The Days That Were Never Mine - The Fight for Control - Part 9
Aarav sat in silence.
Not confused anymore.
Not searching.
He knew.
The voice.
The presence.
The missing time.
It wasn’t an intruder.
It was a part of him.
Created.
Used.
Relied on.
And now—
Independent.
“This ends now,” Aarav said finally.
His voice was steady.
For the first time in days.
A pause.
Then—
“No.”
The word came instantly.
Firm.
Certain.
Aarav clenched his fists.
“You said it yourself,” he continued.
“I needed you before. Not anymore.”
Silence.
Then—
“You don’t get to decide that alone.”
Aarav stood up abruptly.
“Yes, I do,” he snapped.
“This is my mind. My life.”
A faint laugh echoed.
Not mocking.
Not amused.
Knowing.
“You still think it belongs only to you.”
Aarav’s jaw tightened.
“I’m taking control back.”
The air shifted.
Subtle.
Heavy.
And then—
“Try.”
The word wasn’t a challenge.
It was permission.
And that made it worse.
Aarav closed his eyes.
Focused.
“Stay here,” he whispered to himself.
“Stay present. Stay aware.”
No drifting.
No gaps.
No surrender.
He moved to the mirror.
Stared at his reflection.
“This is me,” he said firmly.
The reflection stared back.
Normal.
Still.
For a moment—
Nothing happened.
Relief flickered.
Then—
The reflection smiled.
Aarav didn’t.
“Stop…” he said sharply.
The reflection tilted its head.
“Make me.”
Aarav slammed his hand against the mirror.
“I’m done with you!”
The reflection didn’t flinch.
“No,” it said calmly.
“You’re done without me.”
Aarav’s breath grew heavy.
“I don’t need you anymore.”
The reflection stepped closer.
Again—not in the room.
Only in the mirror.
“Then prove it.”
Aarav froze.
“How?”
The answer came immediately.
“Stay.”
Silence.
Aarav frowned.
“I am staying.”
The reflection shook its head slowly.
“No.”
A pause.
“Stay when it hurts.”
Aarav’s chest tightened.
“Hurts…?”
The room shifted.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
A weight settled inside him.
Heavy.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
Loneliness.
Aarav staggered back slightly.
“No…”
The feeling grew stronger.
Silence pressing in.
Empty.
Cold.
“You did this…” Aarav whispered.
“No.”
The answer was calm.
“I stopped you from feeling it.”
Aarav’s breathing became uneven.
“No… this is not real…”
But it was.
More real than anything else.
Because it wasn’t coming from outside.
It was coming from within.
“You used me to avoid this,” the voice continued.
The pressure built.
Memories.
Feelings.
Moments he had never processed.
All rising.
All at once.
“I can’t…” Aarav said, his voice breaking.
“Exactly.”
A pause.
“You can’t.”
Aarav dropped to his knees.
His hands trembled.
His chest felt like it was collapsing inward.
“Make it stop…” he whispered.
Silence.
Then—
“Say it.”
Aarav shook his head weakly.
“No…”
“Say it.”
The pressure increased.
Unbearable now.
Aarav’s voice cracked.
“I… need you…”
The moment the words left his mouth—
Everything stopped.
Silence.
Relief flooded in instantly.
The weight disappeared.
The loneliness… gone.
Aarav gasped for breath, his body relaxing involuntarily.
“No…” he whispered.
“I didn’t mean—”
“You did.”
The voice was softer now.
Almost… gentle.
Aarav closed his eyes tightly.
“I don’t want this…” he said weakly.
A pause.
“But you still need it.”
Aarav didn’t respond.
Because he couldn’t.
Not honestly.
Not after what he just felt.
“You think this is about control,” the voice continued.
Aarav opened his eyes slowly.
“Isn’t it?”
A faint silence.
Then—
“No.”
A pause.
“It’s about survival.”
The words settled deep.
Aarav looked at his reflection again.
This time—
They both looked the same.
No smile.
No difference.
Just… him.
“You kept me alive…” Aarav whispered.
“Yes.”
“And now…?”
Silence.
Then—
“Now you decide what to do with me.”
Aarav sat there.
Still.
Thinking.
Not fighting anymore.
Because this wasn’t a battle.
It was a choice.
And choices…
Had consequences.
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