Fragments Of The Past
455 Words
Chapter 9: Fragments of the Past
The night felt heavier after Idris's words.
Tife couldn't sleep.
She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the dim light flickering from the small lamp in the corner.
Umar was outside the room, keeping watch.
Idris's voice kept replaying in her mind.
"You were engaged... to me."
She pressed her fingers against her temples.
"No... this can't be true."
A sudden knock came at the door.
Tife flinched.
"Umar?"
The door opened instead.
It was Idris.
Umar wasn't there.
Tife stood immediately.
"What are you doing here?"
Idris stepped inside slowly, his expression unreadable.
"I needed to see you alone."
Tife backed away slightly.
"That's not a good idea."
His eyes softened.
"You used to trust me without thinking."
Silence fell between them.
Tife shook her head.
"I don't remember anything you're talking about."
Idris looked at her carefully.
"Maybe because someone made sure you wouldn't."
Before she could respond, Idris reached into his pocket and pulled out a small photograph.
Tife hesitated.
"What is that?"
"Look."
She took it slowly.
Her breath caught.
It was her.
Standing beside Idris.
Both of them smiling in a beautiful garden.
His hand was wrapped around hers.
Her chest tightened.
"No..." she whispered.
"This is fake."
Idris stepped closer.
"Look at your eyes, Tife."
Her hands trembled.
Suddenly—
A sharp flash exploded inside her mind.
A garden.
Warm laughter.
Sunlight filtering through the trees.
Idris holding her hand.
Someone calling her name...
Then—
Darkness.
Tife gasped and dropped the photograph.
"No!"
She stumbled backward.
"Stop it!"
Idris stared at her.
"You remembered something."
The door burst open.
Umar stood there.
His eyes locked on Idris instantly.
"What did you do?"
His voice was low...
Dangerous.
Idris didn't move away.
"I'm helping her remember."
Umar crossed the room in seconds and grabbed Idris by the collar.
"By breaking her mind?"
"Tife deserves the truth."
"And you'll destroy her to get it."
"Tife shouted.
"Stop!
Both of you!"
The room fell silent.
Her breathing became uneven.
Tears filled her eyes.
"I don't know what's real anymore," she whispered.
Slowly, Umar released Idris.
But neither man looked away from the other.
After a long silence, Idris spoke.
"She was never just a mission to me."
Umar's jaw tightened.
"And that's your problem."
Tife looked at both of them.
Two men.
Two different stories.
One hidden past.
And memories that refused to stay buried.
Umar gently stepped beside her.
His voice was calm.
"Don't trust fragments of the past."
Idris answered quietly,
"Or you'll lose the truth completely."
Tife closed her eyes.
For the first time...
She wasn't sure she wanted to remember.
Because sometimes...
The truth hurts more than forgetting.
- Writer
