“I’m so happy to see you both again!” Raul beamed. “It's just so bad that whenever you go into that mansion, you barely notice the world outside.” Sophie laughed. “It's not like that.” She signed. “We’ve all been busy.” Raul raised his chin. “With what, mm? You would just leave your friend like that. Not one word from you both,“ he said, turning to glare at Rhys. “I am more upset with you, man. I thought we bonded that day.” He said it, feigning a hurt expression. “We just had so much to do.” Rhys chuckled. “And I know it’s definitely not related to the festival, because the festival is today, and I haven’t laid eyes on you both for weeks.” He picked out some fruits from the table, wrapped them in a paper bag, and handed them to a waiting customer. There was a crowd in his shop, and Sophie wondered how he could attend to them all and still find time to talk to them like this. “I saw your aunt out here the other day.” He said this to Sophie. “She did not look so good. I suppos

They sat facing each other. Some had forced smiles on their faces, some had fake smiles, and there were people like Sophie, Rhys, and Raul whose smiles were a mirror of their hearts. They sat on a long bench around a table packed with various assortments of food. Rhys was amazed by the festival and how they celebrated it. Each family brought with them coolers of foods and drinks, and they each laid out one delicacy on the table. And there were more tables than Rhys’ eyes could count. He had been able to count fifteen before he was distracted by a girl who hung from his arm. She appeared to be drunk, but he could not push her away. Sophie gave him the pity look and then returned her attention to Raul, who was explaining something to her animatedly. Music blasted in the background. Just sounds from locally made instruments and the occasional hooting of what Rhys believed to be a madman. Raul called it spirit music, and the hooting man was the most spiritual person they had in town

Death was something most humans feared. The things that came after, the uncertainty of what was beyond. Anxiety plagued them in their belief that nothing came after this existence. Yet he held onto none of those fears. He did not get the fact that once he was gone from this world, he was gone forever. All he wanted was to be gone. It did not matter what came after. He was tired of the suffering, of the shame, and of the guilt, which slowly and painfully obliterated him. He had begged for death to come faster. To end all these with one single blow to his heart. If he were stronger and his limbs were not so weak that they no longer needed his calls, he would have prayed to death until they arrived at his door. But Eliana was faster. Ahead. It was because he was here, bedridden like this. If not, what was she to him other than an annoying fly that he could easily swat away? She could not have been faster, nor would she have had the thoughts of punishing him or putting those thoughts i

Eliana threw back her head and laughed. There was something about Rhys that reminded her greatly of her youth. when she was young and not so uptight. It made her feel like she could be young and free again. She could throw all caution into the wind and just live, not minding the consequences. Tears had begun to appear in her eyes from all the laughter, and she cleaned them off with a finger. “What did I do?” She echoed his question. “It’s funny. I’m sorry, but it is really funny. For you to think that an old woman like me can do anything.” She smirked and corked her head to the side. “What did you think I did, Rhys?” Rhys stared at the woman long and hard. And she laughed again. He frowned. “Are you drunk? Did you take those pills again?” She narrowed her eyes. “What pills? How do you know about the pills?” He rolled his eyes and got up from his seat. “You took the pills. Get up; I’m taking you to bed.” “No,” she shrieked. “I am going nowhere.” “We have a guest in the ho

Rhys tapped his feet as they waited for the therapist. They had driven a long distance to be here, and Sophie was anxious to go back home before her aunt noticed their absence. The receptionist, whom they had booked their appointment with and had received them as they came, returned with two bottles of chilled water. “Here please.” She smiled nervously, handing them one bottle each. “Vivienne would be here shortly. She doesn’t usually keep her clients waiting, but something came up last minute.” “No, it’s fine,” Rhys began saying, but stopped as Sophie punched his thighs. “Uhh, if there is a way you can let her know we are here and in quite a hurry,” he said instead. The woman took a step back. Rhys had the time to take a good look at her now—he hadn’t before. She looked like she was in her early or mid-thirties, chubby with a chinless face and fat legs that hid inside a pair of flat soles. “Well,” she began. “Ms. Vivienne is aware that you are here, and you do know that your