Preface:Memoriesarelikephotographsthatcapturemomentsintime,preservingthemforever.Butwhathappenswhenthosememoriesarepainful,whentheybecomeaburdenthatwecarrywithusalways?Thisisthestoryofawomanwhosememorieshavestoppedintime,andthejourneyshetakestoconfrontherpastandfindhopeforthefuture.
Chapter1:TheBeginning
Shewasjustsixteenwhenshemethim,theboywiththekindeyesandthegentlesmile.Theyspentlongsummerdaysexploringthecountryside,talkingabouteverythingandnothingatall.Shefellinlovewithhim,andhewithher,andforatimetheywereinseparable.
Chapter2:TheTragedy
Buttheirhappinesswasshort-lived.Oneday,whiletheywereoutwalking,theywerecaughtinasuddenthunderstorm.Lightningstruckatreenearthem,andabranchfell,hittinghimonthehead.Hediedinstantly,inherarms.
Chapter3:TheAftermath
Intheyearsthatfollowed,shetriedtomoveon.Shewenttocollege,gotajob,madenewfriends.Butshecouldn'tforgethim.Everywhereshewent,shesawhim.Inthefacesofstrangers,inthesongsontheradio,intheleavesblowinginthewind.
Chapter4:TheTimeMachine
Oneday,shestumbleduponanoldbookshop,itsshelvesoverflowingwithbooksonmagicandscience.Shepickedupaslimvolumetitled"TimeTravelforBeginners,"andwasimmediatelyintrigued.Coulditbepossible?Couldshegobackandsavehim?
Chapter5:TheExperiment
Shespentmonthsresearchingtimetravel,poringoverequationsandtheories.Finally,shebuiltamachine,usingsparepartsfromherjobasanengineer.Shetesteditonasmallobject,thenonalargerone.Itworked.
Chapter6:TheJourney
Withtremblinghands,sheclimbedintothemachineandsetthedials.Theroomspunaroundher,andsuddenlyshewasstandinginafield,thesunwarmonherface.Sheknewwhereshewas.Thiswasthedayhedied.
Chapter7:TheTemptation
Shesawhimwalkingtowardsher,hissmilewideandwelcoming.Itwouldbesoeasytowarnhim,totellhimtostayinsidethatday.Butsheknewthatchangingthepastwouldhaveconsequences.Shecouldn'triskit.
Chapter8:TheRegret
Instead,shewatchedhimdieagain,helplesstosavehim.Shefelltoherkneesandwept,hertearssoakingintothegrassbeneathher.
Chapter9:TheRealization
Itwasn'tuntilshereturnedtothepresentthatsherealizedwhatshehaddone.Bygoingbackintime,shehadcreatedanalternatereality.Inthisworld,hewasalive,butshehadnevermethim.
Chapter10:TheChoice
Shecouldstayinthisnewreality,startanewlifewithhim.Butsheknewitwouldn'tbereal.Itwouldbealie,adeception.Shecouldn'tdoit.Shehadtogobackandfacehermemories.
Chapter11:TheAcceptance
Backinthepresent,shepackedawaythetimemachineandtookalonglookaroundherapartment.Itwasfilledwithremindersofhim:hisfavoritebooksontheshelf,hisoldsweaterhanginginthecloset.Sherealizedthatshedidn'twanttoforgethim.Shewantedtorememberhim,tohonorhim.
Chapter12:TheHealing
Overtime,hermemoriesstoppedhurtingsomuch.Theybecameacomfort,areminderofthelovetheyshared.Shestartedtoseehiminadifferentlight:notasatragedy,butasagift.Sheknewthathewouldwanthertobehappy.
Chapter13:TheHope
Andsoshestartedtobuildanewlifeforherself.Shewentonadventures,metnewpeople,fellinloveagain.Sheknewthathewouldbeproudofher.
Chapter14:TheRevelation
Oneday,shewaswalkingintheparkwhenshesawamansittingonabench,readingabook.Helookedupandsmiledather,andshefeltherheartskipabeat.Itwashim.Notreallyhim,ofcourse,butsomeonewhoremindedherofhim.Sherealizedthatshehadbeenlookingforhimallalong.
Chapter15:TheConnection
Theystartedtalking,andshefoundherselfopeninguptohiminawayshehadn'twithanyoneelse.Helistened,heunderstood.Theystarteddating,andbeforelongtheywereinseparable.
Chapter16:TheBreakthrough
Onenight,astheylayinbedtogether,shetoldhimaboutherpast.Abouttheboyshelovedandlost,aboutthetimemachineshebuilt.Sheexpectedhimtobeskeptical,orfrightened.Buthewasn't.Heheldhercloseandwhispered,"I'mhere.I'mreal.AndIloveyou."
Chapter17:TheRelease
Withhishelp,sheletgoofherpain.Shestoppedholdingontothepastandstartedlivinginthepresent.Sherealizedthattimetravelwasn'ttheanswer.Lovewas.
Chapter18:TheEpiphany
Sheknewnowthatshedidn'thavetoforgethimtomoveon.Shecouldrememberhimandstillbehappy.Hewouldalwaysbeapartofher,buthewouldn'tdefineher.
Chapter19:TheRenewal
Andsoshestartedanewchapterofherlife.Sheandhernewlovetraveledtheworldtogether,explorednewculturesandideas.Theytalkedabouteverythingandnothingatall,justlikesheusedtodowithhim.
Chapter20:TheLegacy
Yearspassed,andshegrewold.Sheknewthathertimewasrunningout.Butshewasatpeace,knowingthatshehadlivedafulllife.Shehopedthatotherswouldlearnfromherstory,thattheywouldunderstandthatlovecanconquereventhemostpainfulmemories.
Chapter21:TheEnd
Andsosheclosedhereyes,contentintheknowledgethatshehadlovedandbeenloved.Hermemorieswouldstopintime,buttheywouldneverstopbeingapartofwhoshewas.
Chapter22:TheBeginningAgain
Asshetookherfinalbreath,shefeltawarmhandinhers.Sheopenedhereyesandsawhimsmilingdownather,hiskindeyesshining.Sheknewthenthatitwasn'ttheend.Itwasjustthebeginningagain.
