Dahlia and the Garden of Light - Chapter 55: Chapter 55
You are reading Dahlia and the Garden of Light, Chapter 55: Chapter 55. Read more chapters of Dahlia and the Garden of Light.
The Hut – Early Morning
The vines shifted first—subtle, like a breath held too long finally let go.
A single firelily unfurled near the window. The hut, once silent, bloomed with motion.
Inside, Dahlia opened her eyes.
They were bright, wide… and empty of recognition.
She blinked at the light leaking through the petals above her, a low whimper escaping her throat as she sat up, muscles shaky from four months of stillness. Around her, the vines slowly recoiled, untangling from her limbs like children reluctant to let go of their mother.
The island itself seemed to exhale.
Outside – Derek’s Watchpost
The birds gave the first signal. Then the wolves howled softly.
Derek’s eyes widened. “No… No way.”
He leapt from the watch post, sprinting across the stone path. He didn’t knock. He kicked the door open and rushed in.
“Dahlia!”
She looked up sharply, startled, and instinctively shrank back against the wall of vines.
“Hey—it’s me! It’s me, Derek!” he said, dropping to his knees in front of her. “You’re awake! You’re really awake!”
He threw his arms around her, shaking with joy.
She didn’t hug back.
After a breath, she pushed him away, trembling.
“…Who are you?” she asked, voice small and unfamiliar even to her.
Derek froze. His smile faltered. “What do you mean?”
She shook her head, eyes wide. “Where am I? What is this place? Who are you?!”
The vines rustled with warning behind her.
Moments Later – The Whole Family Arrives
Theo was the first through the door, followed by Christian, Eliot, William, Antonio, Amy, Jake, Mira, and Markus.
Amy’s hands flew to her mouth. “She’s awake…”
“Dahlia?” Eliot said, eyes wide behind his lenses. He held up the small camera he’d been using to record for the world—a feed now watched by millions. “Say something, sis. Everyone’s been waiting.”
Dahlia backed up farther, pressed into the corner. “Why are there so many people?” she whispered. “Why are you all looking at me like that?”
Antonio stepped forward gently. “Dahlia… it’s okay. You’re safe. We’re your family.”
“I don’t know you,” she said quickly. “I don’t know any of you.”
Vines lashed out, curling protectively in front of her.
Amy burst into tears.
Jake reached for her, held her while her shoulders shook.
Mira stepped forward, but Markus put a hand on her shoulder. “Let me.”
He moved toward Dahlia slowly, his face calm and kind. “Hey… it’s okay. You’re scared. I’d be scared too.”
Her eyes flicked to him.
“I don’t know who you are either,” she said softly, but something in her voice changed—less panic, more curiosity.
Markus dropped to one knee in front of her. “You don’t have to know who I am. Just know I’m here. You’re safe with me. You always were.”
Dahlia suddenly lunged forward and threw her arms around his neck. “Don’t leave me,” she whispered. “I don’t know where I am. I don’t know who I am. I’m afraid.”
Markus held her tightly. “I’ve got you.”
Behind him, the entire Anderson family stood frozen—hope and heartbreak etched into every face.
William rubbed his beard with trembling fingers. “She’s alive… but she doesn’t remember…”
Theo muttered, “Is this… is this the cost of the gift?”
Amy wiped her eyes. “She knew Markus. Not us. Why?”
Eliot lowered his camera. “This was live,” he said quietly. “The whole world just saw her wake up.”
Antonio took a step back, leaned against the doorframe like the weight of the moment had taken something from him.
Derek sat on the floor, stunned. “She didn’t even remember my face…”
Christian looked at his father. “What do we do now?”
Antonio stared at the glowing girl in Markus’s arms. Her head was tucked under his chin, the vines still pulsing faintly around her.
“We love her anyway,” Antonio said. “Every day. Every breath. Until she remembers… or even if she never does.”
The Bloom Room, Later That Day
Antonio sat beside the flowers that had once danced under Dahlia’s voice. They were still now, watching like mourners.
Amy entered, tear-streaked but composed.
“She didn’t even flinch when I said her name,” Amy said. “It’s like I’m a stranger.”
“She’s been a stranger to herself,” Antonio said. “But Amy… you’re not just anyone to her. You were her heart.”
Amy looked down. “Then maybe it’s my job to help her find it again.”
Antonio smiled, despite the ache. “Start with music. That always brought her back before.”
Amy nodded. “Then I’ll sing.”
The vines shifted first—subtle, like a breath held too long finally let go.
A single firelily unfurled near the window. The hut, once silent, bloomed with motion.
Inside, Dahlia opened her eyes.
They were bright, wide… and empty of recognition.
She blinked at the light leaking through the petals above her, a low whimper escaping her throat as she sat up, muscles shaky from four months of stillness. Around her, the vines slowly recoiled, untangling from her limbs like children reluctant to let go of their mother.
The island itself seemed to exhale.
Outside – Derek’s Watchpost
The birds gave the first signal. Then the wolves howled softly.
Derek’s eyes widened. “No… No way.”
He leapt from the watch post, sprinting across the stone path. He didn’t knock. He kicked the door open and rushed in.
“Dahlia!”
She looked up sharply, startled, and instinctively shrank back against the wall of vines.
“Hey—it’s me! It’s me, Derek!” he said, dropping to his knees in front of her. “You’re awake! You’re really awake!”
He threw his arms around her, shaking with joy.
She didn’t hug back.
After a breath, she pushed him away, trembling.
“…Who are you?” she asked, voice small and unfamiliar even to her.
Derek froze. His smile faltered. “What do you mean?”
She shook her head, eyes wide. “Where am I? What is this place? Who are you?!”
The vines rustled with warning behind her.
Moments Later – The Whole Family Arrives
Theo was the first through the door, followed by Christian, Eliot, William, Antonio, Amy, Jake, Mira, and Markus.
Amy’s hands flew to her mouth. “She’s awake…”
“Dahlia?” Eliot said, eyes wide behind his lenses. He held up the small camera he’d been using to record for the world—a feed now watched by millions. “Say something, sis. Everyone’s been waiting.”
Dahlia backed up farther, pressed into the corner. “Why are there so many people?” she whispered. “Why are you all looking at me like that?”
Antonio stepped forward gently. “Dahlia… it’s okay. You’re safe. We’re your family.”
“I don’t know you,” she said quickly. “I don’t know any of you.”
Vines lashed out, curling protectively in front of her.
Amy burst into tears.
Jake reached for her, held her while her shoulders shook.
Mira stepped forward, but Markus put a hand on her shoulder. “Let me.”
He moved toward Dahlia slowly, his face calm and kind. “Hey… it’s okay. You’re scared. I’d be scared too.”
Her eyes flicked to him.
“I don’t know who you are either,” she said softly, but something in her voice changed—less panic, more curiosity.
Markus dropped to one knee in front of her. “You don’t have to know who I am. Just know I’m here. You’re safe with me. You always were.”
Dahlia suddenly lunged forward and threw her arms around his neck. “Don’t leave me,” she whispered. “I don’t know where I am. I don’t know who I am. I’m afraid.”
Markus held her tightly. “I’ve got you.”
Behind him, the entire Anderson family stood frozen—hope and heartbreak etched into every face.
William rubbed his beard with trembling fingers. “She’s alive… but she doesn’t remember…”
Theo muttered, “Is this… is this the cost of the gift?”
Amy wiped her eyes. “She knew Markus. Not us. Why?”
Eliot lowered his camera. “This was live,” he said quietly. “The whole world just saw her wake up.”
Antonio took a step back, leaned against the doorframe like the weight of the moment had taken something from him.
Derek sat on the floor, stunned. “She didn’t even remember my face…”
Christian looked at his father. “What do we do now?”
Antonio stared at the glowing girl in Markus’s arms. Her head was tucked under his chin, the vines still pulsing faintly around her.
“We love her anyway,” Antonio said. “Every day. Every breath. Until she remembers… or even if she never does.”
The Bloom Room, Later That Day
Antonio sat beside the flowers that had once danced under Dahlia’s voice. They were still now, watching like mourners.
Amy entered, tear-streaked but composed.
“She didn’t even flinch when I said her name,” Amy said. “It’s like I’m a stranger.”
“She’s been a stranger to herself,” Antonio said. “But Amy… you’re not just anyone to her. You were her heart.”
Amy looked down. “Then maybe it’s my job to help her find it again.”
Antonio smiled, despite the ache. “Start with music. That always brought her back before.”
Amy nodded. “Then I’ll sing.”
End of Dahlia and the Garden of Light Chapter 55. Continue reading Chapter 56 or return to Dahlia and the Garden of Light book page.