Life is bitter

Elias POV

The mansion gates faded behind me as I walked down the street.

Tears streamed down my face without stopping, mixing with the cold sweat from my fever. Every step felt like walking through thick mud. My chest ached so badly I could barely breathe.

How could they do this to me?

Fred’s words kept repeating in my head like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. He had planned it. He had paid someone to rape me.

He wanted me to be pregnant so the whole world would reject me. And Father… he had known something was wrong with me all along but still treated me like this.

I hugged the bag of documents tighter to my chest, even though they no longer mattered. Nothing mattered anymore.

My phone started ringing. It was Emily. I stared at the screen for a few seconds before answering with a shaky voice.

“…Hello?”

“Elias!” Emily’s voice was frantic. In the background, I could hear her moving quickly — drawers opening, things being thrown around, keys jingling. “What the hell did you mean by that?! ‘Heaven is calling you’? Don’t you dare do anything stupid! Talk to me right now!”

I kept walking slowly, tears falling harder. “Emily… my family is dead to me. They’re all dead to me now.”

“What happened?!” she demanded, her voice rising. I heard a door slam in her background. “Tell me everything! Did Fred do something? Did your father say something cruel again? Elias, please!”

I shook my head even though she couldn’t see me. “I don’t want to talk about it. It’s too painful. I just… I can’t do this anymore. I’m so tired, Emily.”

“Don’t you dare hang up on me!” she shouted. More noise came through — the sound of her grabbing her jacket, shoes, car keys. “Elias, listen to me. Whatever happened, we can fix it. Just don’t do anything stupid. Promise me!”

A light drizzle started falling from the sky. Small cold droplets landed on my face and hair. I didn’t try to find shelter. I just kept walking, letting the rain soak into my sweater.

“Emily… I’m going to meet my mom,” I whispered brokenly.

“What?!” Her voice cracked with panic. I heard her car engine starting in the background. “Elias, wake up! Your mother is gone! She’s not here anymore! You need to fight back! She would want you to come back stronger, not give up like this!”

The rain grew heavier, pouring down on me now. My clothes were getting soaked, and violent shivers ran through my body. The fever made everything worse. My teeth chattered as I spoke.

“I… I can’t fight anymore. It hurts too much.”

“Elias, where are you?!” Emily’s voice was urgent. I could hear her windshield wipers going full speed. “Tell me your location right now! I’m already in the car!”

I stayed silent, continuing to walk under the heavy rain.

“Elias, please!” she begged. “If you die tonight, I’ll be imprisoned too! The last person you spoke to was me! They’ll say I encouraged you or something! That’s how the law works! They’ll investigate me for murder or assisted suicide! I’ll lose everything! Don’t make me a criminal, Elias! Please!”

Despite everything, a weak, broken sound escaped me — almost a laugh, but mostly pain.

“Emily… that’s not how the law works…”

“I don’t care!” she shouted back. “I’ll be questioned for days! They’ll say I’m an accomplice! I’ll go to jail because my best friend decided to die after talking to me! Do you want that on your conscience?! Elias Carter, tell me where you are right now!”

I stopped walking for a moment, shivering badly under the pouring rain. My voice came out small and defeated.

“…I’m still near Mr. Carter’s house. The big mansion.”

“Thank God!” Relief flooded her voice. “Stay right there! I’m coming in five minutes! Don’t move! Promise me you won’t do anything stupid!”

“Okay…” I whispered.

I ended the call and slumped down onto the wet pavement beside the road. The rain poured over me as bitter sobs tore from my throat. I cried hard, hugging my knees to my chest.

An old lady with an umbrella approached me slowly from a nearby house. She stopped a few feet away, concern etched deeply on her wrinkled face.

“Young man? Are you okay?” she asked gently. “Come inside, the rain is too heavy. You’ll catch your death out here!”

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. I just kept crying, rocking slightly as the rain soaked through my clothes.

The old lady took a cautious step closer. “Please, child. You’re already soaked to the bone and shaking badly. Come in and warm up. I have hot tea and blankets. You’ll fall very sick if you stay out here like this.”

Still, I didn’t move or speak. My sobs only grew louder.

“Whatever pain you’re carrying, it won’t get better by sitting in the rain,” she continued softly, her voice full of grandmotherly warmth. “Life can be cruel sometimes, but ending it out here in the cold isn’t the answer. Come with me, dear. Let me help you dry off and rest for a while. No one deserves to suffer alone like this.”

I buried my face deeper into my knees, still ignoring her completely.

The old lady sighed sadly. “I’ve lived a long life, young man. I’ve seen many broken homes and souls. Whatever happened tonight… it feels like the end of the world right now, but it isn’t. Please, let me help you. My house is just right there. You don’t have to talk. Just come out of the rain."

After several more attempts, she finally gave up. “Alright… I won’t force you. But please, don’t stay here too long. You’re already burning with fever. I’ll leave my door open in case you change your mind.”

She walked away slowly, glancing back at me several times with worry before disappearing into her house.

I continued sobbing, the cold rain mixing with my hot tears. Everything hurt.

My body. My heart. My soul.

Then, the sound of a car stopping abruptly beside me. Tires splashed water onto my already soaked clothes.

The car door opened.

“Elias!” Emily’s voice called out desperately through the heavy rain.

She rushed toward me with an umbrella, her face filled with panic and worry.