Epilogue

*This episode contains depictions of self harm and violence that may be triggering for some readers.*

July 1st

Diagnosed (as of today): 389

Deaths (as of today): 254

Total diagnosed: 7,177

Total deaths: 3,479

News spread like wildfire. Soon enough, the whole neighborhood was aware that a wolf was reported to have been roaming the streets. Authorities were on the search to catch the dangerous canine.

But nothing interested her anymore. When she came home a few days after being attacked by her own husband in a hostile manner, he was--like expected--simply gone. The house was still left in a mess, but she had found a note left on the doorstep.

It had been over two weeks since Asher Smith had disappeared from the face of this world. Constance's body was tired and worn out from crying; she spent her days at home staring through the windows at absolutely nothing. Occasionally she'd receive a few phone calls from Evelyn, but her urge to answer them had disappeared.

Eventually, a few mountain hikers reported to the authorities about finding a dead wolf body lying in one of the tourist tracks. The whole mountain was to be further investigated. As of now, it was enforced as a "danger zone". After a long period of research and tests, it was confirmed that the wolf had jumped off a nearby cliff and landed on the rock-paved climbing tracks.

They couldn't confirm if it was him or not. The body had already started decomposing at an alarmingly fast rate.

She clutched the note in her hands and felt it crumble as her fist enclosed it tightly. Then she smoothed it out onto her lap and stared at the wrinkled words.

"We'll meet again one day", it said in messy, scrawled out letters.

・・・

When Asher Smith jumped off the cliff that foggy morning, he saw Jamie smoking in the corner, and Evelyn posing with her countless collection of bread loaves. He saw the patients in the hospital, and he saw Wilder and his toothless grin. And he saw Constance's tired, weary smile. When she cried. When she laughed. It was all etched into his mind as the memories he shared with her flashed continuously before his eyes.

He saw the human Asher, and the copy-cat wolf.

I wonder what their desires were, he thought.

And when he landed, it was not a hard fall. He bloomed--like the first flower beneath the winter snow--through the realm dividing these two worlds, and landed softly on his cushioned bed.

- end.

The main message of this story is mainly focused on the unexpected turn of events life can bring us, and how sometimes, the hardest decision to make may end up being your best one yet. However, this story is not used to promote any types of self-harm or suicide. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out to www.thehotline.org.