The Greatest Showman #1131 - Huge Information

"I had a daughter once. She was playing hide and seek in kindergarten that year, she slipped, hit her head, and left."

It was a simple statement, unadorned by dramatic ups and downs, free from thrilling moments or emotional storms. Yet, it conveyed volumes—capturing the profound surging emotions and the internal turmoil that lay just beneath the surface. The sadness and loneliness that lingered in Alex's bones curled inward, like smoke rising into the air, dissipating only to disappear into the void.

Alex bit her gums lightly, unable to suppress the silent tremors of pain and despair. The wound she had convinced herself was healed was still raw, still unhealed. She lowered her eyes, hoping to shield herself from the exposure, but the effort was futile. The bitterness that had remained buried for so long now seeped out in the form of a faint tremble of her lips, a futile attempt at a smile that quickly fell apart before it even fully bloomed, vanishing in an instant.

For the first time, she finally accepted the reality she had been avoiding—the truth that she was alone, truly and completely alone. And, in her solitude, she realized that she no longer had the will to continue living.

"If she was still alive, she would be seven years old this year." Alex's voice barely rose above a whisper. The words seemed fragile, like the delicate wings of a butterfly fluttering in the sunlight, only to be shattered by the gentle breeze.

In that moment, Alex's eyes fell, and Ryan saw what she tried so desperately to hide—her true self, the lost part of her that was now engulfed in sadness. The wave of grief was so overwhelming, it almost consumed her, threatening to break through all her defenses.

But only for a moment.

Because time was running out. There was no more time for her, nor for Ryan.

She raised her eyes to meet his, letting out a soft exhale before whispering, "Ryan, try... just... try."

Her left hand moved toward the buckle, and in an instant, Ryan's eyes widened, fear and despair radiating from his gaze. His helplessness was unmistakable—he didn't need to say anything for Alex to understand.

But Alex couldn't give in. With a faint twist of her lips, she muttered, "It's not up to you to decide, and it's not up to me either."

Ryan shook his head, desperately, almost pleading, as if his will alone could alter the course of fate. He clutched the rope with every ounce of strength he had left, struggling against the overwhelming forces of the universe, the vastness and grandeur of which seemed to mock his efforts.

Alex knew he would never give up easily. Not on her. Not on life.

With that understanding, she unlocked the buckle, her actions deliberate and calm as Ryan's trembling voice reached her ear.

"Alix."

The single word held so much weight, as if his soul was pouring out in that moment. Alex's eyes flickered, the faintest tremor marking her composure. But she only smiled, her expression full of warmth and resolve. "You'll go back, Ryan. You will."

Then, with a steady breath, Alex let go of the rope, releasing him without a second thought. Slowly, she began to drift away from him, and the rope, once tethered to her, now floated in the emptiness, slowly becoming detached. Ryan's eyes dimmed as he watched her slowly fade from view, the pain of helplessness and the devastation of loss tearing at his soul. The finality of it all was undeniable.

The rope slipped from his hands, and as he reached out in vain, a strange sensation overcame him. The distance between them widened, the last tether to her slipping through his fingers. The parachute rope wrapped around his ankle loosened, and with the sudden absence of Alex's pull, Ryan was sent sliding toward the space station.

"I've got you. I've got you. I've got you," Ryan muttered to himself, his mind numb, his heart aching. His thoughts scattered, his vision blurred as Alex's figure shrank to the size of a palm, swallowed by the chaos of the universe.

In that instant, the world seemed to fall apart. Ryan's desperation grew, but the emptiness of space consumed him, leaving only the faint memory of Alex's presence. His words—his promises—dissolved into the air, swallowed by the abyss.

Alex had undone the buckle, her final act of self-sacrifice, and with it, she disappeared into the dark void. Ryan's vision blurred as he struggled to focus, unable to hold on to the fleeting image of her. His panic intensified, the reality of the situation sinking in, and he realized that this was the end. The finality of their separation had come too soon.

In the stillness of space, Ryan's body became small, insignificant against the vast background. His emotions, once vivid, now faded into the void as his body, lost in weightlessness, continued to drift away. The world collapsed around him, but no sound could reach him.

The shock, the crushing weight of it all, lingered in the silence, a deep echo reverberating in the studio where the scene was being filmed. Each spectator felt the depth of the tragedy unfold in Ryan and Alex's parting—a loss not only of life but of something more profound: the bond between two souls who had reached out for each other in the most desperate of circumstances.

The performance, raw and powerful, left everyone in a state of stunned silence. The emotional weight was almost too much to bear, and yet, it was that very weight that made the moment unforgettable.

Then, suddenly, a sharp sound broke the silence.

"Clap! Clap!"

The applause cut through the tension like a knife, the break in the stillness jolting everyone back to reality. It was unprofessional—an unwelcome interruption. The atmosphere in the studio rippled with confusion and discomfort.

Who was it? Who dared to break the sanctity of this moment?