Howard's Decision

Howard closed his eyes, the wind carrying a faint scent of fireworks, signaling the approach of dinner time when Breeze City would plunge into the revelry of the evening meal.

This was the most relaxed time for the people here, marking the end of a day's work, followed by unrestrained relaxation.

It felt like a warm ocean, where the minutiae of noise were both amplified and ignored.

Howard felt his consciousness expanding in a fascinating manner, as if observing the world's operations from a divine perspective – life and death, rises and falls, all seemingly detached from him.

This sensation lasted for about fifteen minutes, but sensorially, it felt as long as a day and a night.

As his expanded consciousness retracted, the cacophony of sounds filled Howard's mind.

He frowned, taking a few minutes to adjust before the sounds gradually faded away.

Finally, he opened his eyes.

"What was that?" Howard inquired within, directed at Zero.