The sound of the car grew louder…
closer…
faster.
Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion.
Riya's hand tightened in mine.
"This is it…" she whispered.
I looked at her.
For a moment…
everything else disappeared.
No fear.
No past.
No future.
Just us.
"Whatever happens…" I said softly,
"…don't let go."
She nodded.
"Never."
The car came into view—
out of control.
The driver panicking.
Exactly like before.
But this time…
we weren't standing still.
We ran forward—
together.
"HEY! STOP!" I shouted.
Riya moved to the other side—
waving her hands,
trying to get the driver's attention.
"Turn! TURN!" she screamed.
The driver looked at us—
confused…
startled…
but this time—
aware.
That one moment…
changed everything.
The car swerved—
hard.
Tyres screeched against the road.
And then—
it stopped.
Just a few inches away.
Silence.
Complete silence.
No crash.
No blood.
No loss.
Just… silence.
My heart pounded wildly.
I looked at Riya.
She was staring at me—
shocked…
but alive.
Safe.
We did it.
We actually did it.
A breath I didn't know I was holding—
finally escaped.
"It's over…" I whispered.
Riya's eyes filled with tears.
But this time—
they weren't of pain.
They were of relief.
"We changed it…" she said softly.
I nodded.
"Yes… we did."
For a moment…
everything felt perfect.
Like the universe had finally given up.
Like fate had lost.
But then—
that familiar voice echoed again.
"Are you sure… this was the ending?"
My smile faded.
I turned around.
The shadow.
Standing there again.
Calm.
Watching.
"What now…?" I asked quietly.
The shadow stepped closer.
"You broke the cycle," it said.
"But every broken fate…
creates a new one."
My heart tightened.
"What do you mean?"
It looked at both of us.
"Now… a choice remains."
Riya looked confused.
"What choice?"
The shadow spoke slowly—
"Either both of you live…
and forget everything that ever happened—
no memories, no connection, no past…"
My breath stopped.
"Or…"
It paused.
"One of you keeps the memories…
and the other keeps the life you just saved."
Silence.
Heavy.
Unfair.
Again.
I clenched my fists.
"Why…?" I asked.
"Because balance must exist," the shadow replied.
I looked at Riya.
She looked back at me.
Tears in her eyes.
We both understood.
This was it.
The final choice.
"If we forget everything…" she whispered,
"…we lose each other."
I nodded.
"And if one of us remembers…"
She completed my sentence—
"Then the other walks away… like a stranger."
My chest felt heavy.
Again…
the same pain.
Different form.
I took a deep breath.
And then—
I smiled.
Softly.
Calmly.
"I'll forget," I said.
Riya's eyes widened.
"No—"
"It's okay," I interrupted gently.
"You deserve a normal life."
"With no pain… no fear…"
Her tears fell fasters
"But what about you?" she asked.
I shook my head slightly.
"I've already lived those moments with you."
"That's enough for me."
Before she could say anything—
the light surrounded us again.
The world started fading.
Riya reached out—
holding my hand tightly.
"Please…" she whispered.
"Don't disappear…"
I smiled softly.
"Maybe we'll meet again…"
"In another story."
Everything went white.