Chapter 1: Red eyes

Tick, tick, tick

The night unfolded like a requiem, a melancholic melody echoing through the emptiness. Against the gnarled embrace of an oak tree, a weary 16-year-old sought solace in the dance of flames, sealing a joint as if stitching together the fragments of a shattered soul. His wry smile seemed more a fleeting illusion, a feeble attempt to mask the profound sadness etched upon his face.

Lying beneath the starry expanse, he took intermittent drags, exhaling smoke rings that dissipated into the void, mirroring the ephemeral nature of his fragile existence. Ten minutes lingered like an eternity, each moment a descent into the abyss of failures, loss, and the unrelenting ache of solitude.

As he rose, the moonlight revealed a visage marked by tears, leaves entwined in unkempt hair, and eyes reflecting the desolation within. The young man stepped into the moonlit agony, his hoodie concealing the ominous artifact – his father's glock. No fear lingered in his gaze, only the resignation of one who had surrendered to the unyielding weight of despair.

With a heavy breath, he raised the glock to his lips, a macabre communion with fate. The universe bore witness to his final exhale, a silent plea for release from the relentless grip of misery. The trigger was pulled, and within the blinding whiteness, his sorrow-soaked narrative met its tragic conclusion.