To the end

01

The Crumbling Mind

Thankhun had noticed something off with Kim for weeks now. It wasn’t just the stress from recent events; something deeper was lurking. When the report came back showing the negative match for the test, Kim insisted it had been positive. His delusion was unwavering. Every time Thankhun tried to reason with him, Kim would get defensive, as if the truth was too painful for him to accept.

Days passed, and the shifts in Kim’s behavior became alarming. His once-composed demeanor was fading, replaced by erratic actions. He stayed up all night, mumbled to himself, and spent hours staring at old photographs. He kept insisting Bible was Vegas, refusing to hear anything else.

It became too much to bear. One morning, after another episode where Kim had stormed out without a word and returned just before dawn, Thankhun decided to take action. He contacted Kim’s personal doctor—a psychologist he trusted. But the doctor was abroad and wouldn't return for several days. In the meantime, Thankhun tried his best to keep things calm at home, though he could see the strain in Macau's eyes.

Macau was hurting too. Seeing his brother-in-law, who had once been so strong, unravel like this pained him deeply. The conversations between Thankhun and Macau became filled with concern, fear, and a desperate hope that Kim could find his way back. But as the days dragged on, the reality of Kim’s mental state became undeniable.

The morning everything crumbled, Thankhun and Macau were making breakfast for the kids. The peaceful morning was shattered by their sudden screams as they came running downstairs, terror written on their faces.

“Papa’s acting weird! We’re scared!” Leiah cried, her little hands trembling.

Thankhun’s heart sank. He knew this moment was coming, but he wasn’t ready for it.

“Stay here, don’t come upstairs,” he told the children, trying to keep his voice steady despite the rising panic.

As he made his way up the stairs with Macau behind him, he saw Bible standing at the door to Kim’s room, frozen in fear. The look in his eyes told Thankhun everything—something terrible had happened.

“What happened?” Thankhun asked, his voice filled with urgency.

Bible hesitated, eyes wide. “Kim… he was… I don’t know what’s wrong. He’s not himself.”

Suddenly, a loud crash came from inside the room, followed by a scream that made Thankhun’s blood run cold. Without another word, he rushed toward the door, banging on it.

“Kim! Open the door!” Thankhun shouted, but there was no response.

Macau tried too, pleading with Kim to open up, but it was futile. Fear gripped them both as the door remained closed, the sounds of destruction continuing from inside.

Thankhun knew he couldn’t wait any longer. He called his guards, ordering them to break the door down. The moment they burst through, the scene before them was heartbreaking.

Kim was lying on the floor, unconscious, the room in complete disarray. Broken glass, shattered furniture, and torn papers littered the floor. The chaos mirrored the torment inside Kim’s mind.

Thankhun rushed to his side, shaking him. “Kim, wake up! Please!”

But Kim didn’t respond. His pulse was weak, and his breathing uneven. Thankhun turned to the guards. “We need to get him to the hospital, now!”

---

Hours later, they was rushed to the hospital, still unconscious. Thankhun paced outside the room, his heart pounding as he tried to get a grip on the situation. When Kim’s personal doctor arrived, Thankhun wasted no time.