Chasing Dreams (Dropped)

Chapter 163: Seth's Choice

Having a physical body was strange for Maija. After spending the last three centuries in an ethereal form, she couldn't help but marvel at her appearance.

"I'm alive!" Maija roared, saying it loud enough so she wouldn't forget. Maija closed her eyes and felt the Sun graze her skin. It's warmth felt like soft hands caressing her body. With a small shiver of excitement, Maija reopened her eyes to take in the world's beauty.

"This place has changed a lot hasn't it?" Maija asked, directing her question at Seth.

"I wouldn't know." Seth responded plainly. "This place hasn't changed much since I was born."

Maija tightened her lips and hummed. "Oh yes that's right." She had forgotten Seth hadn't experienced the same world as her. "I suppose all of this for you is rather dull."

"I wouldn't necessarily call it dull." Seth soon corrected. Seth gazed at the surrounding area. He never spent much time in his mother's garden, at least not since she died. He'd only visit to pay his respects, every once in awhile leaving flowers and passing on a few words.

Sarah spent much more time in the garden than he did. Typically reading books, or having tea. Every once in a while, Seth would even see her speaking to the gravestone. Although Seth never quite understood why it wasn't like it'd talk back.

"Then what would you call it?" Maija asked, her eyes flashed red with curiosity.

Seth took another look around. He envisioned himself and Sarah running through the fields, throwing roses while their mother chased them. It had been so long since then. There were times when Seth longed to see his mother again. To feel her touch. To hear her voice.

"You are doing the right thing."

Even now, Seth wished to hear her utter those words. It was the only way he could justify to himself that he was doing was the right thing. By pulling his family from Blight, Seth would essentially be crushing Sarah's dream.

Seth slowly lost himself in thought. He took another look absorbing Sarah's warm smile. He imagined that smile fade, and a frown took its place.

"Everything is going back to the way it used to be."

Seth thought about his relationship with Sarah before Ren intervened. Back when Sarah was quiet and hardly left her room. Back then, Seth rarely even exchanged words with his sister. At every chance, he had he'd try to avoid her since her face resembled their late mother's.

Each time Seth locked eyes with Sarah, he was reminded of his failures. He was reminded that he wasn't able to protect their mother. He was reminded that he was too weak to defend her from the gangsters of the ghetto.

Seth watched the scenery change. First, his mother faded, and soon the garden did as well. Seth saw the garden morph into a cold room, where he saw Sarah sitting in her wheelchair, staring out a window. There she held a broken sword with her lone hand.

Seth could hear the melancholic tune his mother would often play. A lonely song that their mother once described as beautiful yet tragic.

Like many songs, this song also had a tale. It was written by a sorrowful woman who had everything was taken away from her because of a deal she made with the devil. The story started like many others, the sorrowful woman once lived a happy life. She was married and had a son who she adored more than anything else in the world. Her son lived a comfortable life, loved by all, including his parents and friends. However, it was because of this love that the sorrowful woman's son grew generous. At any chance he had, the son would offer himself to those in need, whether it be people he was close to or those he had no connections to. The son enjoyed helping people so much he decided to become a doctor to save as many people as he possibly could. Unfortunately, even though the son became a fantastic doctor and even got married, the son suddenly fell ill with an incurable disease. The disease caused the son's flesh to rot and left him unable to move, striking his entire family with a wave of grief.