The Boy Who Remembered Tomorrow

Chapter 9: The Missing Memory

For several seconds, nobody moved.

The room was silent.

Too silent.

Elara stared at the closed black door.

Mira held Elias's arm tightly.

Adrian stood near the wall, watching Elara.

And the young Elias was still holding the silver watch.

Then the child spoke.

"She knows."

Elara looked at him.

"You're not supposed to be here."

The child smiled.

"Neither are you."

Elias stared at the younger version of himself.

"What do you mean?"

The child pointed at Elara.

"She wasn't there when you were born."

Elara's expression changed.

Elias turned toward her.

"Is that true?"

She didn't answer.

"Elara."

Still silence.

Elias stepped closer.

"Tell me the truth."

Elara finally looked at him.

"I wasn't there when you were born."

Elias felt something inside him break.

"Then why did you say you were?"

"Because your mother asked me to."

"Why?"

"To protect you."

"From what?"

Elara looked toward the black door.

"From yourself."

Elias frowned.

"I don't understand."

The Keeper stepped forward.

"You were born with a memory that shouldn't have existed."

"What memory?"

"The future."

Elias froze.

"You remembered tomorrow when you were born?"

"No."

The Keeper shook his head.

"You remembered something that happened before time began."

The room became cold.

Mira whispered:

"The First Moment."

Elias looked at her.

"What is that?"

Mira hesitated.

"The moment the first timeline was created."

Adrian continued.

"And the person who created it."

Elias's heart began beating faster.

"Who?"

Nobody answered.

Then the child spoke.

"You."

Elias stared at him.

"No."

The child nodded.

"Yes."

Elias stepped backward.

"That's impossible."

The Keeper looked at him.

"That's why your memories were erased."

Elias looked at his hands.

The silver watch was still ticking.

"What did I do?"

The Keeper's voice became quiet.

"You created the first timeline."

Elias shook his head.

"Why?"

"Because you wanted to save someone."

"Who?"

The Keeper looked at Elara.

"Your mother."

Elara closed her eyes.

A tear rolled down her cheek.

Elias stared at her.

"My mother is alive?"

Elara whispered:

"Yes."

Elias's heart jumped.

"Where?"

She pointed toward the black door.

"Beyond the original timeline."

Elias moved toward it.

Mira stopped him.

"Wait."

"I've waited long enough."

"You don't know what's behind it."

"I know my mother is there."

"The woman behind that door may not be your mother."

Elias turned.

"Then who is she?"

Mira looked at the Keeper.

The Keeper didn't answer.

Instead, Adrian spoke.

"Your mother is trapped inside the memory you lost."

Elias frowned.

"What memory?"

Adrian looked at the silver watch.

"The missing one."

Elias glanced at the display.

MEMORY RESTORED: 99.1%

"What's missing?"

Adrian's voice became almost a whisper.

"The day you killed your mother."

Elias froze.

"No."

Adrian nodded.

"You were six years old."

"I couldn't have..."

"You opened the black door."

Elias looked toward the child.

The younger Elias was crying now.

"I didn't know what it would do."

Elias stared at him.

"What happened?"

The child looked up.

"I wanted to save her."

"From what?"

The child pointed behind Elias.

Elias turned.

The Keeper was standing there.

But his face was different.

Older.

Tired.

And terrified.

The Keeper whispered:

"From me."

Elias's eyes widened.

"What?"

The Keeper slowly removed his coat.

Underneath was a familiar shirt.

A shirt Elias remembered wearing as a child.

The same scar was visible on his wrist.

The same bracelet.

Elias stepped backward.

"No..."

The Keeper looked at him.

"I'm not your enemy."

"Then who are you?"

The Keeper's voice trembled.

"I'm the version of you that failed."

The room suddenly disappeared.

Elias fell into darkness.

He saw his mother.

She was standing in front of the black door.

Young Elias was beside her.

The Keeper was behind them.

His mother turned toward Elias.

"Listen carefully."

Young Elias looked at her.

"If you ever remember this moment..."

She placed the silver watch into his hands.

"...you must never open the door again."

Young Elias began to cry.

"But I want to save you."

His mother smiled.

"You already did."

Then the Keeper appeared.

He reached toward her.

She pushed Elias away.

The black door opened.

Light filled the room.

And Elias heard his mother's final words.

"Don't let him become you."

The memory shattered.

Elias opened his eyes.

Mira was kneeling beside him.

"Elias!"

He looked around.

Everyone was gone.

Adrian.

Elara.

The Keeper.

Even the younger Elias.

Only the silver watch remained.

Its display had changed.

MEMORY RESTORED: 100%

Elias stared at it.

Then a final message appeared.

TIMELINE RESETTING.

The room began disappearing.

Elias looked toward the black door.

It slowly opened.

His mother's voice came from the other side.

"Elias..."

He stepped forward.

"Mom?"

Her voice trembled.

"Don't come through."

Elias stopped.

"Why?"

A long silence.

Then she whispered:

"Because I'm not the one calling you."

Elias's blood ran cold.

Behind him, someone laughed.

A familiar voice.

His own voice.

"She finally figured it out."

Elias turned around.

And standing behind him was another version of himself.

One that had never been erased.