Smiling Depression

CHAPTER 8

The students filed out of the hall, their hearts weighed down by the news they had just received. It was as if a veil of sorrow had been drawn over the school, a shadow that would not soon be lifted. Some of them carried tears in their eyes, their grief palpable in every step. Others wore expressions of shock, as if they could not quite believe what had happened. But all of them shared one thing in common: a deep sense of sadness and loss.
The ambulance sat parked on the curb, its red and white lights flashing in the gloom. The paramedics stood by the back doors, their expressions grave. The doors were open, revealing the shadowy interior, where a stretcher lay covered by a dark sheet.
The students stood in a circle around the vehicle, their faces pale and their eyes wide, their curiosity and grief driving them forward. Some of them held hands, as if seeking comfort from one another. Others were alone, lost in their own thoughts. But all of them were united in their sense of shock and sorrow. They strained to catch a glimpse of the body, as if by seeing it, they could somehow make sense of what had happened. But all they saw was a dark, silent form, shrouded in mystery and shadow.
Preye's mind was still in turmoil, a tornado of memories and emotions swirling through her head from the events of the previous day, she could still hear the rejection echoing in her head. But the worst part was the sense of emptiness, the knowledge that something had been lost and could never be recovered. The loss of a life, no matter how brief, was a tragedy that cut to the core. And even though she hadn't known the student personally, she felt a connection to him, a bond forged by shared humanity.
As she exited the auditorium, her eyes were firmly fixed on the hall ahead. She took determined steps in that direction, refusing to give in to the pull of the ambulance. She knew she couldn't allow herself to be drawn into the memory of what had happened, couldn't afford to let it overwhelm her. So she fixed her gaze on the hall, her destination clear in her mind. It was the only thing that mattered, the only thing that would get her through the day.
As Preye walked down the hall, she felt the stares of her classmates, like a heavy weight pressing down on her. She felt trapped under their gaze, unable to escape the scrutiny of their eyes. She couldn't understand the reason for their stares, couldn't fathom what they were thinking, and that uncertainty made her even more anxious.
Preye stood there, frozen in uncertainty, when suddenly she felt a warm embrace from behind. A familiar voice whispered in her ear, 'Is he really gone' The voice breaking with grief and anguish.
Slowly, Preye turned, her curiosity growing by the second. She looked into the eyes of the person behind her and was shocked to see her friend, Helen. A smile spread across her face as she exclaimed, 'Oh, Helen!' with delight and relief.
As Preye looked at Helen, she noticed the sorrow in her eyes, the tears brimming just beneath the surface. Helen's face crumpled as she tried to hold back her tears, but it was no use. The tears began to spill down her cheeks, her shoulders shaking with the effort of holding it all in. Her cheeks flushed red, and her breath came in short, ragged gasps. And then, the tears began to fall, one after another, until Helen was sobbing uncontrollably.
Preye's thoughts raced, trying to piece together the puzzle that was unfolding before her. But no matter how hard she tried, the pieces didn't fit. Nothing seemed to connect, and she felt herself growing more and more frustrated. The more she thought about it, the more confused she became. Her brain was spinning, her mind was a whirl of confusion, and she was left feeling disoriented and lost.
As Preye tried to make sense of the situation, a chorus of voices rose up around her. 'That's Preye, his significant other,' someone said. 'And there's Helen, his friend,' another added. The words hung in the air, and Preye felt as if the world was closing in on her. She felt dizzy, lightheaded, unable to breathe. What did those words mean? What did they imply?"
With a sudden burst of energy, Preye turned towards the source of the voices, determined to find out what was happening. She approached the group, her feet carrying her faster than she'd ever moved before. When she reached them, she felt breathless, as if she'd just run a marathon. 'What's going on?' she asked, her voice shaking. 'What do you mean by, "significant other" and what does that have to do with me?'"
Their faces were pale and drawn, their eyes brimming with sorrow. They stood there, frozen in place, as if they were statues caught in a moment of time. They looked at the ambulance, and then back at Preye, unable to find the words to speak. The only sound was the distant wail of the ambulance siren, and the gentle rustle of the wind.
Preye waited for them to speak, to break the silence that had descended on the scene. But they remained mute, their lips pressed tightly together, their eyes full of unshed tears. It was a tableau of grief and loss, a moment suspended in time.
As Preye stood there, watching the group of people stare at the ambulance, she felt a sense of dread creeping up her spine. It was as if the vehicle was a symbol of something terrible, something that threatened to engulf them all. The longer she watched, the more she felt drawn into the mystery, pulled towards the ambulance like a moth to a flame. It was as if the vehicle was calling to her, whispering secrets she could not understand.
Her feet carried her towards the ambulance, but her mind was a blank slate, a void where thoughts should be. She tried to grasp at something, anything, but it was like trying to grasp at mist.. It was as if her brain had been wiped clean, leaving behind only an empty void. She reached out a hand to touch the ambulance, hoping to somehow break the spell that had been cast upon her. But the ambulance remained cold and unyielding, offering no hint of the answers she sought."

As Preye reached out to touch the ambulance, her fingertips grazed something cold and hard. With a start, she realized it was a body, lying in the back of the vehicle. The figure was covered in a blanket, but she could make out the outline of a face, ghostly pale and unmoving. A sense of dread filled her, a terrible premonition of what lay beneath the blanket. But she knew she had to see, had to find out the truth.
Her heart was pounding in her chest, her hands shaking as she slowly drew back the blanket. She was afraid of what she would find, afraid of what horrors might be revealed. But she had to know, had to face the truth, no matter how terrible it might be. As the blanket fell away, she gasped in horror at the sight that greeted her. A lifeless body lay before her, its features twisted in a silent scream. And in that moment, her world changed forever.
There, in the back of the ambulance, truly lay her significant other, his body cold and unmoving. Suddenly, the world around her became a blur, like a fuzzy photograph or a smear of paint. Colors swirled around her, shapes blurring and merging together. She felt dizzy, disoriented, as if she were floating in a sea of abstract art.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't accept what she was seeing. It was all so confusing, so unbelievable. But then, like a miracle, a small voice cut through the noise, piercing the fog of uncertainty. It told of someone found struggling for life on a landmark, fighting for breath. The voice went on, describing the struggles of the person in question, the challenges they faced. And then, it mentioned the hospital results, and the diagnosis of a rare and deadly disease.
Her memories snapped into focus, bringing the words of her principal rushing back. It was as if she were back in the auditorium, listening to the speech all over again. She could almost see the principal standing on the stage, his lips moving as he spoke. The image was burned into her memory, like a snapshot frozen in time.
Every fiber of her being was telling her that this couldn't be real, that it must be some kind of illusion or delusion. But still, she couldn't ignore the signs, the evidence of her senses.
Her feet moved forward, almost of their own accord. Each step felt heavier than the last, as if her feet were made of lead. Her movements were slow and labored, as if she were wading through mud. She wasn't sure if she was in control of her body anymore, or if it was being pulled along by some unseen force. But she went along with it, unable to resist the urge to move closer. It was as if she was in a trance, pulled towards the scene by some invisible strings.
The fog around Preye began to clear, and she could see everything with startling clarity. The colors were vivid, the shapes sharp and defined and she knew with certainty that this was no illusion or delusion. Her heart leaped into her throat as a name echoed through her mind: Ani.
She stood there, frozen in place, her hands clutching the blanket. She was trapped in a moment of suspended animation, unable to break free from the paralysis. Her senses were numb, like her body had shut down to protect itself from the overwhelming emotions she was feeling. She was trapped in a moment of shock, unable to move or think. Her mind was a blank, her body unable to respond to the situation. The ground beneath her feet felt unsteady, as if it might give way at any moment.
As Preye stood rooted to the spot, feeling as though she were sinking into a deep well of nothingness, one of the paramedics gently took the blanket from her hands. She let it go without resistance, her body feeling as if it were made of stone. The ambulance doors closed, the world around her falling away as the vehicle drove off, carrying with it the lifeless body of her significant other. In that moment, she felt utterly alone, a hollow shell of a person.