To the Love of My Life

She hadn’t seen who the person was, but in the blink of an eye, the people surrounding her had vanished.

A cacophony of screams, fighting, groans, and cries for help filled her ears, but she found herself in a warm embrace.

Feeling a familiar yet crisp scent enveloping her, she wondered if this was an illusion.

Her dark eyes, usually shining brightly, were now dim. Staring at the person holding her, her gaze seemed lost and vacant. Finally, she reached out to touch Steve Burton’s face, convinced that their soft texture was real. Bliinking, a hint of light returned to her eyes, bringing joy and relief. She opened her mouth to say something but suddenly her hand fell and she descended into total darkness.

In the late autumn night, a layer of fog appeared, silently covering the tall buildings of the bustling city. Fading neon lights peeked through the haze, making the entire world seem like a surreal dreamscape.

Rapid footsteps broke the silence within the hospital’s hallway.

A few people stood outside the ward at the end of the corridor. Rusell Henris stopped near them, handed out bottles of mineral water, and turned to look at the tightly closed door, asking, “Has our brother had dinner yet?”

Howard Coleman, who had just unscrewed a bottle cap and was about to drink, frowned and dropped the hand holding the water bottle, answering, “No, the nurse just returned the untouched meal.”

“Did anyone go in to persuade him?” Rusell asked, glancing at Edward Woods.

“Ever since our brother stormed the steel factory and saw Ruby being held down, he completely changed…” Edward recalled Steve’s frenzied behavior in the abandoned factory and shuddered. “Who dares to persuade him now? Whoever tries will face the consequences.”

Edward, Howard, and Rusell fell silent.

After a while, Howard raised his bottle to drink, saying, “There are many ways to deal with those people, but our brother chose the most violent method at that moment. If we hadn’t stopped him, those people would definitely be dead and he might have gotten into even more trouble. Growing up, he’s always been the most level-headed and seemingly good-natured among us. Who would’ve thought that after meeting Ruby, he would become like an entirely different person, turning into a madman?”

Edward chimed in, “It’s not just madness. You didn’t see it, but his eyes were red, just like a person without any sense. He didn’t make a single sound as he smashed everything in the steel factory to pieces. The only thing he didn’t demolish was the four surrounding walls.”

“What you two mentioned is nothing compared to the worst part. In the end, our brother took all the USD those people received and piled it in front of them like a small mountain. He then poured the alcohol they bought all over the money, and without blinking an eye, turned on a lighter and threw it onto the pile.”