blurred my vision.
"Then why can I only see you in dreams?" I cried.
His expression darkened slightly.
"Because I don't belong in your world anymore."
A cold fear settled in my chest.
"Then where do you belong?"
Before he could answer—
The air around us turned heavy again.
The shadow.
Stronger this time.
Closer.
"It's breaking," Aarav said under his breath.
"What is?"
"The barrier between your memory… and reality."
The shadow's voice echoed again—
"She remembers now…"
My heart raced.
"What does it want?" I asked desperately.
Aarav looked at me.
This time—
Serious.
Afraid.
"It wants to take you back."