The Remnants Of Forgotten Love

chapter 19

"Sometimes, something or someone unintentionally ends up helping u in a way that you never thought anyone ever would."

As the fire inside me increases, I feel a stinging pain in my chest, a pain too painful that it made me fall to my knees, the cold road came in contact with my knees, the darkness surrounding me, the wind kissed the trees around me, making their leaves rustle, singing a haunting song, my flashlight flickered and went off, the moon, that was now the only source of light, too, was covered by the clouds.

It felt as if the universe had
decided to bury me right now, right here.

In the midst of this haunting moment, in the midst of my death in process, came a scream, tearing through everything around me, everything that seemed to be taking me to my death, a scream that not only reached my ears but the heart as well, the scream that was able to put out the fire that was consuming me just now.

It did save me from that haunting fire, but this scream gave me another fear. A fear over which I would very much prefer this fire.

(Isla's pov)

It’s so dark tonight, the kind of darkness that seems to swallow even the stars. The moon made a brief appearance, a fleeting sliver of light, before it too succumbed to the night.

I hope Liam is safe... and hasn't lost his way in this dark night...

Ugh, my legs are cramping from sitting here for so long,  staring at this empty and dark road beyond the car's window.

It's been so long since Liam left... where is he? Did he get lost? Or did he abandon me...

Many thousands of thoughts  started to race in my mind.

No no he won't do that. Liam is a good person, I say to myself, remembering how he has been helping me till now and also how he protected me when the car lost its balance.

A sharp pang clutches my chest, unbidden and piercing. "What is this stinging pain I'm feeling?" I murmur, pressing a hand over my heart as if to soothe the unsettling beats beneath. It's as though my heart is tied with something, and with every moment the grip is just getting tighter.

Restlessness creeps into my bones, an unwelcome guest that stirs a sense of urgency within me. Perhaps it's the prolonged stillness, the way I've remained seated here, cocooned within the confines of the car for far too long.

The world outside is quiet, undisturbed, offering no reason for me to stay tethered to this seat.

"It should be safe," I reason, influenced by the silence.

I push the door open, stepping out into the embrace of the open air. My limbs stretch, reaching for freedom, and I draw in a deep breath, filling my lungs with the promise of the fresh, crisp air.

But the restlessness in my heart still seems to be there, maybe walking a little will help, I wonder looking at the road ahead, with the trees and darkness shadowing it, and with that i take one step after another, stepping into this silence.

As i continued walking on this dark road, I realized, the road wore the silence like it's most precious jewel.

After walking for awhile, the trees that were my companion, got left behind, leading me to an open space, where the night sky stretched endlessly above, no sign of any star or moon in the sky, the sky was just as dark and silent as my surroundings, my eyes looked for Liam, but no signs of him as well.

With my phone's flashlight being my friend, I walk a little more until my eyes fall on a small campfire in the distance, that was flickering on the side of the road, on an area where there were supposed to be trees. behind and away from the fire, shadows of houses or something stood still.

the fire flickered, grabbing all my attention, reaching to my deepest fears, burning me from inside, I feel my stomach churn, tying knots. somehow the fire reached inside me and pulled out my most traumatic feelings.

My eyes remain fixed on the fire ahead, but I feel my knees giving up causing me to fall to the ground, that pain in my heart seemed to have disappeared or maybe the pain I'm feeling right now is alot more then that, I feel my heart beating uncontrollably fast causing my breath uneven, unknowingly, tears start to fall from my eyes, and unwanted memories flash in my mind, instinctively my hands grab my head, an attempt to stop my head, to stop it from burning, not wanting to be reminded of those memories.

Suddenly, I'm back in my old restaurant from that road, I no longer feel any burning inside me. What is happening...

"Isla" a soft voice called out my name, I see a man walking to me from the kitchen... dad... it's that day...
I'm back on that day...

"You left me here to burn, because of you, I turned into ashes" He said, looking at me, his anger filled eyes showcasing his hate very well, his once soft, lovely voice, now full of hate and anger.

I remain frozen in my place, looking at him, looking at the dead, my body is again feeling like burning... tears again start falling down from my eyes, it's that feeling again...

"Fath-" I sobbed, my feelings finally taking control of me, I know I know this isn't real, I know I didn't kill my father... I know this is a dream... but I can't seem to get out of here... it's as if chains are tied to my hands and legs.

"IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU!"
"YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE WHO GOT BURRIED UNDER THE RUBBLE!"
"BECAUSE OF YOU, YOUR MOM IS LIKE THIS!"
"YOU ARE CURSED!" He screamed, grabbing on my arm, his nails digging my skin.

The flames reappeared, devouring everything, the same old flames that devoured our happiness, our peace, and something from inside me that I don't even know, but that empty feeling remains.

The flames just got higher, after taking care of everything, they start making their way towards me, my body shaking, I know this is a dream, and I try to wake up but I just can't...

"IT'S YOUR TURN!" He yelled, pushing me to the ground, followed by a creepy smile on his face, as he stood there, the fire reflected In his eyes, the eyes that were once full of love, full of stars, are now just full of this haunting fire, his creepy smile reaching his eyes, the same man who would go to any length to save me, to put a smile on my face, is now rejoicing seeing me burning.

No, my father would never be like this.

I see the fire reaching to my feet, my hands, that intense heat, this fire, everything at this moment finally got to me, making me scream.

"No!"
"No!"
"Please!"
"No!" I can't think of anything, I just scream with my eyes closed, thinking maybe this Is the only way that I can stay safe, or maybe... this will just become my end.

The haunting thoughts in my head, my haunting feelings, continue to burn me from inside, I hear the screams, the cries, but they are not mine, I don't know who they belong to, just not me... not mine.

So I scream, I cry, to silence the screams inside me.

Suddenly, in the midst of everything, I hear a voice, I feel something near me, but I don't know what, maybe the thing that I lost back then? I don't know.

"Isla!" A strange voice screamed, taking over the haunting environment around and inside me.

I can feel something changing... and because of this sudden surge of this new weird feeling, or maybe warmth, I pass out... entrusting myself to this voice, it's just a voice... how can I entrust myself to it without even knowing anything? But... but I can't help it...