Bella lay on the cold ground, her body trembling from the surge of energy she had unleashed. The silence around her was deafening, as if the world itself held its breath. She clutched her chest, feeling the rapid thud of her heartbeat, and slowly pushed herself up.
The cemetery was still. Shane's grave was intact, the soil settled as if nothing had happened. But the diary—its presence had vanished. Bella hesitated, then opened the satchel. The diary lay there, but its crimson glow was gone. The cover looked dull, the intricate patterns lifeless.
She ran her fingers over the leather, half-expecting it to spark back to life. But nothing happened. For the first time since she had found it, the diary felt… ordinary.
Bella exhaled a shaky breath. "It's over," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Yet deep inside, she felt a nagging uncertainty. Had she truly severed the bond, or had she simply delayed the inevitable?
She stood and brushed the dirt from her coat, staring down at Shane's headstone. The ache in her heart was as raw as ever, but tonight, she felt a strange sense of peace. Maybe this was what Shane would have wanted—for her to let go, to stop clinging to the past.
"I'm sorry," she murmured, touching the cold stone. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't sacrifice someone else to bring you back. You wouldn't have wanted that."
A soft wind rustled the trees, and for a moment, it felt like an answer. She closed her eyes, letting the cool breeze wash over her, then turned to leave.
### ***
Back at home, Bella placed the diary on the kitchen table, its once-daunting presence now subdued. She stared at it for a long time, debating what to do next. Burning it hadn't worked before, but now, without its power, maybe it could be destroyed.
Grabbing a knife, she hesitated for a moment, then drove the blade into the cover. The leather split easily, revealing brittle, blood-stained pages beneath. She tore out a handful, watching as the paper crumbled into dust in her hands.
Her breath caught. *Dust?*
The pages didn't disintegrate like normal paper. They vanished, leaving behind nothing but a faint metallic scent. Bells continued ripping until the entire diary was reduced to dust, scattered across her table.
As she swept the remnants into a trash bin, a strange calm settled over her. The weight she had carried for weeks seemed lighter. For the first time, she believed she could move on.
### ***
The next morning, Bella awoke to sunlight streaming through her window. She stretched, feeling a clarity she hadn't experienced in years. The nightmares had stopped. No whispers. No visions.
She made herself coffee and sat at the table, staring at the empty spot where the diary had once loomed. It felt surreal to be free of it, but she knew she couldn't dwell on the past any longer.
A knock at the door startled her. She frowned, not expecting anyone this early. When she opened it, Eliza stood on the porch, her face full of concern.
"Bella, are you okay?" Eliza asked, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.
Bella blinked. "Yeah… why wouldn't I be?"
Eliza hesitated, glancing around. "I don't know. I had the strangest dream last night. You were standing in the cemetery, and there was this… light. It felt so real."
Bella's heart skipped a beat. "A dream?"
Eliza nodded. "I woke up worried about you. I had to come check." She paused, studying Bella's face. "You look different. Lighter somehow."
Bella forced a smile. "I think I finally let go of something I was holding onto. It's been hard, but I'm okay now."
Eliza's eyes softened, and she hugged Bella tightly. "I'm glad. You deserve to be happy again."
Bella hugged her back, feeling the warmth of her friend's support. For the first time in a long time, she believed Eliza's words. Maybe she did deserve happiness.
As they sat down for coffee, Bella couldn't help but glance at the trash bin. The diary was gone, its power extinguished. But in the back of her mind, a question lingered: *Had she truly closed the gate?*