The Way Back 40

And then, as he falls to the cold pavement alongside Hazelle, a profound spark ignites within him. It is akin to a resounding click in his soul, reminiscent of the day when Hazelle was ensnared by the flames. That spark had flickered faintly that day, evading his full attention as he dismissed it as mere product of sleep deprivation and anxiety. But now, he is convinced. Convinced of his own delusion and acutely aware of Hazelle’s enduring struggles.

In the days following their last conversation, Law had all but withdrawn from the world, confining himself to the sanctuary of his home and working remotely. Consumed by grief, he had lost faith in everything. His thoughts were consumed by how to respond to Hazelle’s messages. He believed she was taunting his anguish, convinced that he held no significance in her life. In his desolation, he sought solace in an alternate reality, a world of his own making where Hazelle belonged to him and they lived in blissful harmony. He wished to succumb to these illusions, to be enveloped by them until the true Hazelle, the one destined by fate, ceased to exist. It felt as if his soul had withered away, devoid of any shred of hope or the delicate flutter of butterflies that once danced in his stomach. His veins ran cold as ice, and his appetite vanished, leaving him emaciated and plagued by constant trembling. Sleep eluded him as voices echoed in the dark corners of his mind, urging him to embrace death. Madness threatened to consume him, but he realized that succumbing to such desires would only bring anguish upon Hazelle’s happiness. Perhaps… was he already dead? Why were his dreams materializing? Why was Hazelle weeping, clutching him tightly?

She continued to bury her tear-stained face against his chest, her cries unrelenting. Law leaned back, his head hitting the pavement, the reverberation of pain confirming the reality before him. Unrealistically, he found himself engulfed in a profound sense of happiness, struggling to comprehend that it was truly happening.