The promise.

The memory-Avery.

Thomas and I grew really close over the days, when Alex comes down he is really my protector.
But we still don't know what Alex wants to do.
Suddenly, Thomas stiffened beside me, his breath catching in his throat.
I glanced at him, concern etched on my face.
"Thomas, what's wrong?" He didn't respond at first, his eyes fixed on some distant point beyond the wall.
I reached out, touching his arm.
"Thomas, you're scaring me. What did you see?"
His gaze snapped back to me, his eyes wide with fear and confusion.
"I... I saw something. A memory, I think."
My heart skipped a beat.
"What kind of memory?" Thomas shook his head, trying to make sense of the fragments swirling in his mind.
"It was like... a snapshot of my past. I saw a park, and there were kids playing. I think I was there too, but I couldn't see myself. And then... There was a girl. She was sitting alone on a bench, watching the others play."
I listened intently, my mind racing to fill in the gaps.
"Do you remember anything else? Anything about the girl?"
Thomas frowned, his brow furrowing in concentration. "
She seemed sad, like she was lost in her own world. But there was something about her... something familiar."
"Maybe she was a friend from your past," I suggested, trying to keep my voice steady. "Someone you knew before all of this."
Thomas nodded slowly, his expression distant as he tried to piece together the puzzle of his memories.
"Maybe. But why would I be remembering her now?" I shrugged, feeling a knot of worry tightening in my chest.
"Memories are strange like that. They come back when we least expect them, triggered by the smallest things."
"Emma," he whispered, his voice barely audible in the dimly lit basement.
"Emma?" I echoed, my heart sinking at the unfamiliar name.
"Who's Emma?"
Thomas's brow furrowed in concentration as he struggled to make sense of the fragments of memory swirling in his mind.
"I... I think she's the girl from my past. The one I saw in the park."
''Are you sure?'' Thomas nodded, his expression filled with a mixture of certainty and confusion.
"Yes, I'm sure. It's like a puzzle piece clicking into place. Emma... she was important to me. I just know it."
"Maybe Emma was a friend from your past," I suggested, trying to hide the tremor in my voice.
"Someone you knew before all of this." Thomas nodded slowly, his gaze distant as he delved deeper into his memories.
''No, that's not it. I guess, or am sure Emma was my cousin. We used to spend hours at the park together, just talking and laughing.
"I never saw Emma after the crash," he muttered, his voice trembling with uncertainty. "What if she thinks I abandoned her? Or worse, what if she thinks I'm dead?"
I reached out to him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"We don't know what happened to Emma," I said softly, trying to calm his rising panic.
"But whatever it is, it's not your fault." Thomas shook his head, his eyes filled with anguish. "But what if it is? What if I could have done something to find her, to make sure she was okay?"
I squeezed his shoulder gently, willing him to believe my words.
"You were in a car crash, Thomas. You couldn't have known what would happen afterward. And besides, if Emma is out there somewhere, I'm sure she knows you wouldn't have abandoned her willingly."
"Where do you think Emma is now?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
I shook my head, my own thoughts mirroring his.
"I don't know, Thomas. But wherever she is, I hope she's safe. I promise to you, if we get out of here we'll find her"
He closed his eyes, his brow furrowing in concentration as he delved deeper into the recesses of his mind.
"We were at the park," he began slowly, his voice tinged with nostalgia.
"It was a sunny day, and the air was filled with the sound of children playing. Emma and I were sitting on a bench, talking about our dreams for the future."
A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he recounted the memory, his expression softening with fondness.
"She was so full of life, so full of hope. We made plans to travel the world together, to see places we'd only ever dreamed of."
I listened intently, my heart aching at the bittersweetness of his words. I was happy to see him like this, he thought he had no family left, no one to fight for. But now there was his cousin Emma. I could see the spark in his eyes, when he talked about her
"And then what happened?" Thomas's smile faltered, his eyes clouding with sorrow.
"I don't know," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
"The memory fades after that. But I remember how happy we were in that moment, how nothing else mattered except being together. Tears welled up in my eyes as I reached out to him, my hand finding his in the darkness.
"It sounds like you and Emma shared something special," I said softly.
"And even if you don't remember everything, that bond is still there, waiting to be rediscovered." Thomas nodded, his gaze meeting mine with a mixture of gratitude and longing.
"Thank you, Avery. For being here, for helping me piece together my memories. I don't know what I'd do without you."