Missing: The boy who disappeared

Chapter 11- Cold Case

A/N
Beware of small time jump.
I know at least one of you are going to need a tissue in one certain part. Same certain part may have a TW, slight implication of suicide.
*Sorry*

‘Breathing becomes a challenge when tears flow so freely that each inhalation feels like a stab of pain. It dawns on you that drawing in any amount of air is a bloody struggle. Yet, it's not limited to those moments alone; every passing second, every day, the act of breathing transforms into a formidable task. Simultaneously, you eventually become keenly aware that safeguarding yourself from the clutches of sadness requires an inevitable defence against the joyful intrusion of happiness.”

🚨

Over the past three months, Louis navigated the treacherous terrain of a challenging journey contending with an onslaught of emotions that transcended into depression. Through sheer resilience, he managed to extract himself from the suffocating depths of despair, finding glimmers of hope and moments of peace. The journey, though slow, seemed to herald a promising upward trajectory in Louis' life. However, the fragile stability he mistakenly built is walking dangerously across a fine line . A series of unforeseen events are about to conspire in order to drag him back into the clutches of his inner demons, signalling the beginning of a downward spiral that threatens to unravel the hard-won progress he fought so diligently to achieve.

Louis switches on the television, expecting a mere distraction, but to his dismay, a talk show segment unfolds, delving into Saxon's case. The host, lacking empathy, plunges into a narrative that slashes through Louis' patience. A surge of emotions overtakes him as the host, with a callous edge, weaves jokes that cut to the core. Laughter from the studio audience becomes a dissonant chorus as the host, identified as "Jimmy Fallon" launches into a cruel narrative, insinuating negligence on Louis’ part and weaving a macabre tale of Harry's supposed familiarity with Saxon – a tasteless joke of how Harry knew Saxon all along, he just couldn't see him, a ghostly presence they said, a dig at Harry's paranormal profession. As the jokes pivot to Harry, the TV screen transforms into a canvas for Louis' escalating torment. Fallon's words cut through the air like a relentless assault, mocking Harry's connection to Saxon, portraying him as a ghostly puppet master.

The rage within Louis is an inferno fueled by more than just the tasteless jokes on the talk show. It's a volcanic fury born from the incessant recurrence of Harry's face, an unwelcome apparition haunting every facet of Louis' daily life. The amalgamation of people on TV screens, the casual chatter in stores, it all converges into a maddening chorus. Overheard conversations coalesce into an unrelenting litany, each mention of Harry's name a jarring reminder that overshadows the search for Saxon.

The fixation on Harry became a frustrating diversion, pulling focus away from the urgent quest for their missing child. The frustration, a venomous concoction of despair and fury, simmers within Louis, intensifying with each sighting of Harry's phantom-like presence in the sea of faces. It's a cruel irony that amplifies the sense of helplessness, as if the universe conspires to make Harry the centre of attention, eclipsing the vital search for Saxon.

The bitterness of these jests infiltrates Louis' core, igniting a visceral rage within him. In a burst of unbridled fury, Louis seizes a Jim Beam bottle, a volatile embodiment of his imminent anger. The arc of the bottle mirrors the trajectory of Louis' unravelling composure as it hurtles towards the television screen.

The shattering glass reflects the fracture in Louis' composure, the violence of his action a desperate attempt to obliterate the source of his torment. Louis, consumed by a tempest of anger, sits amidst the debris – a very visual display of his profound frustration. The cruel mockery, far from just a fleeting annoyance, has left an indelible mark on Louis' psyche, an anguished reminder of the public's callousness in the face of personal tragedy.