"Come back… where you belong."
The shadow's voice wrapped around me like chains.
Cold.
Heavy.
Impossible to ignore.
The water kept rising.
Up to my shoulders now.
I struggled to breathe.
"Aarav…" I gasped.
His hand was still holding mine.
Tight.
But I could feel it slipping.
"If you panic, it gets stronger!" he shouted.
"I'm trying!" I cried.
But it was too much.
The fear.
The guilt.
The memories.
They were drowning me.
"You left him…"
The shadow's voice echoed again.
Louder this time.
"It's your fault…"
My chest tightened painfully.
"Stop…" I whispered.
"You let him die."
"STOP!" I screamed.
The water suddenly surged higher.
My grip weakened.
Aarav's hand slipped—
And then—
Gone.
"No!" I shouted, reaching out.
But he disappeared into the darkness.
I was alone.
The water pulled me down.
Deeper.
Colder.
My body felt heavy.
Like giving up would be easier.
"Just accept it…"
The shadow's voice softened.
Almost gentle.
"You belong with me…"
My eyes started closing.
Maybe it was right.
Maybe…
I didn't deserve to wake up.
All because of me—
Aarav…
Suddenly—
A memory hit me.
Not fear.
Not pain.
But something else.
Warmth.
A laugh.
Aarav's voice—
"You always overthink everything."
Another memory—
Him holding my hand.
Smiling.
"Even if you run away… I'll always find you."
My eyes snapped open.
"No…"
The water stilled for a second.
I clenched my fists.
"No… that's not all there is," I said, my voice shaking—but stronger.
The shadow paused.
"What?" it whispered.
Tears filled my eyes.
"Yes… I was scared."
My voice trembled.
But I didn't stop.
"Yes… I stepped back."
The water around me started trembling.
"But that doesn't mean I left him."
The shadow's form flickered slightly.
"I didn't want him to get hurt," I said, my voice breaking.
"I didn't choose that."
Silence.
For the first time—
The shadow didn't speak.
My heart was still racing.
But something inside me felt… lighter.
"You're not the truth," I said, looking straight at it.
"You're just the part of me that's afraid."
The shadow twisted violently.
"No…"
Its voice cracked.
"I am your truth!"
"Then why do you keep hiding in the dark?" I shot back.
The water around me started pulling back.
Slowly.
"You're not me," I said firmly.
"I'm more than that one moment."
The shadow screamed.
A sharp, broken sound.
The darkness around us shook.
"You can't erase me!"
"I'm not trying to," I replied.
I took a step forward.
Even though my legs trembled.
"I'm accepting it."
The moment I said that—
Everything changed.
The water disappeared.
The darkness cracked.
Light broke through.
And suddenly—
I wasn't alone anymore.
A hand grabbed mine.
Warm.
Familiar.
I turned quickly.
Aarav.
He was there.
"You did it," he said softly.
Tears rolled down my cheeks.
"I thought I lost you…"
He shook his head slightly.
"You only lose me when you lose yourself."
My heart ached at those words.
Behind us—
The shadow still stood.
But weaker now.
Fading.
"This isn't over…" it whispered.
I looked at it.
This time—
Without fear.
"I know," I said quietly.
"And next time… I won't run either."
The shadow disappeared into the darkness.
And everything went still.
I woke up with a deep breath.
My room.
Morning light.
For the first time in days…
I felt different.
Not scared.
Just… aware.
I looked at my hand.
The mark was still there.
But softer now.
Warmer.
Like it wasn't a curse anymore.
But a reminder.