Rahi stepped inside and closed the door behind him,His eyes lingered on her for a moment.
She looked composed—as if nothing from earlier had happened.
Yet somehow, that calm made him worry even more.
He walked over slowly,"You still have a fever."
Silence.
He held out the glass of water and the medicine Fahim had given him,
"Fahim insisted."
Only then did Maya lift her gaze.
Her black eyes rested on the medicine for a second.
Then on Rahi.
Without asking a single question...Without suspicion...She reached out.
The tablets disappeared into her palm.
She placed them in her mouth, accepted the glass, and swallowed them with a few quiet sips.
The room fell silent again.
Rahi released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding ,"Good."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"I thought I'd have to argue with you."
Maya simply returned the empty glass.
"..."
He accepted it with a small chuckle.
"Still as talkative as ever."
There was no reply.
He didn't seem to mind.
He set the glass on the nearby table.
Then glanced toward the closed sketchbook.
"You haven't eaten yet, have you?"
Maya gave a small shake of her head.
"I thought so."
He folded his arms,
"Come downstairs in a little while and eat something."
"...Okay."
"Good."
He turned toward the door before stopping for a moment,"If the fever gets worse..."
He looked back at her.
"...tell someone this time."
Maya lowered her eyes again, her fingers resting lightly on the edge of the sketchbook.
He understood that was the closest thing to an answer he was going to get.
"Rest for a bit."
He quietly opened the door and stepped back into the hallway.
The door clicked shut behind him.
Inside the room, the moonlight rested across her face as silence settled around her.
A few minutes later—
The sound of footsteps drifted down the staircase.
Every conversation stopped, every head turned.
Maya walked into the living room.
A faint trace of fever still lingered in her features, but otherwise she looked exactly the same as always.
Her black eyes moved across the room.
Taking in every face.
Everyone was staring at her.
Silence.
She blinked once, "What happened?"
Fahan nearly choked.
Several people exchanged looks.
Mahim looked at Fahim.
He stared back, "...That shouldn't be possible."
Faha slowly leaned toward Fahim and whispered into his ear,
"Did the serum not work?"
He adjusted his glasses, his expression had become unusually thoughtful,
"It worked."
"What?"
"It definitely worked."
"Then why is she acting normal?"
Fahim glanced toward Maya,
"Because it didn't break through everything."
A pause.
"The serum weakens psychological barriers."
Fahan immediately joined the whispering.
"And?"
"And Maya apparently has more barriers than any human being I've ever studied."
The room fell silent again.
Farhan stared,
"How many barriers are we talking about?"
"I have absolutely no idea."
Meanwhile—
Maya continued staring at them,
"...Are you all having a secret meeting?"
"No."
Everyone answered at once.
She looked unconvinced.
Farhan covered his face, "We are terrible at this."
"Exceptionally terrible."
"Historically terrible."
Fahim lowered his voice even further,
"The serum weakened some layers."
"But?"
"But it didn't reach the deepest structures."
Faha blinked, "Structures?"
"You call them secrets. I call them defensive architecture."
Fahan groaned, "You really are a scientist."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't praise."
Fahim ignored him,
"If I had to guess...The First Layer Collapsed, The Second Layer Weakened,The Third Layer Resisted."
Farhan slowly raised a hand,
"Why does that sound like we're discussing a fortress?"
"Because I think, we are."
The silence settled over the room .
Not with fear—but with frustration.
The truth had been within reach...
and yet somehow, it had slipped through their fingers.
Faha rubbed both hands over his face,
"So...What do we do now?"
He remained silent for several long seconds, his eyes fixed on Maya.
" Truth Serum... Failed. There is one option left."
Mahim frowned, "What option?"
Fahim adjusted his glasses,
"Memory Extractor."
Silence.
Fahan was the first to react, "...You're serious?"
"I am."
"You mean...Actually view her memories?"
"Yes."
Mahi slowly shook her head.
"Fahim...That's not just asking someone a question."
Farhan looked toward Maya.
She stood quietly by the doorway, unaware that the conversation had turned toward the deepest part of her life.
"Wouldn't that be.....a violation?"
Mahim slowly exhaled,
"If we do this...there is no undoing it."
"We've already crossed that line....we became part of this."
Farhan lowered his eyes,"...He's right."
Faha rubbed the back of his neck,
"I don't like it....But I can't pretend I don't want answers anymore."
"If we stop now...we'll spend the rest of our lives wondering what really happened."
Naya clasped her hands together,
"We're already involved,there is no stepping back now."
One by one...Heads began to nod around the room.
Mahim looked toward Fahim, "...Very well."
Fahim inclined his head,
"If the remaining barriers are weakened,
the Memory Extractor should eventually reach the buried memories."
Fahan stared,
"You're talking about her mind like it's a military bunker."
"That is currently the most accurate comparison."
Across the room—
Maya was still watching them,
"...Why are all of you whispering?"
Farhan answered immediately,
"We're whispering normally."
Several relatives laughed nervously.
The atmosphere was becoming increasingly absurd.
Fahad muttered under his breath,
"She's noticed."
"Of course she noticed."
"She notices everything."
Maya looked directly at them,
"What are you planning?"
Silence.
Then Fahan smiled awkwardly, "...Nothing."
Her gaze lingered on each of them.
One face after another.
Nobody could meet her eyes for very long.
She tilted her head slightly,
"...You're all acting strangely."
Silence.
"You've been whispering since I walked in."
Her eyes settled on Fahim.
"You keep looking at me like you've already made a decision....What are you planning?"
No one answered.
The silence itself became an answer.
Maya's expression didn't change.
"...I see, whatever it is...it involves me."
Farhan instinctively looked away.
Faha rubbed the back of his neck.
Fahan forced an awkward smile,
"No...Nothing."
"...You're a terrible liar."
A few nervous laughs escaped around the room.
Fahan sighed dramatically,
"I knew she'd say that, she is accusing me."
Farhan muttered,
"To be fair... you are a terrible liar."
"I'm aware."
Then —
A voice, shaky and brittle with authority strained by desperation,
"Tell us the truth! We… we need to know. What happened in the past?"
"It's been too long since we've been in the dark."
Maya remained silent.
Her silence was the shield she had carried all her life, held her together, allowed her to survive when every other resource failed.
Her voice emerged,
" You want truth . But i don't want to give it. So, stop asking. "
Fahim stepped forward. From inside his coat, he produced a small vial.
The liquid inside shimmered in the chandelier's light, catching and refracting it into sharp, silver streaks.
"We have the right to know. You will speak."
Maya's jaw tightened,
"No, You have no right to know ."
Naya's tremulous voice followed, reaching across the distance like a fragile bridge.
"Maya… we need to understand.
Please, Just this once."
Maya shook her head imperceptibly, the slightest tilt of her chin carrying volumes of defiance.
Her body spoke before her words could, her feet shifting back instinctively.
She radiated the quiet storm of years survived and horrors endured, a presence that threatened to unravel anyone who came too close.
Rahi stepped forward, "No."
Fast enough that several people turned toward him in surprise.
His voice cut through the room, urgent.
"There's no need to force her.
You don't understand what you're asking."
His voice grew quieter,
"You think you're looking for answers.
But some answers don't stay answers."
A heavy silence settled over the hall.
"You don't know what you're doing. Please.
Don't do this to her."
The room remained motionless.
"You will regret it."
Fahan's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at Rahi, "...Why are you this serious?"
Farhan slowly sat forward,
"He's right, I've seen him threaten people.
I've seen him discuss cyberattacks like he's ordering lunch, talk about bringing down entire networks without blinking."
Several relatives nodded immediately.
"True."
"Very true."
"Disturbingly true."
He continued,
"But I've never seen him like this, he's practically begging us to stop."
Something dark crossed Rahi's eyes.
A chill moved through the room.
Before the words could settle, before the weight of their plea had fully registered, a shadow separated from the darkness.
ANIK.
He moved forward, stopping precisely between Maya and Ohi,
"Maya , Don't make us do this the hard way."
Rahi's expression had hardened completely.
"Take one more step and you'll discover exactly why I told everyone to stop."
His eyes locked onto Anik, "Move."
Anik stared back, "You're threatening me?"
"Yes."
His gaze swept across the room.
"If any of you push this further—"
For the first time, genuine menace entered his voice,
"—I will personally make you regret it."
Meanwhile—
Maya's breathing had begun to change.
Her hand rose slowly to her temple.
The room tilted, the chandeliers blurred.
Voices overlapped.
Fragments of sound collided inside her head.
Too loud.
Her thoughts no longer moved in straight lines, Images flashed behind her eyes.
Cold metal, numbers.
A sharp pulse shot through her skull.
She stumbled.
Rahi noticed immediately,"Maya."
No response.
"Maya, are u ok? "
Her fingers pressed harder against her temple.
The serum was working.
Not enough to break everything but enough to crack something.
Enough to let old memories push against walls that had remained sealed for years.
Everyone noticed now.
"Maya?"
Fahim's eyes widened, "It started working."
Maya lifted her head, the hall no longer felt safe.
The feeling built and built and built—
Until— Something inside her snapped.
PURE SURVIVAL.
She turned, then bolted.
Black silk flashed beneath the chandeliers.
Bare feet struck polished marble, a blur of motion.
A servant jumped aside with a startled cry.
Gasps erupted throughout the hall.
"Maya!"
Fahad's voice echoed through the corridor.
Several relatives rushed after her immediately.
Guards exchanged startled looks before joining the pursuit.
Chairs stood abandoned.
Half-finished drinks remained untouched.
The only thing that mattered now was finding Maya.
Rahi's attention was entirely fixed on the doorway she had vanished through, ready to run after her to stop whatever disaster was coming.
And that moment of distraction was all Fahad needed, He moved quickly.
A small injector appeared in his hand.
Before Rahi could turn—
Click.
The needle pressed against the side of his neck.
The serum entered instantly.
Rahi's eyes widened.
For a brief second, disbelief crossed his face.
Then his legs gave out beneath him.
He dropped heavily into the nearest chair.
His fingers twitched once, then stopped responding.
The paralysis spread with ruthless efficiency.
Faha murmured, "...You actually did it."
Fahan blinked.
Fahad lowered the injector, "I wasn't taking any chances."
Rahi looked at him, not angry just deeply disappointed.
"You people are unbelievable."
His voice remained calm despite the situation.
Fahim stepped closer, "The dosage was correct."
Rahi let out a hollow laugh, his eyes swept across the room.
"You've truly lost your minds.
You're so obsessed with the past that you've stopped thinking about the future."
Fahad crossed his arms, "We need answers."
Rahi shook his head slightly,
"No, You want answers.
Need and want are very different things."
He looked directly at Faha .
"You saw the video, saw my reaction and you still decided to continue."
He leaned his head back against the chair.
A bitter smile appeared.
"You are all so determined to uncover the past.So determined that you're willing to break the people who survived it."
Silence.
Then almost to himself, he murmured,
"When this goes wrong...don't pretend nobody warned you."
Fahim's voice echoed through the mansion corridors,"Keep going! You'll catch her!
The serum is already affecting her. Her coordination and physical performance should be significantly reduced."
At the far end of the hallway—
Anik finally caught up, He stepped into her path.
For a fraction of a second, Maya changed direction.
Too late.
Anik lunged forward and caught her around the waist.The impact nearly carried both of them into the wall.
"Maya!"
She fought instantly.
Anik expected resistance.
He did not expect this much.
Even weakened, she nearly tore herself free on the first attempt.
His eyes widened, "What—"
She twisted violently.
His grip slipped.
For a terrifying moment he thought she was actually going to break free.
Several relatives arriving behind him stared in disbelief.
"How is she still that strong?"
"The serum is supposed to be affecting her!"
Anik tightened his hold again.
Breathing harder now.
Maya's remaining strength was far beyond what anyone expected.
"No! I won't!"
She struggled, "Don't touch me!"
Several people hesitated.
Because this no longer looked like stubbornness. It looked like terror.
Anik's expression changed.
For the first time, uncertainty appeared in his eyes, his voice softened, "Maya."
She didn't stop fighting.
"Maya, why are you running?"
"Because you're going to kill me!"
The corridor fell silent.
"Don't do this, you will regret it."
A chill moved through the gathered relatives.
Someone approached carrying the vial.
Anik looked down at it, then back at Maya.
Maya continued struggling.Trying desperately to escape, every instinct she possessed screamed that she needed to get away.
Far away .
Before something terrible happened.
The liquid touched her tongue.
She twisted sharply, trying to pull away.
Her shoulders strained against Anik's grip.
For a brief moment it looked as though she might break free again.
But exhaustion was catching up to her.
The first dose, The fever.
The flood of memories pressing against the edges of her mind.
Everything was taking its toll.
Anik's hand covered her mouth, "Swallow it. "
She struggled once more.
Finally—The liquid went down.
At first, nothing happened.
Her breathing remained uneven.
Her fingers were still clenched tightly.
Then—
The tension began to drain from her muscles.
Her struggles ceased. The frantic resistance faded.
Anik loosened his grip slightly.
She didn't try to run.
That alone was enough to make several people uneasy.
Because moments ago she had been fighting like a cornered animal.
"Maya?" Naya called softly.
No response.
Several floors away Rahi sat motionless.
Unable to move because of the paralytic.
A long, tired breath escaped him,
"You actually did it."
His voice became quieter almost resigned.
"Then whatever happens next...listen carefully."
Anik carried her back into the living room.
"Prepared The Extractor. "
Silence.
The crackling fire in the marble fireplace seemed unnaturally loud.
Fahim stood slowly,"I'll prepare it."
Without waiting for a reply, he turned and walked toward the far end of the mansion.
Brothers followed at a distance.
The mansion's lower level was rarely visited.
Beyond a reinforced steel door lay Fahim's private laboratory.
He pressed his palm against the biometric scanner.
Access Granted.
Hydraulic locks disengaged one after another with heavy metallic clicks.
The door slid open.
The laboratory was illuminated by rows of white ceiling lights.
Glass cabinets lined the walls, filled with carefully labeled vials, neural interface components and experimental prototypes.
At the center of the room rested a machine unlike anything most of the family had ever seen.
It stood nearly two meters tall.
A circular framework arched over a reclining chair made of polished alloy and dark leather.
Dozens of silver cables hung neatly from articulated arms.
Everyone stopped.
Faha broke the silence ,"...You built all of this?"
Fahim nodded once,"Over five years."
Farhan slowly circled the machine,
"It looks.....expensive."
Fahan laughed quietly,
"That's your first observation?"
"I'm trying not to panic."
Fahim approached the control console.
Several holographic displays awakened as his fingers moved across the interface.
Diagnostic windows appeared one after another.
Neural Synchronization... Standby.
Cognitive Mapping... Ready.
Memory Reconstruction Engine... Initializing.
A soft mechanical hum spread through the laboratory.
The articulated arms adjusted themselves with precise, deliberate movements.
He opened a reinforced case beneath the console.
Inside rested a polished metallic circlet, lined with dozens of microscopic neural sensors.
He lifted it carefully with both hands.
"This is the interface array."
Fahan stared,"That tiny thing?"
"It contains over eight thousand neural contact points."
Farhan blinked,
"...I suddenly understand nothing."
Faha nodded solemnly,
"I stopped understanding five minutes ago."
A few strained smiles appeared.
They vanished almost immediately.
Fahim placed the circlet beside the chair,
He pressed a sequence of commands.
One by one, the status indicators turned green.
Power Stable.
Signal Integrity Confirmed.
Memory Reconstruction Ready.
Anik walked in carrying Maya.
Reaching the reclining chair beneath the circular frame of the Memory Extractor, he gently settled her into it.
She remained motionless, her breathing was slow and even.
To anyone seeing her from a distance, she appeared to be asleep.
The laboratory lights reflected faintly across her dark hair as it rested against the headrest.
Fahim stepped forward.
He opened a sterilized metal case beside the console.
Inside, rows of delicate neural connectors rested in perfectly organized compartments.
He lifted the lightweight neural interface with both hands.
Each connection was confirmed by a soft tone from the console.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
On the monitor, new lines of text appeared.
Neural Interface... Connected.
Signal Quality... Excellent.
He looked over the system diagnostics one last time.
"Everything is stable, The reconstruction will continue automatically. "
Fahis nodded, "Then let's move."
They left the laboratory.
The reinforced door slid shut behind them with a heavy metallic thud.
They made their way through the mansion's long corridors until they reached the spacious living room.
The large projection screen on the far wall remained dark, waiting.
Fahim walked directly to the media console beneath it.
He connected the Memory Extractor to the mansion's internal projection system.
A thin fiber-optic cable locked into place with a soft click.
He typed several commands into a portable control tablet.
Across the room, the projector awakened.
Its cooling fans began to hum softly.
The blank screen flickered once.
Twice.
Then a blue synchronization symbol appeared.
External Display Connected.
Signal Integrity... Stable.
Memory Stream... Ready.
Fahim looked around the room.
"The projector is now linked directly to the Memory Extractor.
Whatever the machine reconstructs from Maya's memories will appear here in real time."
Nobody spoke.
Anik finally looked toward Rahi,
"At least you managed to slow him down. "
Rahi still unable to move properly, let out a dry laugh.
Several people avoided his gaze.
"Maya...Why did you run?"
No answer.
Naya slowly moved closer,
"Maya... what happened in the past?"
Mahim stared at her, his expression had become unusually rigid.
"You disappeared when you were one year old, we searched for years."
Mahi slowly sat down,
"I investigated every lead I could find.
I went through records, old reports, missing-person files... and I found nothing."
Farhan leaned forward,
"Where were you all those years?"
Maya did not answer, she couldn't.
"Beginning Memory Reconstruction."
Fahim's finger pressed the activation switch.
Blue light flowed around the circular frame above the chair . On the central display, lines of text appeared one after another.
Neural Synchronization... 17%
42%
81%
100%
On the central monitor, a single line appeared.
Memory Synchronization... Complete.
~~
A heartbeat later— tiny points of warm golden light appeared.
Morning sunlight streamed through sheer white curtains, dancing across polished wooden floors.
The room was peaceful.
Outside, birds sang from the branches of blooming trees.
A gentle spring breeze carried the scent of fresh flowers through an open window.
Soft laughter echoed.
The image sharpened.
There...
On a large cream-colored blanket spread across the floor...
Sat a tiny little girl barely one year old.
She wore a pale pink dress embroidered with tiny white roses.
Her thick black hair curled softly around her round face.
Her enormous black eyes sparkled with innocent curiosity.
She wasn't the distant Maya everyone knew.
She clapped her tiny hands together, laughing as a wooden rabbit rolled across the blanket.
"Da!"
Another laugh escaped her lips.
She reached for the toy...Missed... Looked at it with complete concentration...
Then crawled after it as fast as her tiny arms and knees could carry her.
The room erupted with warm laughter.
Someone behind the camera chuckled,
"There she goes again."
Tiny fingers finally caught the rabbit.
She lifted it triumphantly into the air.
"Ah!"
As if she had conquered the entire world.
The sunlight painted a golden halo around her hair, dust motes drifted lazily through the air.
The little girl tilted her head toward the window. A butterfly had landed on the sill.
Her eyes widened. Wonder, pure wonder.
She reached both hands toward it.
The butterfly fluttered away.
Instead of crying...she giggled.
"...Maya."
Mahi's voice was barely a whisper.
No one answered.
Every eye remained fixed on the screen.
Little Maya looked nothing like the quiet, unreadable young woman they knew today.
She giggled.
Mahim crouched in front of her, he smiled warmly before holding out both hands.
"Come here."
The little girl blinked.
Then—she pushed herself onto unsteady feet, one tiny step, she wobbled.
Another step and nearly lost her balance.
~~
Several family members watching the projection unconsciously leaned forward.
"Careful..."
Farhan whispered without realizing it.
~~
Little Maya laughed again.
She stumbled into Mahim's waiting arms.
He caught her easily and lifted her high into the air.
"There you are!"
He kissed the top of her head.
"My star."
Nearby, Mahi laughed softly,"You'll spoil her."
"I fully intend to."
He replied without a trace of regret.
Little Maya nestled safely in Mahim's arms, her tiny fingers wrapped around the wooden rabbit she had claimed as her greatest treasure.
She let out another delighted giggle, reaching up to tug gently at his collar.
Mahim gently lowered little Maya onto his shoulders.
The tiny girl squealed with delight.
"Up!"
Mahim laughed,"So impatient already?"
She clapped both hands against his hair, laughing so hard that her entire body bounced with each tiny giggle.
Mahim laughed with her.
"Where shall we go, Captain?"
Little Maya pointed toward the garden outside the open doors, "There!"
"As you command."
He marched dramatically across the room, pretending to struggle beneath her impossible weight.
"Oh no... she's too heavy..."
Little Maya burst into uncontrollable laughter.
Mahi followed behind them, smiling.
"She's barely one year old."
Mahim answered proudly,
"I am carrying the weight of the universe."
Before anyone could answer—
A gentle knock came from outside the room.
The door opened quietly.
A young woman in nanny's uniform stepped inside, carrying a warm glass bottle of milk on a small silver tray.
Her expression was gentle, "Sir..."
She offered a respectful nod.
"It's her feeding time."
Mahim looked down at the little girl in his arms.
Almost as though she understood the words, Maya turned her head toward the bottle.
Her eyes immediately brightened.
She stretched both tiny hands toward it.
"Da...Da....Da ."
The nanny smiled warmly,
"It seems she already knows."
A soft laugh spread through the room.
Mahim carefully lowered Maya back onto the blanket before taking the bottle from the tray.
"There we are...my little star never misses mealtime."
Little Maya reached eagerly for the bottle with both hands, making an impatient little sound that drew another round of laughter from everyone in the memory.
~~
No one took their eyes off the projection.
The nanny's voice...
The sunlight spilling through the window...
Every detail was vivid.
Fahan was the first to find his voice,
"...Wait."
He looked from the screen to Fahim,
"She was only one year old."
Fahim gave a slow nod.
"Yes."
"Then... how is this possible?"
He pointed toward the screen,
"People don't normally remember being that young."
A murmur spread through the room.
"I thought the same thing."
"So did I."
"These memories shouldn't even exist..."
Faha stared at the projection in disbelief.
"...She remembers this?"
Fahim adjusted his glasses, his eyes never leaving the monitor.
"The conscious mind usually cannot recall memories from that age. But the brain still stores them."
He glanced at the Memory Extractor's status display.
"Human memory has multiple layers. Most people lose conscious access to experiences from infancy—a phenomenon commonly called infantile amnesia.
That doesn't necessarily mean the brain never encoded those experiences."
Mahim slowly lowered himself into a chair, "Ohhh.... I see. "
Everyone looked at the smiling child on the screen again.
~~
Little Maya accepted the bottle with both hands.
She immediately tried to hold it herself.
The bottle tipped sideways.
A few drops of milk dribbled onto her dress.
She looked down at the tiny white stain with complete seriousness.
The nanny laughed softly, "Oh, dear."
Mahim chuckled,"An emergency."
He gently steadied the bottle,
"There we go."
Little Maya looked up at him, her solemn expression lasted all of two seconds.
Then she burst into laughter again.
~~
The image shimmered.
Then— It became Maya's own perspective.
★
I look up.
The light hurts my eyes just a little, so I blink.
Warm hands hold my bottle.
They always make everything feel safe.
I wrap both of my little hands around the bottle.
A deep laugh comes from above me.
It always makes me happy.
I look up, 'Daddy '.
When he smiles...I smile too.
Someone touches my cheek very gently.
Mama.
Her face comes close,"So messy..."
Something soft wipes my chin.
I don't like it,
"No...," I clap.
He understood that makes me happy.
~~
No one in the living room spoke.
Mahi covered her mouth.
"...We weren't watching her . We were... seeing through her eyes."
Fahim gave a quiet nod, "Exactly."
Farhan stared at the screen,
"...She didn't understand words the way we do. Then how??? "
"No, Her brain is so strong. It recorded sensations, voices, familiar faces, emotions, and patterns.
The reconstruction translates those neural recordings into the closest representation of her subjective experience at that age."
Mahim's eyes remained fixed on the now-still image.
"So this...This is how Maya experienced her world."
No one answered.
~~
I am sitting on the soft blanket.
My wooden rabbit is beside me.
I pat it with my tiny hand.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
I hear footsteps . So, I look up.
It's her, she smiles whenever she sees me, "Nanny."
She kneels in front of me,
"Hello, little star."
I don't understand all the words.
She hides one hand behind her back.
I tilt my head. What's there?
She giggles,"I have a surprise."
Then she brings her hand forward.
Something small.
Wrapped in shiny golden paper.
It crinkles.
My eyes become wide.
Pretty, It shines. I reach for it with both hands, "Ah....Da...Da. "
She laughs softly, "So impatient."
She unwraps it slowly.
Inside...A small piece of milk thing .
A sweet smell reaches me.
She breaks off a tiny piece.
"Open."
I open my mouth without thinking.
The tiny piece rests on my tongue.
....
Sweet, very sweet. It melts, my eyes grow even wider, I stop moving.
A really big smile, "Da!"
I clap both hands.
More.
I want more.
The nanny laughs so hard that her shoulders shake, "You like it?"
I point at the sweet thing , again.
Please.
She smiles warmly but gently shakes her head, "Only one little piece."
She strokes my hair,
"Too much isn't good for tiny girls."
I don't understand, only know...
The sweet thing is gone.
I look at my empty hands.
She kisses my forehead,
"I'll save the rest for another day."
I lean against her, she is warm.
I feel safe.
★
In the living room, silence lingered.
"So... that was her first chocolate."
Farhan let out a quiet laugh,
"She immediately wanted another piece."
~~
A title on the projection appeared.
Memory Reconstruction
AGE: 1 YEAR, 1 MONTH, 5 DAYS :
Night had settled over the mansion.
Moonlight filtered through the curtains, mixing softly with the warm glow of a bedside lamp.