short sad story

Fading Promises: The Final Goodbye

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow across the small, picturesque town, Annie and Armin stood by the old oak tree, their favorite meeting spot. It was the kind of place where time seemed to slow down, and memories were etched into the very bark of the tree.

"Let's meet again, Annie," Armin said, his eyes fixed on the horizon, his voice filled with a sense of longing. It was a phrase he had uttered countless times before, a promise that had become their sacred ritual each time they parted.

Annie smiled, a tear glistening in her eye. "I'll see you later, Armin." She cherished these moments, the fleeting meetings that had marked the rhythm of their lives for as long as she could remember.

"See you soon, Annie," Armin whispered, his gaze never leaving the fading sun. He held her hand in his, their fingers interlocking as if trying to hold onto time itself.

But this time, something was different. Annie sensed it in the way Armin's grip tightened on her hand and in the sadness that clouded his usually bright eyes.

"Please tell me that we'll meet again, Armin," Annie implored, her voice trembling with an unspoken fear that had been growing within her for some time. It was a fear she had tried to suppress, but the weight of Armin's unspoken words had become too heavy to bear.

Armin turned to face her, his gaze now fixed on her eyes. His lips quivered, and for a moment, Annie saw the pain he had been hiding. "Goodbye, Annie."

The words hung in the air, heavy and final, as if time had suddenly stopped. Annie's heart sank, and a cold shiver ran down her spine. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Armin had never said goodbye before. It was always "See you later" or "See you soon," but never this.

Tears welled up in Annie's eyes as she searched for an explanation. "Armin, what do you mean? Why are you saying goodbye?"

Armin looked down at the ground, unable to meet her gaze. "Annie, there's something I need to do, something I should have done a long time ago. It's time for me to say goodbye."

Annie's mind raced as she tried to comprehend the meaning behind Armin's words. She had always known that he carried a heavy burden, a secret he had never shared with her, but she had never imagined it would lead to this.

"Armin, please don't go. You can tell me whatever it is. We can face it together," Annie pleaded, her voice desperate and filled with love.

Armin reached out and gently brushed a tear from Annie's cheek. "You've always been my anchor, Annie, my source of strength and light. But this is something I have to do on my own, and I don't want you to be a part of it."

Annie's heart ached as the weight of Armin's decision pressed down on her. She knew that he was determined, that his mind was made up. All she could do was hold him one last time, the oak tree their silent witness.

They embraced, clinging to each other as if they could defy the cruel hands of time. The sun had now disappeared completely, and darkness settled over the town. Annie wished that the night would never end, that they could stay in this moment forever.

As they finally parted, Armin held her face in his hands, his gaze filled with a mixture of sorrow and determination. "I want you to remember me as the person you've known, not the path I'm about to take."

Annie nodded, unable to speak through her tears. She watched as Armin turned away and began to walk into the darkness. She knew that this was the last time she would see him, and her heart felt like it was being torn in two.

The days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months. Annie never heard from Armin again, and the town's old oak tree became a place of bittersweet memories. She often found herself standing by it, gazing at the horizon, hoping against hope that Armin would return one day, that he would keep his promise.

But deep down, Annie knew that Armin's final "goodbye" had been more than just a farewell. He had planned to say goodbye and disappear from her life, to carry out whatever mission he had undertaken. And as time passed, the ache of his absence only grew stronger, a constant reminder of the love they had shared and the promise he had broken.

Annie eventually found solace in the memories they had created together, in the warmth of their past meetings, and in the knowledge that Armin had followed his own path, no matter how painful it was. And she prayed that one day, somewhere in the vast world, their paths would cross again, and they would meet again as he had always promised.

sorry I haven't updated a new story for a long time because I started to get busy with my new job..
but ENJOY!!