Chapter 12: what the people saw

Umbra had started to believe, if just for a moment, that perhaps-he just might-have found peace. A world that was so warm, so inviting. His mother, his father, his little sister-they were here, alive, and they were happy. It seemed so real, the love and attention they provided; so gracious, the way he was treated by his new friends without judgment, like some form of blessing. After all these years of torment, his heart had begun to thaw, and he almost thought he had found a home again.

Sitting quietly in their cozy home, at times his mind would wander to Akari. He wondered where she was, as she had always been there, always understood him, even when nobody else did. But now, here, surrounded by a new family, he couldn't help but feel her absence. She was supposed to be with him, with this new life-a new beginning. He did not mind if this was a dream; all he wanted to do was share this peace with her.