Aarav didn't cry.
He thought he would.
After everything.
After her.
But nothing came out.
Just silence.
Like something inside him had already been taken.
He sat on the pavement outside his house.
Staring at nothing.
People passed by.
Cars moved.
The world continued.
Unaffected.
Unaware.
"…You can't go back in there," Meera said quietly.
Aarav didn't respond.
"…Aarav."
Still nothing.
"…Hey."
She stepped in front of him.
Forcing him to look up.
"…We need to move," she said.
"…Why?" Aarav asked flatly.
Her expression tightened.
"…Because now it has something real to use."
A pause.
"…It'll act more like her."
That hit.
Deep.
Aarav looked toward the house again.
"…So she's just gone?"
Meera hesitated.
"…Yes."
Silence.
Then—
Aarav stood up.
Calm.
Too calm.
"…You're lying."
Meera froze.
"…What?"
Aarav's eyes met hers.
Sharp.
Focused.
"You don't know that."
"…I've seen this before—"
"No," Aarav interrupted.
"You've seen others."
A step closer.
"But not me."
Something in his tone—
Changed.
Meera noticed it instantly.
"…Aarav…"
"You said they choose people who notice," he continued.
"So why me?"
Silence.
Meera didn't answer.
And that was the answer.
Aarav smiled slightly.
"…You know."
She looked away.
"…It doesn't matter."
"It does," Aarav said quietly.
His voice—
Was steady now.
Too steady.
"…Tell me."
Meera clenched her fists.
"…Fine."
A breath.
"They don't choose randomly."
Aarav waited.
"They choose people who are already… unstable."
The word hung in the air.
"…Unstable?" Aarav repeated.
Meera nodded slowly.
"People who question too much."
"People who feel disconnected."
"People who don't fully belong…"
A pause.
"…People who are easier to split."
Aarav's expression didn't change.
"…So you're saying I was already broken."
"…I'm saying," Meera replied carefully,
"…you were already close."
Silence.
Then—
Aarav laughed.
Not loudly.
Not crazily.
Just…
Wrong.
"…That makes sense," he said.
Meera's eyes narrowed.
"…What do you mean?"
Aarav looked at her.
"…Because I remember something."
Her body stiffened.
"…What?"
Aarav tilted his head slightly.
"…You."
Meera froze.
"…What about me?"
Aarav's eyes locked onto hers.
"…I've seen you before."
Silence.
Heavy.
"That's not possible," she said quickly.
"…We just met."
Aarav shook his head slowly.
"…No."
A step closer.
"…Not today."
His voice dropped.
"…Before."
The air shifted.
Something was wrong.
Meera stepped back.
"…Aarav, stop."
But he didn't.
"…You were there," he continued.
"…When it first started."
A flicker passed through Meera's eyes.
Just for a second.
But Aarav saw it.
"…You remember," he said softly.
Meera's breathing changed.
"…That's not—"
"You told me the rules before," Aarav said.
"…didn't you?"
Silence.
Her expression cracked.
Just slightly.
"…You weren't supposed to remember that."
Aarav's heart skipped.
"…So it's true."
Meera looked at him.
And for the first time—
She wasn't in control.
"…This isn't your first time," she said quietly.
Aarav froze.
"…What?"
"You've been through this before," she continued.
"Multiple times."
The world tilted.
"…No."
Meera nodded slowly.
"Every time you get close to understanding…"
"They reset you."
Aarav staggered back.
"…Reset?"
"They erase parts of you," she said.
"Your memories."
"Your progress."
A pause.
"But something always leaks through."
Aarav's head spun.
"…That's not possible…"
"…Then how did you recognize me?" she asked quietly.
Silence.
Aarav couldn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
"…Why me?" he whispered.
Meera looked at him.
Long.
Carefully.
"…Because you're not just a target."
A pause.
"…You're a mistake."
Everything stopped.
"…What?"
Meera's voice dropped.
"…You weren't supposed to survive this long."
A chill ran through his entire body.
"…But you keep coming back."
Aarav's breath shook.
"…Coming back from what?"
Meera didn't answer.
Because suddenly—
A voice cut through the air.
Familiar.
Cold.
"…She talks too much."
Aarav turned slowly.
And there—
Standing behind them—
Was him.
But this time—
It wasn't smiling.
It looked… annoyed.
"…You're remembering too early," it said.
Meera stepped in front of Aarav.
"…Stay back."
The thing ignored her.
Its eyes locked onto Aarav.
"…You're not supposed to know yet."
Aarav's voice trembled—
"…Know what?"
The thing tilted its head.
"…That you've already lost."
🔥 END OF CHAPTER 9