Part 7 - Unraveling the past

Maya clenched the drawing in her hands, her mind racing. The deeper she dug, the more dangerous this felt. And now, Arjun wanted to be part of it?

She turned to him, her expression firm. "Arjun, you don't understand—this isn't just about curiosity. It's dangerous. I can feel it."

Arjun didn't flinch. His dark eyes burned with quiet determination. "That's exactly why you shouldn't face it alone."

Maya let out a frustrated sigh. "This isn't your fight."

He stepped closer. "Then whose is it? My father abandoned this years ago, and now you're standing here, searching for answers he refuses to give. If there's a truth to be found, I want to know it too."

Maya hesitated. Part of her wanted to push him away, to keep him safe. But the other part—the one that had spent too many nights feeling like she was drowning in this alone—didn't want to fight this battle by herself anymore.

She exhaled sharply. "Fine. But if things get worse, you walk away."

Arjun smirked slightly. "Not a chance."

She rolled her eyes but didn't argue. Instead, she turned back to Dr. Varman. "Tell me about this drawing."

The doctor's face darkened. He took the paper from her hands, staring at it as if it might come to life. "This image… it came to me when I was researching people like you. I kept seeing it—this girl, this shadow. It haunted me. I didn't understand what it meant, but I knew it was a warning."

Maya's pulse quickened. A warning.

Her thoughts raced before she asked, "When did you first see it? Was it before my accident?"

Dr. Varman exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable. "Yes. Years before."

Maya's stomach twisted. "Did you know I wasn't going to die?"

The doctor looked at her, something shifting in his gaze. "I didn't know what would happen to you exactly. But I knew… you weren't meant to leave this world yet. Something wouldn't let you."

A chill ran down Maya's spine.

And then it happened.

A sharp pain stabbed through her skull, and the room around her flickered. Her vision blurred, shifting into something else—something old, something forgotten.

She was no longer in the shop.

She saw herself, as a child, no older than six, standing in an empty playground. The swings creaked in the wind. A shadow stretched across the ground, moving toward her—but it wasn't hers.

She heard a voice. A whisper.

"You've always been ours."

A cold terror seeped into her bones.

"Maya!"

Arjun's voice yanked her back. She gasped, her knees giving way—but before she could hit the ground, strong arms caught her.

Arjun held her tightly, concern flashing in his eyes. "Are you okay?"

Maya's breath was shaky as she clung to him, her heart hammering. "I… I saw something. A memory. From my childhood."

Dr. Varman leaned forward. "What did you see?"

Maya swallowed hard. "A shadow. It was watching me. Even back then."

Silence filled the room.

Then she turned to Dr. Varman, a new urgency in her voice. "You studied people like me. Did you ever find someone else who had these visions?"

The doctor hesitated. Then, almost reluctantly, he nodded. "Yes. And if you really want answers, you need to meet him."

Maya felt a cold weight settle in her chest. She wasn't the only one.

And now, she needed to find out who the others were—before it was too late.