He opened his eyes.
It was dark. Pure darkness. He could not see the tree, nor that he was standing on the same path as before. Even the fallen tree leaves were out of his sight.
Were they blown away, or was it so dark he couldn't even see his feet?
He wasn't worried about that either.
Looking up:
The same pitch-black sky. The smell of the storm, wet and eternal. The relentless wind, tearing his eardrums apart. His face covered in rain, not a single part remained dry. The weight of his drenched clothes stuck to his skin, making him feel colder with each second. It overcame him. His nose ran. Throat rasped.
He coughed, putting his hand before his face.
The cup in his hand was defenseless, filling up with the rain, the more he hesitated to make a choice. He turned away from where the leaf had gone and started walking in the direction the boy and the expressionless man headed. Each of his footsteps squelched as it pressed against the wet concrete.
For the last time, he looked back at the tree.
His eyes landed on the roots sticking out of the soil, then guided it further away to the trunk, watching the harsh surface, and where his hand carved out a chunk of it. Blood still dripping. Lastly, he went further up to the part where the tree began to diverge: the branches, the leaves, and the crown. Many of the leaves were gone.
Eventually, the fog took away that tree.
The man turned back and continued walking on the path.
The mist painted the path gray; he could hardly follow it. There was no sign of where it led, only his memory and the boy who helped him erase the feeling of being lost. Though, even after that, he didn't know where he was going.
It felt like the road was endless. Only the same site. The imperfect path and the storm followed.
The wind was intense, tugging at his hoodie, trying to force him to turn back. His eyes caught up in the rain, trying to make him close them.
His hoodie flew off. The rain poured on his hair.
Cold. It was too cold.
He didn't realize how much his hoodie protected him from feeling the cold. If he let the rain fall on him, he could lose the warmth of his body in minutes.
His hand moved to his back, grabbing the hoodie.
With one quick motion, he put it back over his face.
Not even a second later, the wind robbed him again, leaving only his hair to shield him from losing his body's heat.
His vision blurred by the rain. Exploded in his ears. Knees buckled, almost collapsing to the ground.
However, he kept walking.
Eyes open, he looked down, covering them from the rain.
His whole body, from head to toe, was soaked. The wind still tried to push him back, pulling him where the torn tree was.
However, he did not let things stop him anymore.
He didn't even know why he was doing all that. But there was no point in all those doubts anymore.
All will be over anyway.
There was not a bone in his body that wasn't opposed to him pursuing that path. All they wanted was to lie under the tree. Everything from his physical to the spiritual, they all wanted him to stop. That's why he never could. Even if the whole world tells him, including himself, that it's impossible, he won't listen. Because all he ever did was listen.
But now, he'll take his life into his own hands.
Not a single moment went by without the wind trying to break through, nor without hearing the voices trying to make him turn back.
Why are you doing this? It's over. Give up. You messed up. There's no—
…I don't care. The man cut the voices. Though, that's all he did, still not finding the courage to fight them.
You don't? That's funny. Why didn't you leave me then?
Silence.
What? Can't answer? The voices probed him.
The man didn't say anything back.
Hah, figured. I know you. I'm the only one who does. You gonna fail, and you know it. So why try? You've spent your whole life running away. What're you hoping to accomplish now?
Silence.
Still nothing? Huh, you're so pitiful.
The voices didn't let him breathe. They kept coming with no end.
Maybe that's why you left her, right? You knew yourself better than she did; that's why you ran away. Finally, one thing that made sense in your pathetic, insignificant life.
More and more of the voices gathered, confining him inside his mind.
They kept going with no mercy.
She would've had a better life if you weren't the one who was there. If only a different person had shown up, she wouldn't have suffered so much. You stole her chances of finding true happiness. It's your fault she suffers.
The man's chest tightened. A jolt of aching pain reached his heart.
Those voices, maybe they were right after all. For all this time, they were his only guides. They led him to where he was. He followed them everywhere, and now, it's over. He will die, here in the rain.
The man began to slow down. Legs barely moving.
Cold surrounded him. Rain fell on his hair. Mud covered his dark blue shoes.
Everything he fought for will end here.
Legs stopped. The wind intensely flapped his clothes. The lids of his eyes shut.
All he could see was blackness.
The cold rain overcame him. The wind whooshed in his ears. He could smell the scent of the muddy grass breaking through the concrete.
Inside his head, the voices were still running rampant.
You can't do it. You're not someone else; you are you, and that's why you were doomed to fail. Stop, and everything will be better. You won't suffer. Others won't get disappointed. All of this will become better. Just don't try.
He squeezed his eyes hard, trying to keep his eyelids at the bottom of his eyes. Even when they almost lifted, he forced them back down.
That's what you deserve. Dying inside your own foolishness. Forever be a little piece of—
Don't listen to them!
Something intervened, cutting off the voices.
It wasn't the man. He was on the verge of succumbing to his own powerlessness.
That voice… it sounded nothing like the ones that came before. Her voice was gentle. And above everything, she was there to reach the man.
They don't know you! she shouted. They never did. They don't see what we can! We—
The voices cut in, irritated.
…Why are you insisting on knowing him more than any of us? she asked, her tone fragile, as though tears were welling up inside her soul.
The voices continued without breaking a sweat.
Before continuing, a controlled silence swept through the atmosphere of the man's mind.
Exactly four seconds later, they killed the stillness.
There was no gap where an argument could've fit through the cracks. Everything was absolute. Some things can be negotiated, but this wasn't among them. Even so, she was not here to take chances. Whether she had less than a one percent chance of succeeding or even zero, she didn't care. It wasn't the time for evaluating anything logical, as this whole thing was the furthest from it.
She persisted.
Can…Can't you change…
She could barely finish before the voices cut in.
Unlike before, their tone was stronger, as though a nerve had just snapped in half.
Four seconds had already passed before their voices came back.
Upon sensing what her question caused in them, the gentle voice tried to cool the atmosphere down, wasting no time to correct what might have been misunderstood.
I didn't mean to—
But was interrupted by them.
She was stunned. Her voice was so weak that she could only speak in fragments.
I…I don't know, she stammered.
he answered, his voice calming down.
He continued, She couldn't say anything back. They had total control over the conversation.
No…I don't—
She got cut off again.
He stopped. Then chuckled.
I…I was being serious.
She tried. With everything she had, she put it all on the line. Even when she had no chance of ever winning that war, she tried to at least win the battle.
I am just trying to make you understan—
But it was futile.
Without pausing, she shouted:
I do! I know what you think about who you are. But…
She stopped.
For a couple of seconds, she stayed quiet, then said, I see the tree. I see the parts you can't. I—
A deep sigh cut through her words.
They continued to have that conversation. She refused to stop reaching out, and they refused to let her in. Neither side gave what the other wanted. Even when one side seemingly lost the whole discussion, they refused to end it there. They pushed through. And for the longest time, both sides kept their emotions under control with only some minor slip-ups.
After minutes of back and forth, though, something broke.
They continued.
They tried everything to make her stop. To give up and let the man have his final moments by himself. But she refused to accept an ending like that.
No! That's not true! You are—
But as much as she tried, the voices gave her no space to talk.
After seeing that no matter what they tried to do to make her understand that she can't save the man from the prison of his own mind, the voices lost all patience.
He's the worst! A weak, pathetic garbage!A horrible human being who only cares about what others think of him!
Why can't you get it!?
He doesn't care about others' feelings! All he ever cared about was himself! No one else! Only himself!! Understand it finally!>
The voices intensified, erupting like a volcano that was dormant for decades.
Then, they quieted.
Their voices gradually became weaker until their tone sounded nothing like what it was before. As though they became someone else when they blurted:
You deceive to keep yourself safe. You lie to make them fall for your tricks. Nothing about you is genuine, and yet they all think you are. I'm so sick of it.>
Waiting until the voices finished, the gentle voice spoke up.
You are wrong, she corrected them. There is a side to him that you can't see. Something that…
She tried with everything she had. She tried to make them finally understand what she saw in them. But the voices immediately defended their positions.
A brief silence followed.
It seemed that they finally made her back away.
At least, that's what they thought, but…
She did not let them win. She argued back with the only thing that both the man and the voices refused to see.
The truth.
Have you ever taken the time to see what wasn't broken? she began, her voice rising.
Did you notice the sapling had become a tree…?
She paused, making sure the weight of what she said could finally be felt. And when she made sure that enough time had passed, she continued.
All you ever saw were the roots. You have never once looked up to see the blooming crown, the flowers on the foliage that the wind gently touches, the sturdy trunk never once wavering, the leaves that silently fell on the soil…
You… You…
You never saw any of that! she shouted, her voice colliding with the voices.
A second barely passed. They snapped.
Why can't you—
Before anyone could've said another word, the voices lost their patience and started screaming without end.
They went on and on; some parts were cut out by the man's mind.
Every attempt to overshout the voices ended in failure. Eventually, the gentle voice could no longer be heard as it was lost in the noise.
All the man could hear was the sound of the voices still ranting inside his head. It was cluttered and suffocating. Repeating the same words in the same chaotic order as if arguing with a ghost of its own creation.
His mind was screaming louder than ever before.
He could hardly bear the weight of the noise ravaging the inside of his head. Every second, the voice was the same. No change happened, just the same aggressive tone flowing endlessly.
It was unbearable.
He tried to close out everything and think about nothing but the still atmosphere inside his mind, but the voices didn't stop.
More and more came, suffocating him inside the noise that never ceased.
You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, li__liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't____You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know_______the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We ar________! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You l_______liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You gonna lose everything! You're wrong! I am rig________liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking?________who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wro____…no…____liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right_________know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I kno_______ne who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are____…please…____hing! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! He killed them! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones______wed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong!__________liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Wh______…there…______e are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the__________knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who kno_____________ou speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him_____…are…_____e who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one_______nows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You_________We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, lia______…people…______m! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're________aking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking___________nly ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong_____________know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one______…who…______re you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We_______ht! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak!_________re wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows hi____________ speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only on____…cherish…_____Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to_______hut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar,__________ow him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know him! I'm the only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, liar, liar! I know hi_____________one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right! You liar, liar, lia__________________________only one who knows him! Why're you speaking? We are the only ones who're allowed to speak! Shut up! You're wrong! We are right! You don't know anything! You're wrong! I am right!
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…You are enough…
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…Live…
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…I love you…
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Light whispers echoed through his head, covering the entire infrastructure with compassion.
The man felt his heart beating in his chest.
Duum, duum, duum.
He could hear his heartbeat, gently circulating his blood in his veins.
One hand moved to his left chest. He touched his hoodie with his palm, placing it on the surface of his warm body.
The voices from the other side were still audible.
His fist clenched, veins poking.
The voices got louder and louder until the feeling of suffocation came back to him. He could hear them still arguing. Even when there was no one there, they rebelled.
There was only one way forward.
If he ever wanted to move, it was now or never.
He chose the former.
The man tore down the glass, shattering it into pieces.
The voices could be heard at full volume.
Having found the courage through the tender whispers, the man fought back. He took a deep breath and screamed at the top of his lungs.
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"SHUT UP!"
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All the noises from before stopped.
"Get out of here! I don't care about you anymore."
…
For five seconds, they stopped.
Then came back.
The man tried to fight, but they didn't let him.
"I don't care," said the man. "I won't spend the last of my time with you."
"I have had enough!" he cut the voices. "Say what you want, I don't have the time to listen to your voice anymore."
The voices lowered.
...…you...time…
They quieted moment by moment until the sound was almost gone.
...…
Eventually, they stopped, no longer audible to the man.
He opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was a warm light piercing through the dark sky above.