chapter 36: echoes of the past
the quiet of the morning was pierced by the distant calls of birds, their songs weaving through the gentle breeze that slipped in through the cracked window. ren sat by the small wooden table, tracing the grain of the worn surface with restless fingers. the peacefulness of maya's home felt almost surreal compared to the chaos swirling inside his mind.
he tried to focus, to push the gnawing questions aside, but they wouldn't stop coming. why was he attacked? who wanted to erase his memories? and most importantly, what was the connection between the shattered self and that night on the road?
maya entered the room, carrying a small bowl of rice and some vegetables. she set it down quietly, then sat across from him, her eyes searching his face.
"ren," she began gently, "you don't have to carry this alone anymore."
he looked up, the weight of his pride making his voice rough. "i can't afford to be weak. if i show too much doubt, i'll never get my answers."
"sometimes," maya said, "admitting what you don't know is the strongest thing you can do. it opens the door to the truth."
he hesitated, then nodded slowly. "i want to remember. i want to understand who i really am — not just the prideful mask i wear."
maya smiled softly. "then let's start by facing those memories together."
as they ate in companionable silence, ren felt a small shift inside — the beginning of a journey not just to reclaim his past, but to find the strength to face it without fear.
the echoes of yesterday were still loud, but for the first time, he wasn't alone in listening.