“…select which life continues.”“No.”The word tears out of me.Broken.Desperate.Furious.“No—no, you don’t get to do this!”Leon doesn’t move.Doesn’t breathe.Doesn’t react.Just—still.Like the world chose to pause—and forgot to bring him back.“…this isn’t balance!” I scream.“…this is control!”“…balance requires equal exchange…”“…then take something else!”“…primary variables required…”“…we’re not variables!”**Silence.Cold.Unfeeling.Because it doesn’t care what I call us.“…you said coexistence,” I whisper.“…this isn’t coexistence.”“…coexistence requires stability…”“…then fix it another way!”“…this is optimal solution…”“…it’s not!”My hands shake as I grip Leon tighter.“…you don’t understand us!”“…understanding is sufficient…”“…no—it’s not!”Silence crashes down again.Because this—this is the final wall.The thing it doesn’t get.The thing it can’t calculate.“…you think this is balance?” I say, voice shaking.“…choosing one life over another?”“…yes.”“…then
Last Updated : 2026-04-30 Read more