183: SPIRIT CRUSHED ARIEL’S POV 1 stood outside on the porch, my back against the rough wooden railing, staring out into the darkness of the night. The cool breeze brushed against my tear streaked face, the only comfort I could find in the midst of my overwhelming grief. The stars above seemed to mock me with their twinkling indifference, a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within me. My little son, Lukel, had been the light of my life; his laughter was a melody that had filled our home with joy and warmth. But now he was gone, taken from me in a cruel twist of fate that I couldn’t begin to comprehend. The pain in my chest was like a physical weight, crushing my spirit and leaving me gasping for air. As I closed my eyes, memories of Lukel flooded my mind–his chubby cheeks flushed with excitement as he played in the backyard, his tiny hands reaching out to me for comfort, his sweet voice calling out “Mommy” with such pure love that it had brought tears to my eyes. How could he be gone? How could I go on without him? A sob escaped my lips; the sound was raw and full of anguish. I clutched at my chest as if trying to hold myself together, but the grief was an all–consuming tide that threatened to sweep me away. The world around me seemed to blur, the familiar sights and sounds of our home fading into an indistinct haze. In the distance, a dog barked, its lonely cry echoing through the night. My heart clenched at the sound, a sharp pang of longing piercing through my sorrow. Lukel, who loved dogs, had begged me. for one of his own with such earnestness that I had almost relented. Now, the thought of a playful puppy bounding around the yard seemed like a cruel joke, a reminder of all the dreams and plans that would never come to pass. I sank to my knees, the rough wood of the porch digging into my skin, but I hardly felt the pain. My grief was a relentless force, dragging me down into the depths of despair. The tears flowed freely now, a silent cascade of sorrow that seemed to have no end. it And yet, through the haze of my anguish, a faint glimmer of hope flickered in the darkness. Somewhere deep within me, a voice whispered that Lukel was still with me and that his love would never truly leave my side. It was a fragile thread of comfort, but in that moment of crushing grief, was all I had to hold on to. With a shuddering breath, I closed my eyes and let myself surrender to the pain, knowing that only by facing it head–on could I hope to find a way through to the other side. Still kneeling there on the porch, my heart heavy with grief, memories of Lukel continued to flood my mind like a torrential downpour. I recalled the way he would throw his arms around my neck, his embrace filled with a warmth that could chase away any shadow of doubt or fear. How I longed to feel that touch once more, to hear his laughter ringing through the house like a bell of pure joy. The ache in my chest deepened as I replayed the moments we had shared–the bedtime stories read with such enthusiasm, the scraped knees I had kissed to make better, the whispered secrets shared in the quiet of the night. Luke’s almence felt like a hole in my very being, a void that nothing could fill. I wished with all my heart that I could turn back time, that I could hold him close and tell him how much I loved him and how much he meant to me. I longed for his presence, for the sound of his footsteps running down the hallway, for the mischievous glint in his eyes that could brighten even the darkest of days. The night seemed to stretch on endlessly, the stars above offering no solace or answers to the questions that tormented my soul. I whispered his name into the stillness, a prayer that he might hear me, that he might know how much I missed him and how much I wished he could be by my side once more. And as the tears continued to flow, a sense of quiet acceptance began to settle over me, a fragile pener born from the depths of my sorrow. I knew that Lukel would always be a part of me, that his spirit would live on in the memories we had created together and in the love that bound us forever. With a heavy heart and a soul weighed down by loss, I rose slowly to my feet, my gaze fixed on the darkness that surrounded me. In that moment of profound stillness, I whispered a promise to the night air, a vow to carry Luke’s light within me and to honor his memory with every beat of my heart. Still standing, I noticed that a single star seemed to shine a little brighter, a silent sentinel in the vast expanse of the night sky, a reminder that love endures, even in the face of the deepest pain. “I see you’re still going through so much pain.” Samantha approached me. “I’m sorry for your loss.” She was the one who told me that she witnessed the whole thing–Luke shooting Lukel. She narrated everything to me like it was a goddamn story. And I couldn’t say she was lying; there were some senses to her words. I sighed in pain. “Life can be really unfair sometimes.” “It sure can,” she said. “I lost my mother when I was twelve, and my father died of cancer later on. I glanced at her. “Oh, that’s painful.” “I know. The pain of losing someone really close to you. The worst part here is that someone also close to you was the person responsible for the killing.” “Hold on a minute; I got to ask a question.” Samantha looked at me. “Go ahead, what is it?” “What were you doing in the building that was burning at that time?” “Why are you asking me that? Are you starting to doubt the things that I told you?” I shook my head, turning my face away. “No, it’s not that. I was just asking.” “Well, I went there to save your children. There was this man who had taken them in. And before I could do anything, the place was already on fire. And then Luke and Tow worsen everything.” “I see,” I said, nodding. 183: SPIRIT CRUSHED 3/3 “Aren’t you going to file a case against Luke?” “No, I’m not going to do that.” “He killed your son.” “I’ll make him pay myself. I’ll take the law into my own hands.” I walked away from her after that, both of my arms crossed, as I could still go through the pain of losing my precious one. I stopped the moment I spotted Mason not too far from me. He was standing close to his car, and his eyes were fixed on no one else but me. I was glaring at him, and I wished I could just find myself a gun and blow his fucking brains out.
