Chapter 255: The sadness
The room was cloaked in a stifling darkness, the heavy curtains shutting out the brightness of the day. Outside, the city buzzed with life, but within these four walls, time seemed frozen. Theodore lay slumped, leaning against the bed, his body limp and unkempt. His head lolled to the side.
Empty beer cans littered the floor around him, the stale smell of alcohol thick in the air. He had drunk all night and couldn’t even tell when he had fallen asleep.
A phone beside him chimed incessantly, cutting through the oppressive silence. But he remained still, not even flexing a muscle.
As soon as the phone stopped ringing, the door banged loudly. "Are you okay there? Open the door?"
Theodore’s eyebrows twitched, the noise sending a jolt of pain through his throbbing skull. He groaned, pressing his fingers to the sides of his head as if trying to hold it together. The pounding in his ears grew worse with every knock.
"Can you hear me?" the voice called again, louder this time, almost frantic. "Open the door, Theo, or I’ll break it down!"
Theodore winced, his groggy mind struggling to piece together what was happening. The muffled shouting outside felt distant, like a dream—or perhaps a nightmare. He groaned again, but he made no effort to move.
On the other side of the door, Willow stood tense, her brow furrowed with growing concern. She pressed her ear against the door, listening intently, but there was no response—just an unsettling silence. Her chest tightened as worry gave way to full-blown anxiety.
’What if something is wrong with him? What if he is hurt?’ The thought propelled her into action.
She turned to the man standing beside her. "Break the door, Skyler," she commanded.