Eight months had passed since the nightmare, but the memories still clung to Kaiden like shadows he couldn't escape. The scars of that night hadn't faded—they'd only settled deeper, hidden beneath the surface. Each day felt like a battle to move forward, yet no matter how hard he tried, the echoes of that terrible night lingered. Now, in the cold, fog-choked winter, Kaiden found himself walking toward the diner where he was meeting Joe, the weight of those eight months heavy on his shoulders. For a while, they just sat in silence, letting the clinking of silverware and the hum of the diner fill the empty space between them. It had become routine—these quiet meetings, neither of them saying much. The weight of everything unsaid hung in the air like a storm waiting to break.
Kaiden finally cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Joe... we need to talk."
Joe sighed without looking up. "I know what you're gonna say."
Kaiden hesitated, feeling the familiar tension creeping in. "Kaidem's still out there."
At this, Joe let out a long, frustrated breath and slammed his fork down on the table, hard enough to make their cups rattle. He closed his eyes for a moment, visibly trying to contain his anger. "Kaiden, seriously? This again?"
Kaiden shifted in his seat, not backing down. "Yes, this again. He's alive, Joe."
Joe finally looked up, his eyes full of exhaustion. "Man, how many times do we have to go over this? He fell five hundred feet. We saw him go down, Kaiden. He's dead."
Kaiden leaned forward, his voice rising with a quiet desperation. "There was no body, Joe. You know it. You were there. We never found him."
Joe rubbed his temple, exasperated. "That doesn't mean he's alive. People die, Kaiden. They die even if you don't see the body. Not everyone gets some neat, tidy ending. You have to stop doing this to yourself."
Kaiden's fists clenched. "I can't just 'stop.' It's not paranoia if it's true. You didn't see what I saw, Joe. The way he smiled before he fell. He planned it—he's not gone."
Joe let out a humorless laugh, more bitter than amused. "Do you hear yourself? You've become obsessed with this, Kaiden. You're chasing shadows. Kaidem's dead. He's not coming back. You've been spiraling ever since, and I can't keep—"
Kaiden interrupted, his voice thick with frustration. "You can't keep what? Listening to me? Being there when I need you?"
Joe's face hardened, and before he could stop himself, he stood up, slamming his hands on the table. "You need to stop, Kaiden. Now."
The entire diner fell silent for a moment, all eyes turning to them. Before Kaiden could react, Joe slapped him hard across the face, the sound ringing in the quiet room. The shock made Kaiden freeze, his cheek stinging as he stared at Joe, wide-eyed.
Joe's voice was low, trembling with barely contained rage. "You need to stop being so paranoid about Kaidem. He's gone. Move on. You're dragging us all down with this obsession."
Kaiden blinked, his face flushed with anger and confusion, but the words died in his throat. The slap wasn't just physical—it was the weight of months of tension finally boiling over. Joe sat back down, his shoulders slumped in defeat. He looked away, his voice now softer, tired. "Let it go, man. Please."
Kaiden didn't respond. He just sat there, silent and stunned, the sting of Joe's slap still fresh. After a long, heavy pause, they both stood up, left some money on the table, and walked out without another word. The fog outside was thicker than ever, wrapping around them as they made their way back toward the school dorms.
The silence between them was suffocating, but eventually, Joe broke it.
"I'm sorry," Joe muttered, his voice barely audible over the sound of their footsteps.
