Prologue [1]

"How was your day, Marek?"

Marek remained silent, his gaze drifting towards the window. Outside, three small birds nestled in a cozy nest crafted by their parents caught his attention. They wriggled around with their beaks wide open, chirping happily.

In a moment, two larger birds appeared, carrying worms in their beaks, dropping them into the nest for their hungry offspring. The three siblings eagerly shared the meal while their parents kept a watchful eye, occasionally grooming themselves with their beaks.

"Marek?"

This time, Marek heard the voice clearly and shifted his gaze back to the room. A man dressed in a sharp suit and glasses sat across from him, his expression filled with concern.

"Mm?" Marek blinked twice, refocusing.

"Marek," Edward sighed, "It's been three years since I became your therapist. Despite our time together, I haven't been able to uncover what's truly bothering you until now. I sense there's something on your mind. Are these recurring dreams troubling you again? Have you been following my advice to visualize them, either through drawing or writing?"

"I have," Marek nodded, a hint of gratitude in his smile. "It has helped me tremendously."

"Would you like to share them with me?" Edward asked gently.

"I feel like I'm already sharing them with enough people," Marek declined, crossing his legs and resting his fist on his cheek with a disinterested air.

"Fair enough. Let's discuss something else," Edward agreed, shifting the topic. "You're only twenty years old, still very young. Surely, you must have aspirations for your future. In our previous sessions, you mentioned wanting to accomplish something significant in your life. Have you discovered what that might be?"

"Let's see..." Marek smiled thoughtfully. "Maybe finding a girlfriend? I think I might be at that age where I crave the warmth of a woman's touch, you know, Doctor?"

Edward chuckled, finding Marek's candor amusing. "I understand. I can empathize with that feeling."

"Really? You seem quite mature yourself," Marek said, his gaze wandering to Edward's hands. "And in the three years I've known you, I've never seen any rings on your fingers. Must be tough."

"That's a bit blunt. I'm only thirty-three. I prefer to take my time in finding the right one. What about you, Marek? Have you had any girlfriends?" Edward probed, attempting to delve deeper into Marek's thoughts.

"Oh, yeah not really. Wasn't it in my second year of high school?" Marek furrowed his brow, trying to recall. "There was this girl, Rachel. She rejected me in front of the entire school. Quite the blow, really. She was pretty hot, though."

"Oh, you've never mentioned her before. Tell me more about it," Edward leaned in, curious to learn more.

Marek couldn't help but admire Edward's ability to coax out reluctant thoughts. Despite his initial reservations, Marek spoke honestly.

"Well, there's not much to it, really. She was an aspiring model, and I was the class nerd barely able to voice out a 'hello'. It's safe to say she made the obvious choice any woman with an ounce of sense would make," Marek said with a smile.

He seemed unperturbed by the memory, but Edward sensed it was a pivotal moment for Marek.

From what Edward knew, Marek had dropped out of school at seventeen, which coincided with the time of the rejection. A few months after that, they began their therapy sessions when Marek became Edward's neighbor. Initially, Marek had attributed his departure from school to academic struggles, but now Edward began to grasp the deeper issue.

'But... a nerd?' Edward glanced at Marek again, reassessing his appearance.

Marek was dressed in casual attire, nothing overtly nerdy. The first time Edward had seen him, perhaps, he fit the stereotype with oversized clothes and glasses. But now, he seemed entirely different.

When had this change occurred?

Two years ago?

It certainly wasn't due to Edward's influence, and he knew it.

"I think this experience was beneficial for you, Marek. You've grown from it," Edward remarked optimistically. "Look at how far you've come. With a bit of effort, you could thrive socially if you choose to pursue higher education. Do you think it might be time to consider returning to your studies?"

Marek's smile faded as he began tapping his fingers rhythmically on the sofa's armrest. "Are you trying to be my dad, Edward?"

"Of course not," Edward replied calmly, maintaining his polite smile. He was accustomed to managing Marek's sudden outbursts. Despite Marek's attempts to conceal his emotions, Edward had learned over the three years of their acquaintance to recognize when Marek was upset. Even though Marek appeared composed, his icy demeanor betrayed his true feelings.

"Good, because I really loathe people giving me advice as if they were my either my bastard of father or whore of mother. It's incredibly irritating, especially coming from you, Doctor," Marek retorted, his deep blue eyes narrowing slightly.

"I apologize. We agreed not to broach such subjects, didn't we, Marek?" Edward chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Consider it my way of looking out for you."

"I did interpret it as such, Doctor, because you've become a friend," Marek replied, his smile returning.

"It's a bit disheartening that your closest friend is a decade older than you. You should have friends your own age," Edward said.

"Men of my age seem rather dull compared to you, Doctor. Let's just say they're irritatingly lacking in intelligence," Marek shook his head with a sigh.

"Even your coworker? You mentioned your work at the fast food joint is going smoothly?" Edward inquired.

"Well, it is. It's easy to coax tips from these stupid women or these gullible men, whether they're trying to impress their partners or not," Marek nodded.

"I see..." Edward was taken aback.

So, what Marek meant by 'going well' was that he was increasing his earnings by manipulating his customers with words and psychology.

While most waitstaff might simply endure their shifts, Marek had managed to excel by employing his understanding of human behavior. Initially, he hadn't possessed such skills, but Edward had observed him learn and adapt during their sessions. Marek was perhaps the most astute individual Edward had encountered in his sessions. Listening was one thing, but Marek's willingness to absorb and apply knowledge set him apart.

'Maybe astute isn't the right word. This young man is different…'

"Do you believe in God?" Edward asked.

"?"

"Do you genuinely believe in God? I'm not only referring to the beliefs of Christians or Muslims, but also to other ancient deities like the Greek Gods, Gods of Norse myths, Gods of Ancient Egypt, Gods of the Hindu myths, and the gods of Mesopotamia, among others," Edward listed them off with a serious expression.

Marek offered a faint smile. "I do believe in certain higher entities, but 'God' seems too presumptuous a term to describe them, regardless of their power or influence over us. That's my personal interpretation, at least."

"An interesting perspective. So, do you believe that all your actions, whether good or bad, will be judged to determine your fate, leading either to Heaven or Hell?" Edward continued.

Marek shook his head as he uncrossed his legs, maintaining direct eye contact with Edward. "The concepts of Heaven or Hell may exist, but they're not necessarily tied to traditional notions of divine judgment. Moreover."

"Moreover?"

"Moreover," Marek stood up. "I don't need to feel threatened to do what's right. I am the sole arbiter of my actions, just like any other being."

"Regardless of how extreme that philosophy becomes?" Edward asked, furrowing his brow slightly.

"..."

Marek fell silent, meeting Edward's gaze for a moment before pointing at his own watch.

Checking his watch, Edward rose from his seat. "I believe that's all for today, Marek."

"Yeah, it was good," Marek replied, shaking Edward's hand with a smile. "You might benefit from a therapist yourself."

"Hm?" Edward raised an eyebrow, confused, but Marek waved him off as he left.

Stepping out into the hallway, Marek glanced to his right, towards his own apartment.

"What a luxury," he mused to himself.

Unlocking his door, he pushed it open and entered his apartment. After hanging up his jacket, he moved into the living room.

Grabbing a can of juice from the fridge, he took a sip while scrolling through his phone.

[1 missed call from Karen.]

[New Message: Hey Marek! Wanna hang out this weekend? There's this new movie where this cool Lizard battles a Gorilla, you know?]