Death

The first rays of dawn filtered through the window, casting a soft, golden hue across the room. The air was cool, carrying with it the promise of a new day, yet Kael's world was cloaked in a persistent shroud of darkness that even the morning sun struggled to penetrate.

As the alarm clock on the nightstand blared its insistent call, Kael's eyes opened reluctantly. He lay there for a moment, adjusting himself, The room around him was neat and orderly, a stark contrast to the chaos that churned within him.

With a heavy sigh, Kael swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up, his bare feet making contact with the cold wooden floor. Every movement felt like an effort to him. His eyes, dulled and empty, stared at nothing in particular as he tried to muster the energy to face another day.

His morning routine awaited him.

The sound of running water filled the small bathroom as Kael splashed his face, the cold liquid momentarily jolting him from his stupor. He caught his reflection in the mirror the weary eyes, the unruly hair that seemed to mirror the chaos within him and looked away, unable to confront the person staring back at him.

Dressed in the monochrome attire he'd laid out the night before, Kael moved through the motions of preparing breakfast. The clinking of dishes and the sizzle of eggs on the pan were the only sounds that broke the silence of the apartment. The routine was mechanical, a dance he'd perfected over time to distract himself from the gnawing emptiness that threatened to consume him.

Sitting at the small kitchen table, Kael stared at the plate before him, his appetite nonexistent. The taste of food seemed bland and dull, he can't remember a time when simple pleasures held meaning. He pushed the food around with his fork, lost in thoughts that danced on the edge of his consciousness.

Outside, the world continued its ceaseless march forward. Birds sang in the trees, and the city beyond his window hummed with activity, indifferent to the turmoil that raged within him, gnawing at his very being. Kael knew that he, too, had to carry on.

With a resigned sigh, he pushed back from the table and stood up, his movements as sluggish as when he woke up. Another day had begun, another chapter in a life that felt increasingly detached from the vibrant world around him. As he stepped out of his apartment, the door closing behind him.

The city streets bustled with life as Kael walked the familiar path to his workplace. The air was filled with the aroma of coffee from the nearby café, integrating with the sound of hurried footsteps and distant car horns. The façade of normalcy gives him a brief reminder to his current situation

Entering the office building, Kael offered a forced smile to a few co-workers who greeted him casually. He settled into his cubicle, his fingers tapping absentmindedly on the keyboard as he struggled to concentrate on the tasks before him, The screen blurred in his vision, and the weight of his emotions made even the simplest of assignments feel insurmountable.

As the morning wore on, Kael's phone buzzed on the desk, breaking his already thin concentration. The voice on the other end was his boss, Mr. Ward, his tone cool and formal, He begins to speak

'Kael, recently you've been spacing out much more then usual, this isn't good for business you know?' Ward then goes on to lecture Kael thoroughly, but if he is being honest

Kael couldn't care in the slightest.

Kael replies in an almost autonomous tone 'Mr. Ward, I'll make sure it won't happen again' Kael can't help but curse himself in his heart as he may be fired if this keeps up

Then abruptly, his boss interrupts him.

'Kael, I can tell you don't mean a word you've just said, and frankly I don't think that this is going to work out. you have an hour to pack your things, I've already filed the paperwork. Don't take this the wrong way though, I know that you're dealing with the trauma of your friend dying-'

At this point Kael's vision starts to get blurry, his palms start to get sweaty and his breathing picks up.

He's been fired.

Kael can't even hear his boss speaking anymore, he hangs up the phone and begins to pack his things before leaving quietly.

Lost in his inner turmoil, Kael's footsteps carried him across the bustling street without his conscious awareness. 'Stupid, Stupid, Stupid! I can't even hold a single job for more then a fucking week! how am I supposed to pay rent next month?' Kael starts to bite his fingernails and increases his pace 'I fuck everything up! first my friend... then, then-'

Suddenly the screeching of tires and the blaring of a horn filled the air, but Kael remained oblivious. It was only when a blinding force struck him that his mind snapped back to the cold, harsh reality.

The impact hurt more then anything Kael has ever felt in his life, his hearing started to ring violently, a hot and wet feeling overwhelms his body.

He was dying.

The world spun around him, a torrent of emotions flooded his mind, regret, despair, and an agonizing awareness of his own fragility.

As Kael lay on the cold asphalt, the distant wailing of sirens and the concerned voices of onlookers faded into haunting silence. He felt a profound emptiness, a culmination of all the pain and sorrow he'd carried with him flowed out of him like water, tears streaming down his face.

If he had only one regret left, then it was to save his best friend.

Kael's eyes started to become pale and he ceased to move, letting the darkness take over him.