Elsewhere
Carter lay unconscious on a wide, empty stretch of land.
The grass around him was still, barely moving, as if the world itself were holding its breath. The sun hung low on the horizon, bleeding shades of orange and red across the sky. Its fading light stretched Carter's small figure into a long, fragile shadow against the earth.
His father found him there.
For a moment, he simply stood, staring at his son's still body, the quiet wind brushing against his clothes. Then, with a sharp breath, he rushed forward.
Later, Carter slowly opened his eyes.
The ceiling above him was unfamiliar. Soft moonlight filtered through thin curtains, painting the walls in pale white. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear the faint ticking of a clock and the low murmur of wind outside the window.
His body felt heavy, like he had been pulled from a deep, endless sleep.
Carter shifted slightly, the sheets rustling beneath him. He pushed himself up, sitting weakly against the headboard. His head throbbed, and his chest felt tight, as if something painful had settled there.
Then he heard his father's voice.
"Son… you were in a fight again."
Carter's fingers tightened on the blanket.
He lowered his gaze. "Dad… I was helping my friends. They are good people."
His father sighed — a long, tired breath that carried years of unspoken pain.
"I know. But they only use you."
Carter frowned, his heart twisting. "What do you mean? They aren't like that. Who told you this?"
Before his father could answer, footsteps echoed softly across the floor. Carter watched as his father returned with a wooden chair. The legs scraped quietly against the floor as he placed it beside the bed and sat down.
Half of his face was hidden in shadow, his eyes distant, as if lost in memories Carter could not see.
He inhaled deeply.
"Listen to me carefully, son."
Carter swallowed, his pulse quickening.
"You have talent and ability — things many others do not. People who lack those things often become jealous."
Carter's breath hitched slightly.
"They see you alone and try to take advantage of your abilities for their own goals. And when things go wrong, they'll turn on you, pretending they never knew you."
A cold realization crept into Carter's chest. Fragments of past moments flashed in his mind — friends laughing together without him, whispering when he approached, leaving him behind when trouble came.
His father's voice remained steady but heavy.
"That's how the world works, my son. People often exploit kind-hearted people like you. Once they get what they want, they discard them like trash."
Carter felt his throat tighten.
"And the worst part is… kind people end up blaming themselves, wondering what they did wrong. Some even begin to question their own worth."
Carter slowly nodded, his eyes glistening.
His father leaned forward slightly, the chair creaking beneath him.
"My son, choose your friends wisely. The people you surround yourself with can either lift you to greater heights… or drag you into your deepest suffering."
Carter's lips trembled. His voice came out broken.
"But father… I am all alone. No one wants to be my friend. Now I understand… everyone was using me."
Tears spilled down his cheeks, soaking into the blanket in his trembling hands.
His father's expression softened, yet his words remained firm.
"They mistake your kindness for weakness."
Carter stared at him through blurred vision.
"Your greatest flaw, my son, is that you don't trust yourself. You always try to hide behind others… and that could become your most fatal mistake."
Carter wiped his eyes, his chest aching. "What do you mean, father?"
His father exhaled slowly, his gaze drifting for a moment.
"Everyone has to die one day. No one is immortal — not you, not me, not your mother."
The room suddenly felt colder.
"We don't know when our time will come. What if today is my last day? What if you never see me again after this?"
Carter's heart clenched painfully.
His father continued, his voice heavier now.
"What I want you to understand is this: you must learn to stand on your own feet. I won't be here forever. Your mother won't always be there to protect you."
Carter's breathing grew shallow.
"One day, you will have no choice but to face this world alone."
Outside, the wind rattled the window softly, as if echoing his father's words.
"And when that day comes, you will see the cruelty of society and the darker side of human nature. This world is filled with evil."
Carter lowered his head, tears falling silently.
"One day, your mother will grow old, bedridden… and you will be the one who has to take care of her and your younger sisters."
Carter nodded slowly, every word sinking deep into his soul.
His father's voice softened again.
"So I want you to be strong… but kind. And kind… but strong."
Carter looked up.
"Never let anyone believe your kindness comes from weakness. Let the world know that no matter what happens, you choose to be kind."
The room felt quiet, almost sacred.
"And don't become like your old man."
Carter blinked. "Why, father? I want to be smart and wise like you."
His father let out a faint, tired smile — one filled with both love and regret.
"I am not wise. And I am not smart."
His gaze dropped briefly to the floor.
"I've simply made many mistakes… and suffered because of them. But that suffering taught me lessons — lessons I can pass on to you so you won't repeat them."
Carter looked at him earnestly. "What should I do, then?"
His father's voice grew gentle.
"Like I said — choose your friends carefully. Make your family your first priority. Be kind."
A pause.
"If someone speaks harshly to you, remain patient… because you don't know what they have been through."
His father leaned back slightly, his expression solemn.
"And most importantly… be wise. Life is too short to waste on people who don't deserve it."
Carter kept nodding.
Then, he woke up in a bed, in Jake's base.
Father, I been doing what you said. Carter thought, clenching his fist.