e p i l o g u e

407 37 24
                                    

Dedicated to my biggest support cake_7

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.


Dedicated to my biggest support cake_7

Peace and calm.

he felt his whole body relax as if he was floating in water. he could even feel the soft silky waves move back and forth. he opened his eyes suddenly. But before he could acknowledge his surroundings, he was drowning into the deep darkness. he thrashed his hands and legs vigorously. But for some reason he was able to breathe and swim normally, inside the void depth of this oceans.

he saw a pallid blue illumination deep in the core of the dark waters. Thrashing his legs, he moved to the blue orb of light like a moth to the flame. he stopped abruptly. he was sitting there right in the centre. For some reason, he did not feel scared or threatened by his presence. he moved forward. he turned his head and faced him. he was surprised. his gaze no longer threatened him.

"You came? I was waiting for you," he said emotionlessly. he sat beside him and inspected his face for the first time. They had the exact same features as if he was looking at a mirror. Why hadn't he realised it before? he sighed. A comfortable soothing silence settled between them.

"Where am I?" he asked.

"Your mind," he replied. he stared at him silently. he was in his mind. Unbelievable. But somehow he didn't feel surprised.

"So you are me," he stated. he didn't return his calculative gaze. he didn't even look into his eyes.

"Depends on how you take it. Well yes," he answered. he slumped his shoulders.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"I don't know," he replied confusedly. Why was he here?

"You came here to ask me something." he told him. he stared at him sceptically. But he knew what he was implying.

"How did dad die?" he finally asked. he wanted to know the truth. he wanted to be convinced that he wasn't the reason why he died. he took a deep breath.

"Your-our dad killed himself. You- we were hiding under the bed. We were scared that he would hit us. his drunken self was extremely violent. he used to do stuff to us. Painful stuff. Don't you remember? You might not, because we decided to split right after this incident. As usual, he came upstairs with a bottle of beer on one hand. We were cowering in fear but unusually he wasn't searching for us. he rummaged through the drawers and took out a bottle of pills. he took a handful of them and downed them in one go along with alcohol. We knew something was wrong. But we were too scared to go for help.

We watched him die. We watched him faint and crawl on the floor. We watched his mouth foam and froth. We watched his legs and hands tremble. Trust me, we saw his feet quiver for the last time. We watched his eyes roll inwards. We watched his life slip away. But we didn't do anything. Absolutely nothing ," he said. he lowered his gaze.

"We killed him," he whispered darkly. he looked up sharply to meet with his conflicting eyes. his hands trembled. But he knew that it wasn't true. he have to prove it false.

"No. I didn't. I was only eight. It was entirely his choice to take away his life. I could not have stopped him," he shouted. Their gazes locked and engaged in an unspoken battle.

"I did not kill him," he said with so much determination that it surprised him. Unlike each other time, it was he who had looked away in shame this time. A smile crept onto his lips. he is finally victorious. he won the battle.

That's when he heard a soft voice. A voice too familiar to him. A voice even divine than the Angels of his kingdom. A voice that had the same melodious quality of Santa's bells. she was calling him. she was finally here. he had to go.

"I have to go," he told him. he ignored him.

"So are you going to stay here?" he asked him before retreating. he met with his gaze again.

"Depends on you," he replied. he smiled at that. Realisation dawned upon him. he was the one who had the entire control to the gears of his life. he was the one who had the power over the steering of the vehicle of his life while he was a mere passenger.

"You can stay here. I don't want you back. I know how to lead my life on my own. I don't need you to control me," he said accusingly yet queerly calm. he watched him lower his eyes on the misty receding floor. she called out his name again. she wanted him back. he had to go.

"Why don't you go back then? Don't keep her waiting," he spoke finally with a sly smirk.

"I won't. I will never ever keep her waiting," he replied. he took a final glance of his hunched defeated figure before he swam back to the surface of his reality. To the imperfect and tainted reality. To his own reality.

Slowly, he fluttered open his eyes to be graced by the image of her beautiful concerned face. he watched as the crease between her eyebrows smoothen. her clenched palms unfolded and he thought she was going to hug him. And she was going to hug but she didn't. Instead she stared into his warm glassy brown eyes. The warmth of their gazes alloyed their love for each other.

Everything was going to be fine. he defeated the rival King. he wanted to tell her about his victory but his voice was all clogged up by his tears and inexplicable feelings. she seemed to understand his joy, his fear and his profound sadness. At least he was no longer feeling emptiness, she thought happily. No words were exchanged between them. With her eyes shining like lost arctic stars, she smiled at him.

And he smiled at her. he was finally back home.

THE END

Frail Where stories live. Discover now