GARDEN OF MEMORY

CHAPTER 18

KHALIL

I watched her as she stirred in the night, the moonlight casting a gentle glow on her face. When I felt her absence beside me, a pang of sadness hit. I knew this moment would come, and I wasn't ready to let her go.

As she stepped out of bed and began searching for me, I could only stand there, waiting. I wanted to call out, to tell her I was right there, but I knew it was time for her to face the truth. I needed her to understand.

When she reached the large building, I felt a mix of relief and sorrow. I smiled at her, trying to convey the warmth of my love. "They're waiting for you," I said, hoping she would see the truth hidden in the shadows.

But confusion clouded her eyes. "Who? What do you mean?" she asked, and my heart ached at her uncertainty.

I pulled her toward the shimmering field of flowers, the beauty of the moment contrasting sharply with the weight of my words. "Everything you've seen, everything you've felt, it's all a dream," I said softly, feeling the gravity of what I had to tell her. "We're not real, Khalil and I. We don't exist in your world."

Stunned silence fell between us. I could see the realization dawning in her eyes, the pain of understanding that this love-our love-wasn't meant to last in her reality. "What do I need to know?" she asked, desperation creeping into her voice.

I took her hands in mine, feeling the warmth of her skin against my own. "It's all just a dream," I repeated, my voice trembling. "You need to wake up."

Tears welled in her eyes, and I

And then, in that moment, I knew I had to let her go. I could feel the world around us beginning to fade, the edges blurring into darkness. I wanted to hold her forever, to keep her safe in this dream, but I understood that she needed to return to her reality.

As I watched her slip away, I leaned in for one last kiss, soft and warm. "I love you," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. It felt like a goodbye, a promise wrapped in sorrow. "We'll meet again, in time."

Then darkness enveloped me, and I was left alone, waiting in the silence for her return. The love we shared lingered in the air, a bittersweet reminder of what was real, even if only for a moment. I would never forget her, and in my heart, I would always hold onto the hope that our paths would cross again.

I watched as she drifted back to sleep, her face serene and peaceful. I knew it wouldn't be long before she woke up. Before she realized that everything she had experienced, everything she had felt, was just a dream.

And then, I would be gone.

But I would never forget her. I would never forget our love. And I would wait. I would wait for her to return to me, even if it was just in the realm of dreams.

The world around me faded, the moonlight dimming, the room growing cold. But in my heart, the warmth of her love remained. And I knew, with a certainty that defied logic, that we would meet again. In time.

But it wouldn't be me. Not the Khalil she knew, the one who held her hand, kissed her lips, and filled her world with laughter. That Khalil was a figment, a whisper of a memory, a dream that would fade with the morning light.

No, I was something else. A shadow, a phantom, a whisper of the love she felt, a reminder of the warmth she had known. I would be the echo of her dreams, the lingering scent of her memories, the soft whisper of her name on the wind.

I would be the echo of her dreams, the lingering scent of her memories, the soft whisper of her name on the wind.

I would be the warmth that lingered in her heart, the gentle touch that she felt in the night, the whisper of "I love you" in the stillness of her mind. I would be the love that never truly died, the love that lived on in the whispers of her soul.

And I would wait. I would wait for her to remember, to feel that warmth again, to hear that whisper in the quiet of her heart. I would wait for her to find me, not in the world she knew, but in the world of dreams, in the world where our love was real.

Because even though we couldn't be together in her reality, our love would transcend the boundaries of time and space. It would live on, a testament to the power of love, a whisper of hope in the darkness. And I would wait, with a patient heart, for the day we would meet again. Not as Khalil and Rose, but as two souls bound by a love that knew no limits, a love that defied even the boundaries of dreams.

I would wait for her, in the quiet corners of her heart, in the whispers of the wind, in the soft glow of the moon. I would wait for her, and I would be there, when she finally remembered.

And when she did, I would be there, waiting for her, in the world of dreams, where our love would finally be free. Where we could be together, forever.

"I would be the whisper in her ear, the warmth in her heart, the love that never truly died. I would be her forever, even if it was just in the world of dreams. And I would wait, with a patient heart, for the day we would meet again.