The door clicked open, and a doctor stepped into the room. "Ah, you are awake, Miss," he noted, checking his clipboard.
"Doctor," Ava said, instantly tense. "How are Carter and Rocky?"
The doctor offered a reassuring but weary nod. "Their situation was critical—especially Rocky's. But they are stable now, thanks to a bit of a miracle. Rocky's leg bone was shattered to dust, but somehow, it began repairing itself before our paramedics even arrived on the scene."
Ava swallowed hard, nodding slowly. "And what about me? What happened?"
"In your case, you collapsed from sheer psychological overexertion. You pushed your mind too far." The doctor sighed, tapping his pen. "Physically, you're free to go today. Carter will need to be discharged in a day or two, but Rocky will likely remain under our care for at least a week."
Relieved but exhausted, Ava discharged herself. Stepping outside, she shielded her eyes against the glare of the sky. The world outside the hospital was moving at its usual, indifferent pace—people drifting past, some buried in their phones, others talking in small groups.
She walked back to what used to be Ron's house. Now, because she was the only family he had left in the world, everything he owned belonged to her. When Ava stepped through the front door, the heavy, hollow silence of the empty house rushed to greet her.
It feels exactly like the first time I came here, she thought, a bittersweet ache tightening in her chest. Just like then.
The sudden chime of the doorbell shattered her thoughts.
"Coming," Ava called out, heading back to the entryway.
When she pulled the door open, Liora and Ellen were standing on the porch.
"Liora? And..." Ava paused, looking at the unfamiliar face.
"This is Ellen, Finian's wife," Liora introduced gently.
Ava stepped aside, gesturing them inward. "Please, come in."
The three women sat in the living room, the atmosphere thick with unsaid grief.
"How are you two holding up?" Ava asked, breaking the silence.
Liora gave a faint, sad smile. "We should be the ones asking you that."
"I'm okay," Ava replied softly.
"That's good to hear," Liora said, though her eyes remained worried. "We wanted to check on you."
"Thank you," Ava said. "But you really didn't have to go through the trouble."
Ellen leaned forward, her expression turning somber. "Actually, Ava... ever since the day Ron died, Finian hasn't been himself."
Liora nodded in solemn agreement as Ava listened intently.
"I've never seen him like this," Liora added.
"What's wrong?" Ava asked, a sinking feeling in her stomach.
"Since the funeral, he's been completely silent," Ellen whispered, looking down at her hands. "Just staring into blank space. He won't talk to anyone."
Ava lowered her gaze, the weight of the tragedy pressing down on her. "I'm so sorry."
"Finian and Ron were brothers in all but blood," Liora said softly. "From the very first day they met."
"I hope he gets better soon," Ava said, though the words felt hollow against the depth of Finian's grief. Ellen and Liora could only nod in quiet agreement.
Elsewhere
In another part of the world, Aaron sat in the quiet of his study. The sharp vibration of his phone broke the silence—a notification for a freelance architecture request. Someone wanted him to design a house.
Forcing a faint smile, Aaron opened his laptop, accepted the inquiry, and began messaging the client. After an hour of back-and-forth discussion, the client finalized the specifications: a compact, modern home tailored for a young couple. Aaron got straight to work.
An hour and a half later, the blueprint was complete. Aaron stretched and looked out the window. Outside, the rain was pouring relentlessly, washing over the city streets. Turning back to his laptop, he opened a news tab to pass the time.
A bold headline immediately caught his eye:
HAVOC IN HERO TOWN CITY: STRANGER UNLEASHES CHAOS
Aaron's breath hitched. Something happened in Hero Town?
He clicked the article, his eyes scanning the paragraphs as panic flared in his chest.
"...A mysterious stranger appeared at the Hero Town graveyard earlier today. According to eyewitnesses, the individual was threatening a local woman. The hero Carter intervened to reason with the man, but the encounter quickly turned violent. Carter and his partner were brutally overpowered..."
Someone even Carter couldn't handle? Aaron's hands trembled against the keyboard. Who the hell was that guy?
A dark, suffocating dread settled into his chest. He stood up, walking briskly to the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water. He drank it down, trying to force his racing heart to slow.
His phone vibrated again. Another design request.
Focus on work, he told himself, taking a deep, ragged breath. Carter and the others will handle it. They always do. They've been protecting this place since before I even opened my eyes here.
Yet, his thoughts drifted back to his old life. Finian... he must be devastated. He always treated me like a brother. I'm sorry, Finian. But the path I'm walking now is too dangerous.
Shaking off the melancholy, Aaron clicked the new notification to look at the details. This request was from another location entirely: Atliop City.
Aaron smiled faintly. Atliop City... interesting.
He quickly messaged his first client, sending over the completed house design. The response was almost instantaneous—the man loved it, and the payment notification flashed on Aaron's screen.
With the first job successfully closed, Aaron accepted the second contract. He opened a chat with the Atliop City client, who wanted a custom room designed for his son—something cozy, complete with a state-of-the-art gaming setup.
Aaron smiled, his fingers flying across the keys as he buried his worries in his work.