Aarohi And Dev

EPILOGUE

Time had slipped away unnoticed, its passage meaningless in the solitude of the conservatory. The only thing tethering me to this place, to this life, was the lingering presence of Rose. This was her home, and it was only right that her remains stayed here. Once filled with her laughter, her voice now held only her memory, buried within these walls, within the garden she loved so much.

I had so much left to say, yet no words could ever capture the depth of what I felt. And now, there was no one to hear them. The silence echoed louder than my grief.

I longed to tell her how she illuminated my world from the very first glance, how my love for her blossomed in the shadows, quiet yet unwavering. I dreamt of a life by her side, but now I am haunted by the weight of my failure, unable to shield her from the storms she never deserved to face.

I knelt, the light from the glass above painting soft, fleeting shadows on the ground. My heart, though shattered, beat with a single truth: If the universe ever grants me the gift of love again, let it always be you, again and again, in every life, in every time.

The sight of the paper crane and four clover leaves she had gifted me felt like a cruel reminder of everything I had lost. The paper crane, delicate and frail, was a symbol of the hope she always gave me, her wish for me to have a long life. And the four clover leaves, each one representing luck, seemed to mock me now.

I should have given it back to her.  But now, it felt like nothing could fill the void she had left. The ache in my chest was unbearable, a constant reminder that she was gone, and I was alone.

The memories we made together flooded my mind, her laugh, the way she looked at me with those eyes full of understanding, the warmth of her touch. It was all so vivid, so real, and yet, so far out of reach.

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. I let out a scream, a cry from the deepest part of my soul, my chest heaving with the weight of losing her. The world without her felt like a shadow, cold and empty. How could I live in it? How could I bear waking up in a world where she wasn’t there beside me?

My mind screamed for a way to go back, to turn time, to hold her once more. But it was impossible. I had to live on, to face this empty existence, without the one person who made everything worth it.

Living without her... terrified me. The thought of facing each day without her smile, her presence, felt like a nightmare.

No matter how many lifetimes, my soul would seek hers, my heart would find its way back to Rose. "I’ll come to you soon, Rose," I whispered a vow that echoed in the stillness.

Only the universe and my beating heart could bear witness to the depth of this love, the ache of her absence.

I stared at her phone, the one I had grabbed from the wreckage, my hands trembling as I clutched it close. The memory of her voice, weak and trembling, whispered in my ears, "M- my-phone, fi-find i-it."

“I’ll come to you, Rose,” I whispered, my voice thick with pain. “Once I find the strength to make him feel what he made me feel. Ten times worse. I’ll make him regret it. I’ll make him suffer.”

The promise hung in the air, heavy with the truth of the loss that crushed me. I didn’t know how, but I would make him pay.

I love you, Rose. A lot.

I am sorry, I couldn't protect you.

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The shortest epilogue has finally arrived, closing the final chapter of this heartfelt journey. While it may not be the pinnacle of my writing, it stands as my first creation, imperfect, yet a true reflection of my growth. I promise to return with stories richer in depth and stronger in narrative.

To everyone who stood by me with patience and support, thank you for being a part of this journey. If you haven’t shared your thoughts yet, I’d love to hear them, be it praise or critique. Every word shapes my path forward, and I vow to come back with something even more meaningful.