The Concession

Chapter Thirty-Three

William felt like he'd been walking for hours. It was an arid land filled with sand. It looked like the void he was trapped in with Fil all those months ago.

Although dark, Will was dauntless as he walked on not caring about the sand beneath his feet wanting to swallow his shoes each time he placed a foot in front of the other. He climbed over a high pile of sand and saw it—Light.

William opened his eyes and was staring at roof boards. They were white and intricately designed to show off their beauty.

He knew where he was. He was back in his apartment. He looked to his right and saw the picture frames of his family and the one of him and Hope.

Everything looked like how he'd left it.

Everything was in its place, exactly where he'd left them before the nightmare started. William sat up and held his head.

Was it really all over? He heard the excited barking and whining of a dog before Berry barged into his room. His eyes lit up.

"Berry, I've missed you boy." The dog whined and climbed up his bed before licking his face. Will chuckled.

"Yeah, I missed you too buddy."

Berry got off the bed and went back into the living room wagging his tail happily behind him.

With the smile still on his face, William made to stand up but his hand caught something on his bed.

He looked down and saw it, it was a Bible. It looked worn out and well-read as one couldn't tell the original colour of the print because of the many highlights.

Immediately he saw the name of the person who had given him the Bible, like a trigger his memories came back.

He'd been in his room just like this reading a verse in the Bible when suddenly he was pulled into another dimension by a strange voice.

He remembered remembering everything.

He knew about Bennet and his father and what they did to him. He remembered the void, he remembered Fil.

And he remembered the mark of the concession. He raised his right palm to take a closer look at it.

He remembered the mark fading off of his palm as he confessed.

"I'm free," Will whispered as if he couldn't believe it.

He looked down at his clothes and noticed he was still wearing his suit.

William stood up and went inside the bathroom. He took off his clothes and had half a mind to burn them. He ended up tossing them into a basket to throw out later.

He took the longest shower he'd ever taken in his life.

How long had it been since he took a shower like this, as himself?

He took the time relishing the feeling of the droplets on his face and body. He took a sponge and scrubbed himself clean as though to wipe the awful memories of the past away.

Thankfully there weren't any strange voices or shrieks to haunt him anymore, at least for now.

Will came out of the bathroom with a towel tied to his waist. He saw the tall glass mirror he'd always kept beside his wardrobe. He came to stand in front of it half expecting something abnormal to happen.

He was looking at a replica of himself, but it was of only himself.

His blue eyes looked bright and relieved as they looked away. His hair was a bit longer than before so they almost covered his eyes.