GARDEN OF MEMORY

CHAPTER 08

The air hung thick with the scent of old paper, dust, and a faint, almost imperceptible, trace of lavender. It was the smell of the library, a place I'd made my own for the past ten years, a haven from the world I'd left behind. But tonight, it smelled different. Tonight, it smelled of fear, of secrets, and of her.

Rose. The name echoed in my mind, a melody both familiar and unnerving. She was here, in my castle, in my world, a world I had carefully constructed, a world where I could be both Khalil, the carefree adventurer, and Professor Kastelo, the respected scholar, all while keeping my true self hidden.

Ten years ago, I had been a different kind of writer. Not the one penning dry academic essays, but the one crafting fantastical tales, stories of a faceless girl who haunted dreams and whispered secrets. Kahil, the name I used then, was a persona, a mask I wore to shield my true identity.

I had been running, fleeing a past I couldn't escape, a truth that had been buried so deep, I was afraid to unearth it. The faceless girl, my creation, was a reflection of the pain I carried, the fear that consumed me. But it was also a shield, a way to connect with the world without exposing my vulnerability.

And then came Khalil, my younger brother. A wild spirit, a kindred soul, who saw through my facade. He knew the truth, the darkness that lurked within me. He knew the secrets I was so desperate to hide.

I had chosen a different path, a path of order and control, a path that promised to bury the ghosts of my past. But Rose had unearthed it all. She had stumbled upon my hidden world, the world I had carefully constructed, the world where I could be both Kahlil, the writer of dreams, and Khalil, the brother who had seen through my lies.

I could feel her presence in the library, her curiosity a palpable force. She was searching for something, and I knew it was me. She was searching for the truth, the truth that I had tried so hard to bury. And I was terrified.

The thought of her discovering my past, the secrets I had kept hidden for so long, sent a shiver down my spine. I had spent ten years building a new life, a life free from the pain and the shadows of the past. But she was a threat to that carefully constructed world, a reminder of the life I had left behind.

But there was something else, something that stirred within me. A sense of fascination, a flicker of recognition. Rose, with her passion for truth and her unwavering determination, mirrored the Khalil I had once been. She was a reminder of the man I had lost, the man I had tried so hard to forget.

My heart pounded in my chest, a mixture of fear and anticipation. I knew I had to confront her, to face the truth that she had unearthed. But I was also afraid of what I might find. Afraid of what she might do.

I walked towards the hidden door, the door that led to the chamber where I had kept my secrets hidden for so long. I knew that I was on the verge of losing control, that the world I had carefully constructed was about to crumble. But I also knew that I had to face the truth, no matter the cost.

The world I had built, the world of Kahlil and Professor Kastelo, was about to collide. And I was not sure if I was strong enough to survive the impact.

"Kahil and i are not real me."