The Flicker of Fate

...

The nurse: "Aah! You've woken up, sir!"

Hazel: "How… how long have I been here?"

The nurse: "You were in a coma, sir, for six months…"

Hazel fell silent for a long time after the nurse left, as she had been called to the hospital administration room. Staring at the white ceiling above him, the whispers of pain gripped his entire body. His face remained expressionless as he realized that his left arm had been amputated. Yet his features displayed a deep wisdom—he had learned from this tragedy that life was made to exist behind bloodstained curtains. There was no room for surprise or sorrow. 

But what occupied his mind was that tree. He remembered where he had seen it. He had seen that tree in a strange dream after he had fallen asleep on the couch on that exhausting day, when his landlord had shouted at him!

He felt as though he was the sole survivor of the accident because of that dream. The trunk that pierced through the car was so sharp and wide that it killed all the passengers, except for Hazel, who somehow managed to avoid it as if he knew its trajectory. Although this saved him from death, it cost him his left arm. The white ceiling above him, dimly lit, brought some peace to his troubled soul, and perhaps some calm began to seep through his aching body. Suddenly, the quiet was shattered by the echo of knocking at the door. The door opened, revealing someone Hazel never expected to see—it was that disheveled stranger who had visited him at the rehab center before, nicknamed "The Disorganized."

The disheveled man approached Hazel, who looked uneasy and unsettled by this unexpected visit. He sat next to Hazel's bed and spoke: "How are you?"

Hazel remained silent, still staring at the ceiling.

The Disorganized man spoke again: "Are you feeling better?"

Hazel kept staring at the ceiling, refusing to reply.

The Disorganized: "You know? I was worried about you the entire time you were in the coma... For six months, I visited you every day!"

Hazel, now filled with anxiety, finally turned his gaze toward the man and spoke in a faint tone: "Why? Why did you visit me every day? What do I have to do with you?"

The Disorganized replied coldly: "Because I care about you, Mr. Hazel!"

Hazel sensed something off about this man's behavior, and strange doubts started to creep in. Then suddenly, The Disorganized stood up and loomed over Hazel. As Hazel's eyes captured the shock and surprise in this unexpected shift, The Disorganized swiftly grabbed the pillow beneath Hazel's head. Without hesitation, he began to strangle him violently with it! Hazel's struggle under the weight of the pillow was pitiful as The Disorganized pressed down harder and harder. With only his right hand to defend himself, Hazel fought desperately, but as the moments passed, his movements grew weaker, as if he were teetering on the brink of despair and surrendering to his inevitable fate… until suddenly!

A strange man entered the room, his figure cast in the shadow of his thirties. He wore dark sunglasses that concealed his mystery and a black suit that draped over his body, with long folds cascading down. His left ear was cut off, adding to his ominous and enigmatic appearance. 

The mysterious man moved swiftly toward The Disorganized, who was on the verge of finishing Hazel off. In a sudden burst, the two exchanged violent blows as the mysterious man knocked The Disorganized to the ground. The fight continued as Hazel fought to catch his breath, desperately inhaling air into his lungs! Then, in a sudden, rapid attack, The Disorganized lunged at the mysterious man with a knife! But strangely enough, the mysterious man dodged every strike with impossible precision. His movements were uncanny, as if he could foresee each attack from The Disorganized before it even happened. It was as though he had an analytical vision, allowing him to predict the entire fight in advance. 

Hazel watched the fight in awe, and then, in one swift and powerful strike, the mysterious man delivered a blow to The Disorganized's throat. The powerful punch sent The Disorganized crashing to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth uncontrollably. But suddenly, The Disorganized sprang to his feet and quickly fled from the hospital.

The mysterious man walked over to the water bottle, filled a glass, and handed it to Hazel, who was still trying to catch his breath and process what had just happened. Hazel drank the water and coughed violently before lying down again.

The mysterious man spoke: "In short, my name is **Scath**, and I'm here to save you, Hazel. So, without hesitation, I need you to sleep now."

Hazel glared at him with hatred and anger, then spoke: "Damn you! Damn you and that lunatic who tried to kill me! Get out! Get out of my room now! I'm going to call the nurses and security!"

Hazel reached for the emergency button and pressed it frantically, repeatedly calling for the nurses. He expected the mysterious man to flee, but when he turned to look at **Scath**, he found him standing still, motionless, with his terrifying gaze locked on him.

Scath, coldly: "Listen. That person who tried to kill you already took care of all the nurses and security guards so he could get to you. I'm the only one who can protect you now. So take this pill, and you'll have the answers to all your questions."

Hazel was silent for a long time, staring at the pill in **Scath**'s hand. After a long moment of contemplation, Hazel took the pill and closed his eyes…

Hazel was perched on the edge of the towering building, grappling with his harsh memories. Life had lost all color and flavor; it had become utterly bleak, and the purpose of continuing to live had faded. He made a decisive choice… After deep contemplation, he decided to jump from the top of the building, as if he were closing the final chapter of his life. As he plummeted rapidly toward the ground, flashes of his past raced before his eyes like lightning. It seemed the film of his exhausting life was replaying at an incredible speed, as if he were judging himself for his delayed farewell… just as the impact with the ground was imminent!

Just a few meters separated him from his fated end when a miracle occurred! He suddenly stopped in mid-air, as if he had bizarrely and mysteriously defied the laws of gravity. Stunned by the spectacle, he couldn't comprehend the situation before him when a mysterious figure appeared—Scath! He stood ominously beside him.