The fog over the bridge had lifted slightly, leaving a soft glow from the diary that floated gently between Aryan and Meera. Their fingers still touched, a spark lingering that neither could ignore. Yet, beneath the magical glow, a chill ran through the air—ominous and foreboding.
Aryan broke the silence first. "You said you're trapped… between times. But why? What happened to you?"
Meera looked down, fidgeting with her hair, her eyes darkening with memories she had tried to bury. "I… I don't remember everything. Only fragments. Faces, places… moments that feel like mine, yet I can't place them. It's like my life… exists elsewhere, outside this world."
Aryan frowned. "Fragments? You mean… someone erased your memories?"
She nodded, trembling. "I don't know. One day, I just… I woke up, and everything familiar was gone. My family, my home… even my friends. I only remember the diary. And the bridge."
The diary pulsed between them, almost like it understood her words. Golden light flickered over her face, and Aryan noticed the way her eyes shimmered with something more than sadness—fear, longing, hope.
Glimpses of the Past
He opened the diary carefully. The pages glowed brighter than ever, revealing a series of handwritten entries from Meera's past—events Aryan had never seen in the town records, but somehow… felt real.
"I saw him today. A stranger with kind eyes. He doesn't know me, but I feel… like he will remember me."
Aryan's pulse quickened. The diary referred to him, but the entries were from years ago. How could she have seen him before meeting him?
A shiver ran down his spine. "This… this is impossible. You knew me?"
Meera shook her head. "I don't think so… not fully. But… I feel it. Like a shadow of a memory."
The Diary's Secrets
The diary opened to a new page on its own, glowing brighter than ever:
"The bridge is the key. Every choice you make here echoes through the lost time. Beware the shadow that follows."
Aryan frowned. "The shadow that follows… you mean the shadows from last night?"
She nodded gravely. "Yes. They want to erase me completely. They can't do it if you're here, but… if you fail, I will vanish. Even the diary can't protect me then."
Aryan gritted his teeth. "I won't let that happen. I don't care what it takes—I'll fight them. I'll save you."
Her lips trembled. "Aryan… I don't even know if I can trust time itself. It… it's cruel."
He held her hand tightly. "Then we'll face it together. Whatever happens, I won't leave you."
The diary pulsed as if in agreement. Aryan realized this wasn't just about saving her—it was about facing a reality that was breaking around them.
Echoes of the Town
The fog shifted again, and faint whispers floated from the river below. Aryan leaned closer. "Do you hear that?"
Meera nodded. "The town… it remembers me. But it also forgets. Every corner, every street, every lamppost… they hold fragments of me. Only certain people can see it. Only certain people can help me."
Aryan felt the weight of that truth. He wasn't just saving her from shadows—he was saving her from time itself.
Suddenly, a gust of wind blew the diary out of his hands. It landed in the river with a soft splash. Golden light seeped into the water, illuminating ripples across the foggy river.
Meera gasped. "No! If the diary is lost… I…"
Aryan dove instinctively, his hand skimming the glowing pages. He grabbed it just in time, the light spilling over both of them. Their eyes met, and in that moment, no words were needed—the bond had grown stronger, unbreakable.
A Warning Beyond Words
The diary flipped open again, showing a cryptic message:
"Tomorrow, you will meet the one who can undo the shadow—but they are not who they seem. Trust must be earned, or all will be lost."
Aryan's chest tightened. He didn't know who the message referred to—but he knew one thing: their journey was only beginning, and danger lurked closer than they realized.
Meera clutched his arm. "I'm scared."
He held her close. "So am I. But we have each other. And that… is stronger than any shadow."
The fog swirled around them, golden light reflecting off the mist, as if time itself were watching, waiting, judging. And deep down, Aryan knew that whatever lay ahead would test not just courage, but the very essence of their love.