°•°•°•THE LAST WITNESS °•°•°•

fractured bonds

Here's a story that weaves together these intense and cryptic moments, adding depth to each character's journey and connections:

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Chapter 1: Fractured Bonds

The night was dark, shrouded by thick clouds that swallowed the moon. It felt like even the stars had abandoned the sky, leaving the world to struggle in its shadow. Tay stood by the river, his phone pressed against his ear, hoping to hear his voice—anything that would ground him, that would make sense of the chaotic storm in his mind. But all he got was silence, a hollow that matched the void inside him.

In the distance, Peach stood still, his face pale as if he had seen a ghost. His hands shook slightly as he scanned the room, searching for something, or maybe someone. But no one was there—only the eerie flickering of shadows cast by the dim lights. Home noticed Peach’s tense expression and approached him, his gaze soft, filled with warmth and love. Yet as he reached out, Peach took a step back, his eyes clouded, lost in his thoughts.

And then there was a shout—loud and desperate. Pete was yelling Kao’s name, but Kao didn’t turn, didn’t even flinch. Pete felt a pang in his chest as he called again, his voice echoing down the empty street, fading into the silence. He knew, somewhere deep down, that Kao would never hear him again.

Meanwhile, Keen clutched at Sea, his voice breaking as he whispered, “Please, don’t leave me.” His hand trembled, hovering over Sea’s still body, but there was no sign of life. Sea’s face was calm, peaceful, as if he’d found solace in his final moments, leaving Keen behind with nothing but an ache that grew with every passing second.

The memories would remain, like haunting shadows that trailed them wherever they went. Life would go on, but nothing would feel the same. For Tay, it was unbearable—the thought of letting go, of continuing without them. He wanted to disappear, to drift away into the same darkness that had swallowed his friends.

But then, he found something. Or rather, someone. He looked up and saw Home, but when he shouted his name, Home wasn’t there. Tay’s heart raced, confusion clouding his mind. Who had he seen? Was it all in his head, or was there something more—a truth hidden within the fragments of his memories?

Questions swirled around him like an unrelenting storm. “Is this all a lie?” he muttered to himself. Or was it the truth, a truth he wasn’t ready to hear? As his thoughts spiraled, he felt a sharp pang of realization—this was something much larger than he had anticipated, a mystery that lay hidden behind the familiar faces of his friends.

And then a voice—sharp, angry, and filled with a bitterness that struck Tay’s core. “You’re not the only one suffering,” shouted Sshy, her words echoing in the empty space. “You think you’re alone? You think you’re the only one haunted by these memories?”

Just then, something clicked—a fragmented memory resurfaced, revealing a glimpse of the past, a face he barely recognized. She was a ghost, a whisper of the life they all had before everything fell apart. Tay clung to the thought, wondering if she was the reason behind it all.

“Did he leave me just for this?” Tay asked himself, feeling his heart twist with pain.

As the night wore on, they each drifted in their own sorrow, separated by misunderstandings, bound by shared memories. Home stood in the darkness, tears streaming down his face, realizing he was utterly alone. In that moment, he felt a fool—a fool for believing that their bond would hold through the hardest of times.

But then, a soft voice emerged from the crowd—a stranger, or perhaps someone familiar. They spoke with gentle assurance, “No, you’re not a fool.”

Home looked up, searching for the source, but all he saw was a shadow fading into the night. The voice lingered, and with it, a single phrase that would forever resonate in his heart.

“You were the last witness.”

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Chapter 2: The Echoes of Memory

With that truth weighing heavily on them, they would each begin a journey—not to find answers, but to find themselves within the memories they had shared.