Future?
The windows rattled in the developing low-pressure area and hissed with the wind of the pouring rain.
The wetness trickled down the white walls, followed by a bright but brief thunder. The silence was shattered by a tremendous bang, followed by the doctor's words, sending a cold shiver down Kaiden's spine.
What did it exactly mean, he wondered. Although he knew many things, this term was foreign to him.
Finally, he put his thoughts into words and asked with a slightly trembling voice, filled with fear.
The doctor's answer, whose facial expressions were hard to read, as he always wore a bitter grimace, broke the silence once more.
"What exactly is it?"
Kaiden's inquiring gaze, one eyebrow raised, seemed to support the question.
The doctor, whose rough voice was accompanied by the sounds of rain and the recurring hiss of the still-open window, explained that it was a tumor, specifically a brain tumor, which could be particularly aggressive.
Kaiden's expression faded as he heard the deadly diagnosis. His face was unrecognizable. His questioning look, with raised eyebrows, seemed frozen.
His mouth was slightly open, and his eye stared into emptiness.
How could this be?
Just moments ago, he had escaped death, only to now embrace it with open arms. This couldn't be the end; despair overcame the pain and thoughts of Kaiden. His eyes flickered, accompanied by a light sweat.
His grinding teeth produced a squeaking sound, similar to the friction of Styrofoam. He couldn't believe it, didn't want to accept it. Why then all the stress, sacrifices, and suffering for his family?
He couldn't comprehend how fate was dictating his life. He had lived a tough life, only to end up like this.
Another white flash illuminated the dark room for a moment. A loud bang followed, snapping Kaiden back to reality.
The doctor, covered in wrinkles, his expression unchanged, seemed unaffected, as if it didn't matter. Perhaps this was just his way, after all those years of experience.
Although his voice was somewhat gruff, it carried a touch of compassion, even if not directly audible. He only wanted to convey to Kaiden that with certain treatments, he could gain about a year of life.
With even more compassion in his rough voice, the old doctor explained that Kaiden should avoid looking too far into the future.
Even if they removed the tumor, nothing fundamental would change, as it would most likely return. The chances of survival were practically zero.
Kaiden's gaze seemed the same yet also different. It was still Kaiden, that was clear, but his muscles, tendons, and bones seemed paralyzed.
He appeared like a lifeless statue. His mouth was open like never before, and his eye gazed into vacancy.
However, inside, a storm was raging. His thoughts seemed to be engulfed in flames, unstoppable and wild.
How would he spend his last year on Earth? What should he do? Why suffer? And what about his brother? Should he just die? No, he couldn't, even if he wanted to, because he was immobilized.
Kaiden's thoughts were a whirlwind of confusion. He couldn't calm down; everything seemed pointless.
Even thinking about what would happen to his future brought no peace. It was silent, endlessly silent. The only sound was the pouring rain, the hiss of the wind along the window, and the irregular roars of the elements.
The silence was broken again as the nurse began to close the windows. The unsettling hiss ceased in an instant, followed by the pouring rain. The only muffled sound was the electrically charged impacts and their light source.
But the silence was broken once more.
The doctor's somewhat loud steps filled the room again, followed by the calm but large steps of the nurse because the doctor pointed out that Kaiden probably wanted to be alone.
The steps faded until the click of a pressed-down door handle sounded.
Kaiden was left completely alone.
****
The nurse asked the doctor why he had delivered the news so abruptly.
The doctor replied calmly, "You've known me for a long time, and I've learned that people prefer to be alone after such news, rather than talk to strangers who wouldn't care anyway."
The nurse understood, even though he still wanted to do something. He was a young, ambitious, and kind-hearted person.
Nevertheless, he followed the experienced man and trusted him.
As they walked along the somewhat darker corridor and left Kaiden's room, another person approached Kaiden's room from the opposite direction.
The voices of the two men, who were talking, grew quieter and were then interrupted by the muffled sound of the aluminum door handle being pressed down.
Kaiden's gaze turned toward the sister as the calm, small steps drew nearer. He immediately knew it had to be her.
Her enchanting smile brightened the gloomy room as she flipped the light switch.
With just one look, she understood Kaiden's situation. It was the same look she had had to endure once before. She asked him with a charming smile what was wrong.
As she approached Kaiden cautiously, he reluctantly opened his mouth and made a sound.
The completely emotionless voice, devoid of any joy of life, announced the news that he had a brain tumor with almost a guaranteed death sentence.
The sister, who had little room to act, kept her smile to avoid being misunderstood.
Kaiden's emotionless gaze seemed to mix disgust and revulsion. He asked her in horror how she could still smile.
The sister put on a more serious face and asked in return why he was the way he was. It wasn't as if he was already dead. He could still do things he deemed meaningful. It was never too late, as long as he wasn't dead yet.
Kaiden's horrified gaze turned into anger and sorrow again after the sister's statement.
Tears flowed uncontrollably. A scream filled the room, which had been filled with silence just moments ago.
"WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH JUST ONE DAMN YEAR! DAMN IT! DAMN IT! DAMN IT!"
****
After his screaming voice calmed down and was flooded with sorrow again, the sister asked another question.
"What about your brother? He's still alive and will take care of all your treatments."
With an explanatory tone of helpfulness and enlightenment, the sister tried to convey to Kaiden that he could still help his brother with the remaining time he had.
With these words, she gave hope back to Kaiden, who seemed hopeless.
He still appeared to be overwhelmed with grief and anger, but he realized that he still had to help his brother.
Otherwise, he would be completely alone with the debts.
Kaiden's pitiful gaze toward the sister, followed by a white flash and another thunder, seemed to pose a question, which he voiced shortly after.
His voice trembled slightly, his teeth vibrated.
"How can I help my brother?"
The sister had put on a slight smile again and laid her hand on Kaiden's shoulder.
"It's difficult and requires some luck, but if you handle it well, you can promise your brother a good life.
I mean, you should become like him. An Awakened One."
****
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Seraphin07
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