MADNESS
Gwen sat alone, huddled against her bedroom walls, sobbing and clutching her knees against her chest. Her hands and feet were covered in cuts from the shattered glass, the blood from earlier still slowly seeping from the wounds and staining the floor beneath her. Each breath she took was shaky, ragged, as if the very act of breathing had become a struggle.
The voices that had tormented her finally left her alone, retreating into the dark recesses of her mind. In their place, there was just a loud, oppressive silence, broken only by the rapid thudding of her heartbeat. It echoed in her ears, drowning out any semblance of calm.
Gwen's mind was murky, clouded with confusion and fear, unable to process what had just happened. It felt as if she were trapped in a nightmare, where the boundaries between reality and the horrors within her mind had blurred beyond recognition.
With a trembling hand, Gwen wiped her tear-streaked face, smearing blood across her cheek without realising it. She slowly glanced towards her bedroom walls, her eyes wide and unfocused, as her mind raced through the fragments of memory and terror. The once-familiar space now felt foreign, distorted by the lingering malevolence that had invaded it. The walls seemed to close in on her, suffocating, as if they too were conspiring against her sanity.
She tried to piece together the events that had led her to this moment, but the more she tried to remember, the more the memories slipped through her fingers like sand. All she could recall was the overwhelming sense of dread, the voices that whispered dark promises, and the sharp pain of the glass as it sliced through her skin.
But now, in the aftermath, there was only silence—a silence that screamed louder than any voice ever could.
Gwen felt an overwhelming sense of isolation, as if she were the last person left in the world, trapped in this room with her fears and the fading scent of blood that still lingered in the air. She hugged her knees tighter, desperately trying to anchor herself in reality, even as the shadows on the walls seemed to twist and move, taunting her with the possibility that the worst was yet to come.
There was a sudden knock on her apartment door, startling Gwen. Gwen wanted to rise and to open the door, to escape this hell. But it was like all her life force had been sucked out of her. The knock repeated itself, but this time, a warm familiar voice followed.
"Gwen? It's me. Kevin," he called out, his voice filled with concern. "I brought you some food. Please, open up."
After a moment, the apartment door creaked open. Gwen peeked out, her eyes adjusting to the bright apartment corridor.
"Oh my god, Gwen," Kevin gasped, dropping the paper bag to gently caress her face. Her once-vibrant eyes were now bloodshot and swollen, the tear-streaked trails on her cheeks a stark contrast to her pale skin.
"Hey, Kevin," Gwen managed a weak smile.
"What happened? You are bleeding badly." Kevin sighed, biting his own lips. His heart ached as he took in the sight of the cuts on her arms and hands, the result of her obsession. Gwen, once strong and determined, was now small and broken. He swallowed hard, pushing down the lump in his throat, and slowly entered her apartment.
Kevin entered Gwen's apartment and was immediately hit by the strong scent of blood. The room felt oddly cold and bleak, as if the entire room had been drained of its colours. The shadows in the room felt stretched, as if it was trying to pull Kevin in.
Gwen groaned as she staggered. Kevin turned instinctively to catch her. Dried stains of blood marred her skin.
He knelt in front of her, gently prying the glass shard from her trembling fingers. She didn't resist, her gaze distant as if she were somewhere else entirely. Kevin's breath hitched as he noticed the way her blood pooled in the cuts, the deep red stark against her pale skin. He carefully reached for a nearby cloth, pressing it against her wounds to stem the bleeding.
"Something is terribly wrong with you. You need help, Gwen." He sat Gwen down on the chair.
"They are watching, Kev. The voices, they won't stop. There's no escape."
Kevin was puzzled, yet his heart ached. "Please tell me, tell me what's wrong. You know there's nothing that I wouldn't do for you."
Gwen looked up to Kevin, her eyes hollow and gaunt. "You have to help me, Kev." Gwen paused, and looked back down. "No. I can't escape them." She pulled her hair. "There's no escaping them, Kev. It's far too late. I'm too far deep." She keeps muttering to herself.
"All I wanted was to bring Grandpa Max back." She muttered to herself. "I really believed that I had the power, that I could bring him back. But I wasn't strong enough. All of this happened because I wasn't strong enough. The darkness in my head. There's something dark. It's like I'm losing myself."
"Gwen, you've got to calm down and tell me what's really going on, please." Kevin begged, his frustration bubbling over.
Gwen's eyes darted to Kevin, searching his face for any sign that he truly understood the depth of her fear, her anguish. But all she saw was confusion, concern, and a helplessness that mirrored her own. The voices in her head began to rise again, mocking her, taunting her for thinking they could help.
"You're wasting your time," they hissed. "He'll never understand… Ben will never understand… they both don't see you for what you are…"
And in that moment, the clarity she had felt turned into a cold, brutal realisation: she was alone in this. Truly, utterly alone. No one could help her because no one could understand the terror that lived inside her mind. The voices were right—they couldn't see her for what she had become, what she was becoming.
The shadows in the room seemed to deepen, the light from the setting sun dimming as if it were being smothered. Gwen stared at her hands, which trembled uncontrollably, her vision blurring with tears. The air around her felt thick, suffocating, as the weight of her isolation pressed down on her.
"I can feel Grandpa Max. I know he's there." Gwen bit her lips. "If only I could bring him back, then this will all be over."
Kevin's heart ached as he listened. "Gwen, we all felt lost when he died. But-" he hesitated, searching for the right words. "It's been two years, Gwen. He's not coming back."
Gwen's expression hardened. She shook her head vehemently. "No. Today I felt his presence stronger than ever before. I'm close. I need to study these books more."
Kevin bit his lip, his frustration bubbling over. "Gwen, he's not coming back. He's long gone. Grandpa Max would have wanted us to move on. It's time to stop your obsession, Gwen-"
Her face twisted with anger. "You and Ben don't understand. I have the power to bring him back," she paused, her eyes blazing with conviction. "I need to go back to my practices."
As she started to rise to her feet, Kevin's hand shot out to pull her back down. "Gwen, please. You are tired, you need to rest."
"No. I don't need to rest, not until I can bring Grandpa Max back." she said firmly, shaking her head. Yet Kevin restrained her.
Kevin's voice trembled as he pleaded with Gwen. "Please, Gwen. Don't shut me out. You're not alone in this." His eyes searched hers, trying to pierce through the veil of sadness that cloaked her.
Gwen turned to face him, her gaze hollow and distant. "I'm doing this for us, Kevin. For everyone," she said softly, her voice carrying the weight of resignation.
Kevin shook his head, his heart aching. He stepped closer, closing the distance between them until he was right in front of her. "No, Gwen. You're doing this because you're scared and hurting. And I get it—I do. But this... this isn't the way. You're going down a path you can't come back from."
He reached out and took her hand in his, feeling the slight quiver in her fingers. Gwen glanced down at their intertwined hands, her expression wavering with uncertainty.
Kevin's mind raced back to a long-forgotten summer night. "Do you remember that time when we were kids?" he began, his voice softer now, almost nostalgic. "We sneaked out to that old warehouse. You got locked inside, and I could hear you crying from outside. I was terrified, searching everywhere for you. When I finally found you, you were huddled in a corner, so afraid you could barely move."
A flicker of recognition crossed Gwen's face, a faint, haunted look in her eyes.
Kevin continued, his voice breaking slightly. "I got you out. I pulled you out of that dark place. But now, I'm scared that if you shut me out again, I won't be able to get you out. I won't be able to find you this time."
Gwen's lips trembled as she slowly pulled her hand away, the sadness in her eyes deepening. Her gaze fell to the floor, her voice barely a whisper. "Kevin, I... I have to do this. You don't understand."
His heart sank, a sharp pain twisting inside him. Kevin grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to look up at him. "No, Gwen! You don't have to do this! We can find another way. We can do it together, like we always have. Please, don't shut me out. Don't push me away."
Tears welled up in Gwen's eyes, her resolve crumbling. She shook her head, stepping back as if putting distance between them could ease the weight of her decision. "I'm sorry, Kevin," she said, her voice trembling with finality. "I wish I could, but... it's too late."
Gwen turned towards her apartment window, her gaze seemed far and distant. "Do you ever wonder where stars go when they die, Kevin?"
The sudden shift of tone alarmed Kevin. "What do you mean?" Kevin asked.
"The stars, Kevin. What if they are really just holes in the sky, Kevin? Holes that let something… darker in. I've been staring at them lately, and it feels like they're staring back, watching, waiting. It's like they know something I don't, something I can't escape."
"You are really making me worried, Gwen. I'm scared, I don't know what to do," Kevin pleads. "Let's talk to Hope in the prison tomorrow, okay? Maybe she can figure out what's wrong with you." he begged.
Gwen shot a dead serious look towards Kevin. "No. I have to go somewhere far away tomorrow, Kevin."
Kevin was confused. "Then I'll go with you."
Gwen shook her head. "No, you can't. I'm going somewhere far away, somewhere where you or Ben can't even go." She stopped, her eyes twinkled and sparkled with an odd spark. "I'll go to a place where dead stars go, Kevin." Gwen rose to her feet.
"Will you leave now, Kevin?" Gwen turned towards Kevin. "I have to prepare everything." Gwen smiled, tilting her head.
"I'm not leaving you tonight. Not in this current state." Kevin insisted.
"No." With a flick of her wrist, she sent Kevin flying out of her room. "Sometimes the way out is through." Gwen said as she shut the door of her apartment.
Kevin sighed deeply, rising to his feet. He glanced at the scattered groceries on the floor and began to gather them up, his heart heavy with worry and helplessness.
Kevin dialled Ben's number and called him.
Ben was lounging on his couch when his phone buzzed. Glancing at the screen, he saw Kevin's name flash across it. He answered casually, his voice betraying none of the underlying tension. "Hey, Kev. What's up?"
The voice on the other end was serious, the tone instantly dispelling Ben's relaxed mood. "Ben, I just left Gwen's place."
Ben sighed, a mix of irritation and weariness seeping into his voice. "Let me guess—she wouldn't let you in?"
Kevin's frustration was palpable even through the phone. "Yeah. She's shut me out, again.. She's not okay, Ben. She's... falling apart. I've never seen her this bad."
Ben tried to brush it off, not wanting to delve too deeply into the subject. "She'll be fine, Kev. Gwen's tough. She just needs some space, that's all."
But Kevin wasn't having it. His voice grew more insistent, cutting through Ben's dismissive attitude. "Space? Ben, she's not just having a bad day. She's spiralling. She's obsessed with all this dark magic, convinced she can bring Grandpa Max back. It's not normal. It's been 2 fucking years."
Ben's response was firm, almost defensive. "She'll figure it out. Gwen's smart. She knows what she's doing."
Kevin's frustration bubbled over, his voice rising in anger but also in deep concern. "No, Ben, she doesn't! She's not thinking straight. She's locked herself away, surrounded by all this dark, creepy stuff. She's losing herself, and you're acting like it's nothing!"
Ben could feel his own temper flare, not wanting to be pushed on this. "What do you want me to do, Kevin? She doesn't want to see me. Maybe she just needs time."
Kevin paused, his anger simmering down into something more urgent, more pleading. "Ben, you're her family! She needs you to step up, to be there for her. This isn't just going to go away on its own."
But Ben's voice turned cold, distant. "I'm not going to force her to talk to me, Kev. If she wants space, I'll give it to her."
There was a heavy silence on the line before Kevin spoke again, his voice softer but no less intense. "Ben... you can't just keep avoiding this. You need to face it. Gwen needs you."
Ben's reply was distant, almost detached. "I'm not avoiding anything. I'm just giving her what she asked for."
Kevin let out a long, exasperated sigh, his tone filled with resignation. "Fine, Ben. But don't say I didn't warn you. If something happens to her, you're going to regret not doing more."
Ben's words were clipped, the conversation clearly at its end. "Nothing's going to happen, Kevin. She'll be fine."
There was a pause on the other end, a moment of hesitation that hung in the air. "I hope you're right, Ben. I really do."
Ben nodded to himself, his voice firm as he wrapped up the call. "I am. I'll talk to you later, Kev."
Kevin's voice was resigned, the fight drained out of him. "Yeah... later."
As the call ended, Ben tossed his phone onto the couch, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. He tried to shake off the nagging doubt creeping into his mind, but Kevin's words lingered, haunting him with a quiet, unsettling persistence.
Kevin returned the next day, hope blooming in his chest that today might be different. He had spent the night thinking about Gwen, trying to figure out how to help her, and had woken up with a renewed determination. In one hand, he held a bouquet of roses, their red petals bright and full of life. In the other, a box of pralines—her favourites, something he knew would bring a smile to her face. His heart was heavy, but he pushed forward, telling himself that today she would be okay.
He walked briskly down the corridor to Gwen's apartment, the familiar path now feeling strangely foreign. The usually comforting silence of the hallway now felt oppressive, each step echoing ominously in his ears. He reached her door and knocked, his knuckles tapping against the wood in a rhythm that was almost pleading. "Hey, Gwen! It's me," he called out, his voice tinged with forced cheerfulness. But the only response was the deep, unsettling silence that stretched on far too long.
Kevin's unease began to gnaw at him. Something wasn't right. The air felt thick with an eerie stillness that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. His heart rate quickened, and a cold knot of dread formed in his stomach. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out Gwen's spare key. The metal felt cold and heavy in his hand, glinting under the dim hallway lights. Kevin hesitated, the weight of what he was about to do pressing down on him. He didn't want to invade her privacy, but he knew he had no other choice. Something was wrong.
With a shaky breath, he unlocked the door and pushed it open. "Gwen...?" His voice was small and uncertain as it disappeared into the darkness of the room beyond.
The apartment was shrouded in shadows, the only light seeping in through the small gaps in the curtains. As Kevin stepped inside, the first thing that hit him was the smell—a sharp, acrid stench that made him gag. He instinctively covered his nose with his hand, his eyes watering from the foul odour. The room was in disarray; books and papers were scattered across the floor, and glass jars filled with dead animals lined the tables and shelves, their contents floating in murky liquid.
Kevin's heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing like a drum in the oppressive silence. Something was horribly wrong. He placed the flowers and pralines on the kitchen counter, the once comforting gesture now feeling absurd in the face of the chaos around him.
As he ventured further into the apartment, he noticed something that made his blood run cold. The walls were covered in frantic, desperate inscriptions. Dark red letters, scrawled over and over again, repeated the same phrases: "Get out. Get out. Get out." "No escape." "Help me." The writing was erratic, almost as if it had been carved into the walls in a frenzy, and Kevin could see the places where the plaster had been gouged out by whatever had been used to write the words. He swallowed hard, fear gripping him tighter with each step he took.
The apartment was filled with an eerie stillness, as if the air itself was holding its breath. Kevin's heart pounded in his ears, his senses on high alert as he continued his search. Every creak of the floorboards beneath his feet seemed deafening, and every shadow seemed to twist and writhe as he passed by. His voice cracked as he called out again, "Gwen...? Where are you?"
A sound—a soft rustling, like the fluttering of sheets—caught his attention. His head whipped around, eyes scanning the room until they landed on the balcony. The curtains were swaying gently, stirred by a breeze from the open doors. Pale silver moonlight filtered through, casting long, eerie shadows that seemed to dance across the room.
Kevin's heart skipped a beat as he squinted, trying to make out the details of the darkened balcony. His eyes slowly adjusted to the contrast between the moonlight and the dim room, and that's when he saw it—a figure standing on the ledge.
His breath caught in his throat as he realised who it was. "Gwen!" he yelled, panic surging through him as he rushed toward her.
Gwen stood on the edge, her back to him, her hair fluttering in the night wind. The moonlight bathed her in an ethereal glow, but there was nothing peaceful about the scene. Kevin's eyes widened in horror as he noticed her bare feet teetering dangerously on the narrow ledge, her toes curling slightly over the edge. She turned her head slowly, and when their eyes met, Kevin felt a jolt of terror. Her eyes were hollow, void of any emotion except a chilling longing, like she was staring into an abyss that only she could see.
"Kevin, I saw him," Gwen said, her voice distant and eerily calm. "Grandpa Max. He's there! He's across the ledge. I will come to him now." Her lips curled into a smile, but it was twisted and eerie, more like a grimace than an expression of happiness.
Kevin's heart pounded as he watched Gwen step off the ledge, plummeting down. He rushed forward, but it was too late. "No! Gwen!" he screamed, his voice echoing into the night.
Ben's phone rang, the ringtone breaking up the silence of the night, interrupting his time with Kai. Kai straightened himself on top of Ben as the ringtone kept ringing. Ben instinctively reached out for his phone on the bed counter. Kai turned on the bed lights.
It was Kevin. The clock on his phone showed that it was half past eleven. He sighed and wondered if he should pick it up. Kevin is probably going to talk about Gwen again, he wondered to himself.
"Yeah?" Ben asked.
Kevin didn't answer, but Ben could hear Kevin sobbing.
"Kevin, what's wrong?" Ben asked, worry started to rise on the back of his throat. Kai could sense his worry.
"Babe, what's wrong?" Kai asked, worriedly.
Ben shook his head, not knowing what was happening. "Kev, is everything alright man?"
Through Kevin's sobs, Ben could make out his words. "G-G-Gwen," he stuttered.
Ben rose to his feet, his anxiety and fear building inside him. "Oh my God, Kev, what happened?" Ben sprinted out to his wardrobe and grabbed the first shirt and pants he could find and hastily got into it.
Kevin couldn't say another word as he continued crying. Ben hung up the call.
"Babe, what's happening?" Kai asked again, her worry building up even more in her voice as she watched Ben getting more and more anxious.
"Gwen," Ben answered shortly as he left Kai in the room, still puzzled. Ben got into his car, started the engine and hastily drove away, the tires screeching through the silence of the night.
"Please, please, please," Ben kept mumbling to himself, manoeuvring his car through the dead silent night, the streets empty. He sweated heavily under the cold night air, his heart beating faster and faster, as if his heart was going to pop out of his chest. "Gwen…." the image of Gwen flashed in his mind.
His car sped through the silent road as he turned on the corner of Gwen's apartment building. The dead silent night grew into a chaotic scene as there was a curious crowd gathering outside of Gwen's apartment building. The scene was a contrast to the quiet night.
Ben parked haphazardly at the side of the street, his hands trembling as he fumbled with the car door. The cold night air hit him as he stepped out, but he barely noticed. His eyes were locked on the chaotic scene ahead—the flashing red and blue lights, the cluster of people, the stretch of yellow police tape cordoning off the area.
His breath came in ragged gasps as he pushed through the crowd, the noise around him a dull roar in his ears. All he could think about was Gwen. The sound of Kevin's voice on the phone still echoed in his mind, filled with such pain and despair that it had yanked Ben out of sleep and sent him racing through the streets.
As he finally broke through the crowd, the scene before him stopped him in his tracks. Kevin was kneeling on the pavement, hunched over something—someone. Ben's heart sank, his legs threatening to give out beneath him as he took in the sight of Gwen's body, twisted and broken on the cold, blood-stained sidewalk.
She laid there, motionless, her vibrant red hair matted with blood, her face pale and lifeless. The sight was like a punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of Ben. He felt his knees buckle, and he stumbled forward, his heart pounding in his chest.
Kevin was crying, silent sobs shaking his shoulders as he knelt beside Gwen. His hands were stained with her blood, his fingers clutching at her as if he could somehow bring her back by sheer force of will. His eyes, red and swollen from crying, were locked on Gwen's face, a look of utter devastation etched into his features.
As Ben approached, Kevin finally looked up, his eyes meeting Ben's with a glare that could pierce through steel. Kevin's gaze was full of bitterness, pain, and vindication, as if every emotion he was feeling—every ounce of regret, anger, and anguish—was channelled into that one look. It was a glare that accused Ben, that held him responsible for everything that had led to this moment. Kevin's eyes seemed to scream, "This is your fault."
Ben's breath hitched, the weight of Kevin's glare hitting him like a physical blow. He could feel the blame, the unspoken accusation that he had abandoned Gwen when she needed him the most. The bitterness in Kevin's eyes was like a knife twisting in Ben's gut, cutting deep into the already festering wound of his guilt.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry…" Ben choked out, his voice trembling as he fell to his knees beside Kevin, his eyes locked on Gwen's lifeless form. He reached out a trembling hand, hesitating before gently touching Gwen's cold cheek. The reality of it all crashed down on him, and he let out a broken sob.
Kevin didn't respond, didn't even look at him anymore. He just kept his gaze fixed on Gwen, his grief too overwhelming for words, but the bitterness in his eyes lingered, a silent condemnation of Ben's failures.
Ben's chest tightened, and he gasped for breath, his tears falling harder now. "I should have been there for you, Gwen… I should have helped you… I should have saved you…" His voice broke, and he buried his face in his hands, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of his failure.
Kevin remained silent, his tears falling freely as he cradled Gwen's body. The pain, the anger, the regret—it all swirled together inside him, too powerful to express. His mind was a storm of emotions, but he couldn't bring himself to speak. His tears fell silently onto Gwen's body, mixing with the blood on the pavement.
Ben's hands shook as he reached out again, this time clutching at Gwen's hand. "Grandpa Max… I'm sorry…" he whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the distant sirens and murmurs of the crowd. "I couldn't save her… I couldn't save any of you…"
He felt like he was drowning in his own guilt, the weight of his regrets pressing down on him until he could hardly breathe. Gwen was gone, just like Grandpa Max, and he had done nothing to stop it. He had failed them both, and now he was left with nothing but the crushing emptiness of loss.
Ben's sobs wracked his body as he knelt there, beside the sister he had loved so much but had been too afraid to save. The world around him faded into a blur of flashing lights and distant sounds as he continued to cry, his heart breaking with each passing second.
Kevin's glare had softened, his eyes now filled with nothing but pain and sorrow. But the bitterness, the accusation, still lingered beneath the surface, a silent reminder to Ben that he had failed in the worst possible way.
The sky above the small cemetery was overcast, casting a sombre grey light over the proceedings. A chill wind blew through the trees, their bare branches rustling in a muted whisper of mourning. The cemetery was quiet, save for the soft sobs of those gathered and the occasional murmur of grief.
Ben, Kevin, and a handful of family members stood around the grave, their faces etched with sorrow and fatigue. The air was heavy with a sense of finality and despair, as if the very ground beneath them was mourning Gwen's passing.
Ben stood apart, his posture hunched, his face hidden beneath a shadow of his hat. His eyes, red-rimmed and bloodshot from sleepless nights and tears, were fixed on the wooden casket being lowered into the earth. The faint echoes of the priest's words about redemption and peace seemed hollow in the wake of such profound loss.
Kevin, standing next to Ben, was pale and gaunt, his usual strength and bravado replaced by a haunting emptiness. He gripped the edge of the casket, his knuckles white as he tried to hold back his anguish. The weight of Gwen's death seemed to have broken him, leaving him a shell of the man he once was. He was shaking slightly, though he tried to remain still, as if the very ground was trying to pull him down into despair.
Ben's thoughts were a whirlwind of guilt and self-blame. He remembered the dark days leading up to Gwen's tragic end—her obsession with forbidden magic, her descent into madness, and the helplessness of watching someone he loved deteriorate before him. Each of Gwen's failed attempts to resurrect Grandpa Max had only pushed her further into darkness, and Ben felt the crushing weight of his own failures and inaction.
As the casket was finally lowered into the grave, Ben's legs gave way, and he sank to his knees, his hands clutching at the soil. His breaths were ragged and uneven, the gravity of Gwen's death finally breaking him. He could no longer hold back the tears that streamed down his face, mingling with the dirt at his knees.
In the midst of this overwhelming sorrow, Natalie Tennyson, Gwen's mother, approached Ben with a look of deep anguish and anger. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and her face was a mask of grief and fury. Her husband, Gwen's father, Frank Tennyson, trailed behind her as if he's trying to stop her.
"Natalie–" Frank called out.
Without warning, Natalie slapped Ben hard across the face. The sharp sting of her hand was a jarring contrast to the hollow ache in Ben's chest, but it was the emotional pain that cut deepest.
"How could you let this happen?" Natalie's voice trembled with anguish. "You were supposed to protect her! You were supposed to be there for her!"
Ben's head turned from the force of the slap, but he didn't retaliate or even flinch. The pain of the slap was nothing compared to the agony in his heart. He was too paralyzed by guilt to respond, his mind a blur of memories and regrets. Natalie's words pierced through him, each accusation a reminder of his own failures and fears.
Natalie's hand trembled as her husband pulled her away, tears streaming down her face. "You failed her, Ben. You failed all of us."
Ben wanted to apologise, to explain that he had been too scared to lose Gwen just like he lost Grandpa Max, but the words wouldn't come. He was overwhelmed by the weight of his own guilt and the realisation that, no matter how he tried to justify it, it was all too late.
As the service concluded, and people began to leave, the cemetery returned to its cold, desolate silence, holding within it the echoes of lost dreams and broken hearts. Ben, now consumed by guilt and grief, sank to the ground beside the grave. The pain from Natalie's slap was nothing compared to the pain inside his heart—a pain that would only deepen with time.
Kevin, after a long silence, stumbled away, his mind lost in turmoil. Ben, meanwhile, struggled to rise, his body and spirit drained. The scene at Gwen's funeral marked the end of an era. The death of Gwen and Grandpa Max finally broke Ben and Kevin.