TORN WITHIN — EPISODE 2: SHATTERED PROMISES
TORN WITHIN — EPISODE 2
SHATTERED PROMISES
“Not every vow was meant to last.”
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, but Dara felt no warmth. Sleep had barely touched her eyes. Last night’s breakdown still haunted her, and Kelechi’s words echoed endlessly in her head: “You still have me. I’ll take care of you.”
She tried to shake it off. It was just comfort. Nothing more. But the memory of his arms around her… the way her heart raced when it shouldn’t have… it lingered like a shadow she couldn’t escape.
At breakfast, the silence between mother and son was louder than clattering plates. Kelechi avoided her gaze, his spoon stirring the same cup of tea over and over. Dara’s chest tightened. He knew. She knew. Something had shifted.
“Eat, Kelechi,” she finally said, forcing a smile.
He nodded but still didn’t meet her eyes. The air was fragile, like glass on the edge of breaking.
That afternoon, Dara’s sister, Amaka, visited. She was loud, vibrant, always filling the room with her presence. But today, Dara felt cornered by her questions.
“You’re too thin, Dara. You’re not eating. How’s Kelechi coping? That boy is carrying too much for his age.”
Dara tried to laugh it off, but guilt pressed harder against her. Was she burdening her son too much? Was she crossing boundaries even she couldn’t name?
As Amaka hugged her goodbye, she whispered, “Promise me you’ll take care of yourself. Don’t shut the world out.”
A promise. One Dara wasn’t sure she could keep.
That night, the storm inside her returned. Kelechi found her sitting alone in the living room, staring blankly at the wall.
“Mummy, I can’t stand to see you like this,” he said softly, kneeling in front of her. His hand brushed hers — a simple touch, but it sent sparks racing through her.
She pulled back quickly. “Kelechi, no… we can’t…” Her voice trembled.
He froze, eyes wide, realizing what her words meant. The silence between them was no longer innocent. It was a confession neither of them had spoken aloud.
In that moment, a vow silently shattered — the vow of mother and son, the vow of lines never to be crossed.
To Be Continued…
📖 Missed Episode 1? Read Episode 1: The Void here.
Coming Up in Episode 3: Echoes of Love
“Memories of Chike haunt Dara as she sees him in Kelechi.”
👉 Don’t miss Episode 3!
Share your thoughts in the comments — what do you think will happen next?
Every broken promise writes its own story.
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