William drew a heavy puff letting it out slowly. "When will you come back?"
"So much has changed without you. I couldn't continue, without you by my side." Taking another puff the thick smoke lingered for a few seconds.
The snow caught the tears dripping down William's face.
"Come back 'HOME'." William wanted to scream. Yet it came out shorter than a breath.
William flicked the cigarette aside and kneeled, his hands slowly wiping away the snow from the slab.
A grave was revealed holding the name Sam Sven.
William continued to cry, kneeling in the snow in front of the tomb.
"Sometimes I think of ending myself but the guilt always holds me." William's voice barely above a whisper.
"I'm scared if I end myself we both get to a different place." A small laugh escaped. "Even if we both are sinners."
"I just hope we don't end up in the distant afterlife."
A ghost of Sam reached his hand putting it on William's shoulders.
"It's been 30 years my friend, you should have moved on."
Sam felt pity watching his best friend to the point he stayed as a ghost.
*Crack crack* Walking in the snow created a cracking sound similar window cracking.
A man younger than William emerged from the snow path.
Sam was surprised that even Ishan came yet nobody could feel his presence.
"William let me bring you home, it's getting dark now."
Ishan slowly put his hands on William's coat.
"Ishan, I need just a little more time." William recognized the voice before even looking.
William's eyes were still fixed on the grave
Hearing the answer Ishan also bowed down next to William.
"Mr. Sam a lot has changed after you went away. My son is holding the business."
Ishan's lips twitching as he talked. "I gave my daughter your mother's name."
"I..if on..only." his voice started to crack so William put his hand on Ishan. "If only you could have been there to hold her."
*Sniff sniff* Ishan wiped his tears. "I'm sorry William, I can't do this, he meant so much, as a work partner and also a friend!"
William gave a small nod of understanding. "Please wait for me in the car, I'll come soon."
William looked back at the grave. "Sam, I hope you know he used to tell stories about you to his children."
Ishan who was already leaving the gate heard those words, which made his body shivering from the memories of how he told Sam to his children.
Sam looked at Ishan with a smile. "thank you for remembering me."
Ishan didn't even try to wipe them, leaving them for the cold wind.
"I'm sad that you're gone and might always be." William looked up at the clouds which started to drop snow faster as if they felt the grief.
"But I'm also grateful for how you changed us - not just as people but how deeply losing you meant!"
Sam clenched his fists tighter because it was agonizing to know.
People loved him so much yet it was Sam's decision to take his own life because of grief.
"Nowadays I'm numbing myself with books to feel the lost part of me I had with you." Pulling out a book from inside the coat.
"Lost story doesn't mean an ending, broken swords don't mean the world. One's hope is the gift for life." William covered the book with his body from the snow and his tears.
"Q...quite poetic isn't it? The endless books all tell a story which is close and yet so far from the world."
William sighed. "Sam if you're somehow listening, my life is deteriorating. I hope we will be together again my friend."
William gave a heavy cough which drew blood on his hands.
William rubbed his hands on the snow to clean it.
With that William slowly left the grave and sat inside Ishan's car.
Sam wanted to follow after them but what reason should he?
His grief was the reason for his sister's death.
His despair was his own undoing.
This time his greed won't get a chance with that. Sam sat on the snow which didn't even dent.
A figure descended from the above like a phantom. "Sam take my hand."
Sam looks up at the being.
"Sam your vigil is over... The time I gave you has ended, it's time for us to go."
Sam acknowledges the being. "Thank you for giving me 30 years to watch them." With that he takes the hand.
No sound, no shift of air, no light but the being just stood there after Sam disappeared.
"In time you'll both see the conclusion." With that the being left.
Ishan started the car with William inside. "Boss?"
William gave a short laugh. "Ishan I stopped being your boss years ago."
Getting a little embarrassed "You're right Mr. William. Is it ok if you could join me for some drinks."
"Ishan... What is troubling you to drink?" William's hazy eyes looked at Ishan.
"It's for you to be honest." Ishan couldn't look back at the eyes busy with the road ahead.
William gave a slight sigh. "So you heard about it?"
"Yes the doctor told me all about your time." Ishan's eyes got more and more unfocused.
"If you know my short time then I don't see the problem. But don't tell it to Ganesh I know he will be most devastated by the news." William smiled as if it wasn't tragic for his life.
*Vroom vroom*
The windshield wipers going up and down to clear the vision of the car.
The silence was more than anything else you wanted.
"Ishan is snowing heavily, I changed my mind." Breaking the silence William looked at Ishan's direction not fully looking at him. "I'll go home."
Ishan sighed in relief he also didn't want to drink. "Alright."
Turning the car Ishan drove straight to William's home, helping him to get inside.
The old house untouched by time didn't age.
Yet the interior old tiles collecting dust, even the bookshelf which had few Ina's books.
Ishan helped William on his favorite cozy chair.
William nodded in thanks without saying anything.
Ishan not wanting to trouble him just left quietly going home.
William waited patiently for Ishan to leave after Ishan's car left he finally coughed up the blood he was holding back.
His weak body couldn't let him even spit the blood in a sink.
The metallic taste wasn't harsh like he remembered, it was warm like a new spring.
William sat on his soft couch with a blanket on top, pulling out a book he never could finish.
His bloody hands turned a few pages red but he still continued to read while coughing his blood.
Time flew past like a wind as dawn started to rise.
"I'm sorry Ishan I'll be leaving earlier than I hoped." Closing the book William slowly closed his eyes.
His breathing becoming slow yet no pain was present. His figure even lifeless looked as if he was just sleeping.
'I want to know how the book ended.'
A small amount of blood seeping out of the pages William just was reading on to the blanket.
It was a silent death. Maybe pitiful but William never really thought about it.