I Can't Let You Go (COMPLETED)

Bonus Chapter 01 | Gone but Not Forgotten

❥Shahzain❥

Chilled winds swept through the cemetery, carrying with them the crisp scent of autumn. The trees, stripped of their vibrancy, surrendered their golden and russet leaves to the earth, letting them drift down in a quiet dance. Sunlight peeked through the shifting branches, casting a warm glow that felt out of place against the coldness I felt inside. I sat on the damp grass beside the grave, my fingers tracing the engraved letters on the headstone. Tears escaped my eyes, unbidden and relentless, streaming down my cheeks like rivers of sorrow.

I could feel the weight of silence pressing against my chest, a silence that seemed to echo with unspoken words and unfinished goodbyes. The memories came rushing back-moments I had clung to, moments I had lost.

"It shouldn't have ended like this," I whispered, my voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. The emptiness stretched out in front of me, as though time itself had frozen in this place of final farewells. A gust of wind swept past, and I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself in a futile attempt to fend off the cold.

For a moment, I imagined a presence beside me, as if they were sitting here, just as I was, silently keeping me company. I glanced up at the sky, where gray clouds gathered, threatening to swallow the sun whole. The world seemed poised on the edge of darkness, and I wondered if I would ever find my way back to the light again.

I felt a sudden change in the air-a familiar, gentle licking on my cheek, as if wiping away my tears.

Before me lies a small grave marked by a simple headstone, bearing Muffin's name in delicate script.

My shoulders slump as I leans forward, elbows resting on my knees. I stares at the grave, my eyes red-rimmed and filled with a mixture of sorrow and nostalgia. "You were more than just a pet, you know," I murmurs, my voice barely above a whisper. "You were... family."

I pauses, swallowing hard, as memories flood my mind-Muffin curling up beside Sobia during the quiet moments, the little ball of fur that always seemed to know when someone needed comfort. "You kept us together when everything else was falling apart," I continues, my voice breaking slightly. "You always seemed to sense when she was hurting... when I was hurting."

I reaches out and places a small bouquet of white daisies next to the headstone, brushing the grass away gently. "She would have been here too, if she could. You were her constant, Muffin. I never told you how grateful I was for that... for being there for her when I couldn't."

"You will always hold a special place in our hearts, Muffin. Though you were in our lives for only a short time, you became such a significant part of them. You will always be remembered and loved, Muffin."