reminiscing past

Kratika found herself lost in the labyrinth of her memories, the stars above offering a faint glimmer of solace in the darkness of her thoughts. As she gazed into the vast expanse of the night sky, she couldn't help but wonder if she had ever beheld such beauty from this city before. The emptiness of space seemed to mirror the void within her as she delved into the recesses of her mind, searching for fragments of happier times.

Suddenly, like a bolt of lightning piercing through the haze of her thoughts, a core memory ignited within her consciousness.

"Are you alright?" The voice of a young boy shattered the silence of the forest, drawing Kratika's attention away from her reverie. She found herself transported back to the heart of the woods, a child once more, as she looked up to meet the gaze of the boy before her. His crystal blue eyes and flowing, slightly blue-tinted hair lent him an air of royalty as he regarded her with innocent concern.

Without warning, Kratika pushed him aside, her demeanor bristling with frustration.

"HEY! What's with the attitude? I just came to see if you were okay,"

the boy protested, a hint of annoyance coloring his tone.

"Did I ask for your help? Besides, I know you're just here to mock me like everyone else,"

Kratika retorted, her words dripping with bitterness.

"Um, no—"

the boy began, only to be cut off by Kratika's sharp interjection.

"I don't need your pity!"

she declared, locking eyes with him in defiance.

"Your parents are looking for you!"

the boy insisted, his concern undiminished by her hostility.

"Why do you care?"

Kratika shot back, her guard still firmly in place.

"I knew you were going to do this..."

The boy's voice trailed off as he reached into his pocket, retrieving something small and wooden—a figurine depicting a man holding a staff. Kratika's gaze lingered on the figurine, but her anger remained palpable as she demanded an explanation from the boy.

"What's this for?"

she asked, her voice laced with suspicion.

The boy sighed softly before responding, "You asked me for it. You saw other girls with similar trinkets and got jealous. You wanted one for yourself."

Kratika's brows furrowed in disbelief. "That's not true,"

she insisted, though a nagging doubt tugged at the corners of her mind.

"Why did you come running here then?" the boy pressed, his tone gentle yet persistent.

Kratika hesitated before finally relenting. "I... I accidentally broke a sculpture at the magic school," she admitted, her voice tinged with shame. "My magic power was too much for me to control."

A pang of sympathy flashed across the boy's face as he listened to her confession. "And the other girls..." he prompted, sensing there was more to the story.

"They... they called me a gorilla," Kratika confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. The memory of their cruel taunts cut deep, reopening old wounds she had long tried to bury.

The boy reached out a hand to comfort her, his expression filled with empathy. "You're not a gorilla, Kratika," he reassured her gently. "You're extraordinary."

Kratika's retort came swiftly, laced with bitterness. "What do you know? You can't even use magic!" she spat, her frustration boiling over as she lashed out at him.

The boy recoiled at her words, his own temper flaring in response. "That's not true!" he shot back, his voice tinged with anger. "I do have magical energy, I just... I can't use it for some reason."

Despite his irritation, the boy's demeanor softened as he realized the futility of their argument. Taking a deep breath, he made a conscious effort to rein in his emotions, knowing that now, more than ever, they needed to stand united.

As Kratika and the boy stood locked in their tense exchange, their argument suddenly shattered by a deafening explosion that reverberated through the forest.

Their heads snapped in unison towards the direction of the city, eyes wide with shock and apprehension. Without a word, they shared a knowing glance, a silent agreement passing between them as they abandoned their disagreement in favor of unity in the face of danger.

"We need to go. Now," Kratika urged, her voice urgent as adrenaline surged through her veins.

The boy nodded grimly, his earlier frustration forgotten as they raced towards the city, the distant glow of flames illuminating the night sky ahead. With each hurried step, their hearts pounded in unison, their shared resolve steeling them for whatever horrors awaited them amidst the chaos of the unfolding catastrophe.

As Kratika's mind snapped back to the present, her fingers instinctively reached for her backpack, the weight of memories heavy upon her. With trembling hands, she withdrew the small wooden figurine, its familiar contours a poignant reminder of the boy who had once offered her solace in her darkest moments.

Clutching the figurine tightly in her grasp, she whispered to herself with a steely determination, "Where are you now? Why won't you show up when I've finally returned to the city after so many years?"

Her voice carried a mixture of longing and frustration, the unanswered questions swirling in her mind like the stars above. But despite the uncertainty that clouded her thoughts, she couldn't shake the feeling that somehow, somewhere, their paths would cross once more, their bond forged in the crucible of their shared past enduring against the relentless passage of time.