After Two Days
The morning light cut through the thick fog like a knife. Each step Asha took felt heavier than the last, her feet dragging through the wet earth, but she didn't stop. She couldn't.
Somewhere in the distance, the clearing where they were to meet the others loomed ahead. It was a place full of memories now turning into ghosts.
She could still feel his hand brushing against her cheek the first time they spoke
Flashback - Six Months Ago
It was during one of the hardest winters they had known, when the work never stopped and the cold bit through their clothes. They had been sorting dried herbs together in the small corner of their shared space.
His voice was a whisper, barely audible over the hum of the other workers.
"Asha?"
She looked up from the small pile of leaves she was separating. Her hands trembled from the cold, but she smiled, seeing him lean against the wall, watching her quietly. His eyes held that same softness she never thought she deserved.
"Yes?"
He hesitated, rubbing the back of his neck. "Do you ever think… If we were free, what would we do?"
Asha didn't answer at first. The thought of freedom had always been distant — like something beyond a wall she couldn't scale.
"You're too quiet," he said softly. "What would you do?"
She met his eyes, and for a moment, she forgot the world outside — the chains, the harsh voices of overseers, the bitterness of their lives.
"I would," she paused, her breath catching, "I would find a place where we could plant flowers — lots of flowers. And just… rest. Maybe plant some fruit trees. Nothing hard. Just… peace."
His smile was brighter than the winter sun ever could be. It warmed her even now, as the memory danced across her thoughts.
"We'll plant a garden, then," he said, voice firm with the promise of a dream that felt impossible. "And we'll never stop growing it."
The world felt like it had shrunk to the small space between them. Her heart was pounding — she had never felt the weight of something so simple yet so profound before.
He had caught her hand in the dark, pulling her to her feet after a long day of grueling labor. There were no words exchanged, only the soft press of his hand against hers. She could still feel the warmth of his touch even now, even though everything had changed.
He had always protected her. But now… she would protect him.
Back to Present — Asha's Heart in Tension
The memory faded as quickly as it had come, but the pain lingered — a reminder of all they'd never get to experience.
She tried to push it away, focusing on the sound of her feet crunching through the damp grass. But it was hard to ignore the ache. It gnawed at her insides, turning into a pit that made breathing difficult.
Asha reached the clearing. The men and women gathered in tight groups, the air thick with murmurs. Fear clung to their faces, but she kept her gaze fixed forward. In the center, the overseer stood beside a large post, preparing the final list of names.
She scanned the faces around her, knowing one thing: she was about to leave everything she had ever known. Everything that made her human, in a way.
When the overseer's eyes landed on her, he called her name.
"Asha, Row 6," he said.
Her heart skipped a beat. The moment had arrived.
As she signed her name, the weight of all her unspoken love, her silent promises, and her shattered dreams came rushing back. She could have told him. She could have been the one to face the consequences, to be the one to say goodbye.
But now, she stood there, torn between duty and love, knowing one truth: nothing would ever be the same again.
The silence that followed was deafening.