John walked slowly through the dark streets, feeling as though he were moving through a world half formed an empty place filled only with his despair and his regrets. The cold night air bit into him but he barely noticed. He was numb, utterly lost both physically and emotionally. The landlord's offer of marriage to his underage daughter haunted his thoughts and it disgusted him but yet, a small, sinister part of him whispered that maybe this was all he deserved, the fallout of a life marred by his own betrayals and mistakes.
John clenched his fists with frustration flaring in his chest. The image of Isabelle swam into his mind. Her face, her laughter all flooded back to him, painful and yet comforting. Memories of what could have been weighed heavily on his heart.