Arlon and Liliana - Love in The Midst of Family Feud

A Depressing Week

n the dimly lit basement cell, the air was thick with tension and despair. Arlon, a teenage boy with dishevelled hair and tear-streaked cheeks, sat on the cold, damp floor. His mother's words still hung in the air, like a heavy cloud of condemnation. He couldn't shake off the weight of her disappointment, as it gnawed at his already fragile sense of self-worth. Arlon's mind raced with thoughts of how he had let his mother down once again. The weight of her disappointment felt suffocating, making it hard for him to breathe. The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional drip of water from a leaky pipe, echoing his solitude and isolation.

"You ungrateful boy," she had hissed, her voice dripping with anger and disappointment. "This is how you repay us? By running away with that girl?"

Arlon's voice quivered as he tried to defend his feelings. "Mum, it's not like that. I love Liliana. She makes me happy."

His mother's response had been cutting, her tone venomous. "Happiness? Is that all that matters to you? You're throwing away everything we've done for you. You're nothing but a prisoner in this house now, and you're not our son anymore."

The finality of her words hung in the air, a cruel sentence sealing Arlon's fate. With a heavy, heart-wrenching slam, the massive wooden door to the cell had been shut and locked, leaving Arlon on the inside, trapped with his own torment. He could hear his mother's footsteps fading away, leaving him in a suffocating silence. As he sank to the cold, stone floor, Arlon couldn't help but wonder if he had made the right choice, sacrificing his family for the sake of his happiness. The weight of his decision settled heavily on his shoulders, as he braced himself for the lonely days that lay ahead.

Arlon couldn't accept the harsh reality of his confinement. Desperation coursed through him as he rushed to the door, his small fists pounding against the unyielding wood. "Mum, please! Let me out!" he cried, his voice filled with anguish.

But there was no response from the other side, no soothing words from his mother to calm his fears. The only answer he received was the agonising echo of his own sobs and pleas, reverberating through the dark and silent cell. Arlon sank to the floor, his tears mixing with the dust and grime that covered the cold stone beneath him. He knew deep down that his pleas were in vain, that his mother was unable to free him from this prison. The weight of his loneliness settled heavily upon him as he contemplated the long and uncertain days ahead.

With a final, heart-wrenching slam, the heavy door to his cell had been shut and locked. Arlon had rushed to it, his small fists pounding the unyielding wood, but it had offered no solace. He screamed for help, for his mother, but his pleas were met with silence, save for the echo of his own despair. As the days turned into weeks, Arlon's hope began to dwindle. Each passing moment seemed to stretch on endlessly, and he found himself sinking deeper into a desolate abyss of isolation. The realisation that he was truly alone in this dark and unforgiving place gnawed at his soul, leaving him with a profound sense of helplessness.

As Arlon struggled with his confinement, Liliana, too, found herself in a world of anguish. Alone in her room, she collapsed onto her bed, her body wracked with sobs. She missed Arlon with an intensity that threatened to consume her. Every day without him felt like an eternity, and the emptiness in her heart grew with each passing moment. She longed for his comforting presence, his warm embrace that could chase away her fears. The distance between them seemed insurmountable, amplifying their shared sense of isolation and despair. The only solace they found was in the faint hope that someday they would be reunited, and the strength they drew from their love for each other sustained them through the darkest of nights.

Desperate for any connection to him, she had glanced out of her window, only to see his window adorned with iron bars. The sight had crushed her, and she had quickly drawn her curtains, shutting out the world. She couldn't bear the reminder of their physical separation, as if the universe itself was conspiring to keep them apart. Every day, she longed for the sound of his voice or the touch of his hand. Yet, through the iron bars, they still found a way to communicate, sharing secret messages and whispered promises of a future together. The window became a symbol of their unwavering love, a beacon of hope in their desolate reality.

While Liliana wept in her self-imposed isolation, Arlon's mental state deteriorated rapidly in the basement cell. The constant scolding and beatings from his family only exacerbated his emotional turmoil. Desperation gnawed at him as he longed to be free, to be with the girl he loved. But his dreams of escape seemed futile, as the heavy chains that bound him to the cold, damp walls served as a constant reminder of his captivity. As the days turned into weeks, Arlon's hope began to dwindle. He could feel his spirit weakening, his will to fight diminishing. The darkness of his confinement became a reflection of his own inner turmoil, suffocating any flicker of optimism that remained within him. Day by day, his hope dwindled, and he clung to the memories of their stolen moments together, yearning for a chance at a future beyond the confines of his prison.

What was even more tormenting was the extreme measure his family had taken—electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). It was a brutal procedure for anyone to endure, but for an autistic child like Arlon, it was a nightmare. The pain, both physical and emotional, pushed him to the brink of despair. Arlon's parents had hoped that ECT would alleviate his symptoms and provide him with a better quality of life. However, the treatment seemed to only exacerbate his suffering, leaving him feeling even more isolated and misunderstood. The constant fear of undergoing another session haunted him, making it increasingly difficult for him to hold onto any semblance of hope.

What's worse is that his family is drunk, as they are mistreating him, for to them, alcohol is a way to de-stress as they lost their son as he is siding with Liliana. The family's reliance on alcohol as a coping mechanism further deepened the divide between them and the individual seeking treatment. The emotional turmoil caused by their mistreatment only added to his feelings of isolation and despair, making it even more challenging for him to find solace or support within his own home. Arlon had hoped that his family would understand his decision to support Liliana and seek treatment, but their alcohol-fuelled actions and mistreatment only pushed him further away. He felt like a stranger in his own home, unable to share his struggles or find any sense of understanding.

As time went on, Arlon's mental state deteriorated further. He began to lose touch with reality, experiencing hallucinations and delusions that made him question what was real and what wasn't. His thoughts became jumbled and chaotic, making it nearly impossible for him to communicate or connect with others. The once bright and curious child now withdrew into himself, trapped in a world of confusion and fear. But his parents were stubborn and refused to accept the severity of their son's mental health issues. They dismissed his hallucinations and delusions as mere attention-seeking behaviour, refusing to seek professional help or treatment. Their stubbornness only exacerbated the situation, leaving their son feeling isolated and misunderstood. Despite their best intentions, their refusal to acknowledge the seriousness of his condition prevented any chance of him regaining his grip on reality.

As the days passed, Arlon clung to the memories of Liliana and the love they shared. In the darkest moments of his confinement, her presence in his heart served as a beacon of hope. He knew that their love was strong enough to withstand any trial, and he held onto that belief with unwavering determination. Even though he was physically alone, Arlon found solace in the thought that Liliana was out there, fighting for their love just as fiercely as he was. The idea of their reunion kept him going, reminding him that there was a future beyond his current circumstances. Despite the overwhelming despair, Arlon remained steadfast in his conviction that their love would ultimately triumph over the darkness that engulfed him.

Meanwhile, Arlon's parents decided to call all their relatives to get wild and drunk as they lost their son for siding with Liliana and that Arlon, their son is being locked away by them. As they gathered together to drown their sorrows, Arlon's parents are still stubborn on their denial of their son's autism and refuse to acknowledge the challenges he faces. They believe that his alliance with Liliana is a result of his supposed "abnormality" rather than a genuine connection. Despite their lack of understanding and acceptance, Arlon remains resolute in his belief that love has the power to conquer all obstacles, including the darkness that lies within him.