In Between [ATARAXIA Series #1]

Epilogue

(A/n dedicated to you @CutenessPayel thank you for always commenting I appreciate it. )

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"For our guest speaker for today, let's welcome Mr. Azzelle Hendric Hamada." The crowd applauds as my name was called. I stood up from my seat and go up to the stage. I grab the microphone and look to the audience and look for him. As my eyes landed on him. A smile formed on his lips and he mouthed. 'I love you'. words that made me more confident while standing in front. I beamed at everyone before starting to talk.

"Oneirataxia the inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality..." I started. "Do you know what is fantasy? And reality?" I looked around to see if everyone can answer but no one. 

"Fantasy is things that are impossible to see in reality. Meanwhile reality. Is now. Something that exists. But what if? We don't know anymore what the differences between the two?  What if you are stuck in the middle of your imagination? Your fantasy? And you don't know that you are already away from your reality?" I looked at each one of them. I saw sadness in their eyes. The tiredness. 

"You are the families of those patients who are dealing with Schizophrenia from this hospital. Not only that one. Depression, anxiety, and many more. People who feel so alone, scared, and in pain. I know it's hard to deal every day with them. But I want you to know that people who are living in their world are those people that silently ask for help. Creating a world where they can find someone or something that they can use to cope. A solution for sadness, pain, and rejection. Reality is too harsh for them. I was one of them before. My reality is too painful to deal with. It's too much to bear. It made me lose my sanity. Pushing me to make my world, my character, and my happiness. For someone like me, a nightmare was my reality and my dream was my fantasy. I've become ignorant of my reality. Forgot everything. Until I've become dependent on my imagination. But do you know what the connection of my world that I'd made to my reality is? In my world, I'm always facing my strength, my happiness." I looked straight into his eyes. "In my reality? I was facing my weakness and pain. Do you get it? The pain from my reality was the reason why I have my world where I can find peace. Reality is the reason for a fantasy." I heave a sigh before continuing. 

"We are imagining things that never existed in our world. Not just the patients of this hospital even the normal ones. Daydreaming things they want. People losing their selves to a world that made them belong and happy. So I want to tell this all of you. Hold their hands. Made them assured of reality. Fear, doubt, pain, and even their selves are their enemies. Made them realize the happiness or belonging that they found in their world. Those things are can also found here, in reality, and it's all of you. The family. The love. The affection. If they can get it in a world that never existed it means they can get it here, in reality by all of you. You can give it to them. Vice versa if their world made them in fear and unsecured. Made them pull out of that world. Pull them into the real world and makes them feel that word loved. In the middle of a drowning sea of chaos be their ataraxia or a person who'll give them peace. Calmness and rest away from the chaos that dragging them in the fit of darkness." I smile at everyone when I saw hope that glistened in their eyes. The determination that they have. Before I leave the stage. I left them words that they'll bring with them through the journey. 

"Medicines are just alternatives. The true cure for being alone, in pain, and in doubt is love. But love isn't found in words or things. It is found in every action of sincerity. Help them first, so they can help themselves too."  As I took a step down to the stage their claps roared to the whole place. 

"I'm so proud of you, love..." Jazxer said as he walked towards me. He extends right his hand to me. I accepted right away. 

"Let's go?" He asked.