PROJECT FUEGO

02: A solace in flames

CAUSES OF DEATH ARE MANY AND VARIED

OLD AGE, ILLNESS, SUICIDE

BUT OUT OF THAT LONG MORBID LIST, THERE'S ONE END THAT PEOPLE FEAR ABOVE ALL OTHERS
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DEATH BY FIRE

♢ ♢ ♢ ♢ ♢ ♢ ♢ ♢ ♢ ♢

Gentle sunlight filtered through the partially closed blinds, casting delicate rays into the room. Amidst the hushed sounds of gentle snores, a young man with dark hair lay sprawled across a spacious bed. Slowly awakening, he blinked his eyes open, unveiling a pair of mismatched, downturned heterochromia eyes. A small set of groans escaped his lips, protesting the ineffectiveness of the blinds as the light meandered across his face.

A sigh escaped him as he shifted his gaze to the left, where a girl lay beside him. Silky white skin and puffy pink lips harmonized with the shoulder-length hair adorned with a subtle pink hue, seemingly dyed. Longer-than-usual eyelashes graced her clear, round face, contributing to her overall allure.

Pink resonated as a recurring theme in her ensemble, extending to the delicate hue adorning her nails. Standing at a precise height of 158.496 centimeters, she possessed a subtle stature. Her hand rested upon his chest, and the gentle rhythm of her breath whispered against his neck, marked with visible bruises and teeth imprints.
(5'2 in feet)

He carefully nudges her aside, avoiding waking her, and proceeds through a set of doors into a spacious shower. The cascading moisture running down his body imparts a subtle comfort, and he stands motionless, enveloped in the soothing embrace of the water.

Flashes of memories race through his mind, a journey to moments that would forever cast a shadow of shame upon him.

「Papa?」

Placing a hand on his chest, he gently shakes his head, and a warm sensation envelops him, reminiscent of a comforting hug.

「Don't worry, I'll always be here with you, papa.」

Unable to utter a word or make a move, the boy simply immerses himself in the sensation of comfort that the voice gently brought down on him.

"I know."

◆◇◆◇◆

In those moments, the boy's mind was adrift, devoid of a specific emotion or thought. No distress, no dejection, no irritation, no sorrow, no horror, not even anger or sadness prevailed. Everything was eclipsed by the overwhelming emptiness that consumed his innermost being.

Growing up, the boy found it challenging to express himself after his mother's passing, which in due time hindered his ability to recognize or describe his own emotions. Many simply labeled him as "emotionless," lacking the desire to understand the complexity beneath such a topic, or perhaps a lack of empathy for the boy.

Despite his inability to express emotions conventionally, the boy could still feel like any other, he simply required a higher level of stimulation than those around him to experience a sense of normalcy.

This time, however, was distinct from the rest. There was an unusual void, a profound absence of any emotion that left him adrift in a sea of emptiness. The boy existed as an empty husk, a mere semblance of his former self, adrift in an endless void devoid of light. Even his own hands, though right before his eyes, remained unseen in the profound darkness that enveloped him.