Day 8 - Writing

I stepped into a new path today and found myself inside a university. It has been a long time since I studied the arts in a place of prestige and knowledge such as this one and I must admit this brings back fond memories of the past.

Fond memories when I was still alive, that is.

As I entered a classroom, I sat down on an empty desk and brought out my black journal and pen. I did not intend to take notes for the current lecture, but the events that transpired next made me write once again.

~

"That's it for today's lesson, class. Please note down your assignments and I want the draft stories you have made on my desk by tomorrow morning." the professor said, arranging the papers he was holding and walking out of the room, some of the students following suit. A handful remained, still discussing the aftermath of the current lesson.

"Today's lesson was good, wasn't it?" a guy in glasses said, placing his books in his bag. "I suppose I would get a lot of ideas for tomorrow's assignment later tonight."

"Yeah, it was cool. I never knew we could write like that." another guy said. "If writing was that easy we'd never have suffered through the previous exercises."

"Well, while in class I took the liberty of writing a draft story already for the assignment." their girl companion said, handing the guy in glasses a sheet filled with scrawled words. "I might even use that already as my submission!"

The other guy looked over his shoulder as he read the contents of the story, the girl now arranging her things in her bag as well.

"Well, I don't see anything off with the story. It looks good." the guy in glasses said, handing the sheet behind him to the other guy. "You've got a nice way with words. It appeared more humorous than it's supposed to sound."

"It does have several structuring flaws, though, here and there." the other guy said, running his eyes carefully on each line of the story. "Yup, and here's another one too."

"So what does that imply, that my story is so filled with flaws that I cannot freely write a story and submit it in class anymore?!" the girl retorted. "This is a literature class, not a grammar and composition lecture!"

"Well, I didn't exactly mean it that way." the other guy said. "I can be a grammar critic when I want to but I don't think the errors I see make a serious impact on the story itself. I wouldn't even think our professor would note them and count them against you."

"Yes, I suppose he's right." the guy in glasses said. "I see mundane mistakes here and there but that's normal for any writer. No one writes perfectly in one go. One of my previous professors said that one has to write and rewrite seven times before one can consider his work as 'perfect' in that regard."

"Well, thanks a lot." the girl said sarcastically, hitching her bag up her shoulder. "You just made my day."

She snatched the paper from the other guy and marched out of the classroom, slamming the door hard behind her.

---

"It's not as bad as you might think, really." the guy in glasses said, finishing his draft story in the dormitory room that he shared with the girl. "What we might have said there was out of our own opinions and views, but you shouldn't let it affect you."

"I know." the girl said exasperatedly. "It just hit me bad back there because I thought I wasn't a good enough writer."

"Well, you are." the guy said. "I'm actually envious of your writing style. It has a more casual feel than my strict wordings and stiff themes."

"Yes, I suppose I shouldn't let this bother me."

"Go get some rest. I still have several assignments to finish."

"Dork!"

The girl went off to sleep. The guy then pulled out one of his books and happily mulled over things while working on his next assignment.

Writing is like independence. To be free to pour your thoughts and feelings into paper.

~

"I'll agree with their points." I told the Light, when i felt her presence once again. "A writer should be free as to how and what he writes."

"But of course, no one reads a poorly-made work, right?" the Light asked me. "People have different tastes in what they read and see. If their standards believe that such work is of poor quality, then no one will read it."

"That is true, but I believe that what matters more is the story imprisoned beneath the curtain of words and phrases. Why, I do not even completely trust my own writing skill and I don't think many would be reading this journal when I have finished with it."

"Well, that is what you think. You would be surprised at the repercussions of your own actions in the future."

The Light vanished. Another door opened from a wall, revealing a new path within.

Day 7 - Retrospect

Today marks the seventh day of my quest. While I must admit that roaming the planes of time and space has been an enjoyable experience in the past week, there has to be a time when i must sit down on one place, take some time off, and think about the things that I have witnessed and written over. What seemed to be days of events or weeks for some of my stories were only imprisoned in a day, for it was a thrilling experience to witness events in a different view than the living do. Perhaps this is one of the advantages of being a dead person - not that it would be sought after, anyway.

I would admit that some of the stories I have written have some relations to experiences I've had in life. Sure, it has to be a cruel trick of the Light to do this to me, but I know that most of them did emphasize on the greater moments of my own weaknesses or strengths when I still walked the land along with the living. It is a weird feeling seeing it all from another perspective, let alone from other people who have committed or experienced such wrongs as well, and I will have to admit that it made me feel all the more uncomfortable and disturbed at my own actions in the past.

But I guess it is her own way of teaching me how to become a better person in preparation of being reborn anew. One has to lament and think over his or her own trespasses in the past to become a better person for the present and in turn create the best future possible for his or her life.

"I see you have not been journeying today."

The Light had already found me despite my best efforts to find a desolate place to sit down and think things through. Perhaps I underestimate her powers.

"I have decided to think over the experiences I have had in the past week." I said, flipping through the silver-stained black pages of my journal, taking in each word that had come from my own mind with more understanding than when I wrote it.

"That is good. What have you gleaned from it all so far?"

"I feel that I have not been a completely good person in life." I said. "That I have committed so many wrongs myself and I felt deserving of my position right now to experience all of my rights and wrongs all over again and this time in the lives of other people as well - people I don't even know nor see."

"Do you think so? Do you think that this task I have set upon you is some form of punishment or atonement?"

"Perhaps."

"Then you are mistaken."

"Why so?"

"I set that task upon you so that you may reflect upon these mistakes that you believe you have also committed and what other people commit as well. You are not the only imperfect and sinful person in this world. Others also commit such things, maybe even worse than what you have experienced or witnessed in life and death. It is for you to understand that there are greater rights and wrongs in this world and you must not depress yourself over the mundane things that you may have done."

"Then it is not to punish me?"

"Of course not. It is to make you, as you had thought of, a better person when you are reborn anew."

I felt her smile at me before she disappeared. As the darkness surrounded me again, the silvery ink of the pen glowed with brilliance and I knew what to do. Against its light I once again stained the next empty pages of the journal and started to write.

A retrospect. If I imprison other peoples' stories in this journal, then I feel I should also contribute what I had just lamented over as well.

Day 6 - Mask

My travels brought me to another town today, one different from the others I've visited both in life and in death. This town bustled with so much activity that even someone such as me found it hard to make my way through the hustle and bustle despite my condition. It was both fascinating and annoying at the same time to see such a huge number of people and things moving around the streets, unaffected by everything that is happening everywhere else.

Like ghosts.

As the reminder struck my mind again I pulled out my pen and journal and wondered if I would even manage to find something noteworthy in such a town of busybodies.

The Light did not fail me.

~

Among the crowd was a young man and woman, apparently in their teens, and doing what seemed to be shopping for some sweets in a shop filled with chocolates, candies, and other treats.

"Yes, I would love this, my darling." the young woman said, holding up a tin filled with small heart-shaped chocolates. "Won't you buy this for me?"

"By all means." the young man said, reaching into his coat pocket for some cash.

"Won't you ever replace that old, battered coat? It is unbecoming of a man of your posture and status to wear such dingy attire."

"This is a treasured coat from my mother, my dear. I would not part with this for anything else in the world." the man said, paying their due to the shopkeeper and walking off. "Besides, it is not that battered. It can still be worn without much inconvenience."

"Well suit yourself." the woman said flatly. "I still think it looks ugly."

The young man shook his head and followed the young woman, who had walked ahead.

---

"This is not going to work." the young woman said angrily, lashing out at the apologetic young man, who could even barely speak in his guilt. "If you do not care for me anymore, then it is best that we part ways. Before any of us could even hurt one another more."

"I... I'm sorry." the young man said. "I thought I could find it in myself to..."

"Spare me your explanations. It was foolish of me to do this."

"Yes, and I was stupid to even try."

---

A banquet. A moment of celebration for a friend's engagement.

For the young man, a moment of misery.

"It is such a nice spread, is it not?" a friend of the young man said, as the two watched the dancing pairs from an upstairs balcony. "I would not wish for a better engagement banquet for our friend."

"Same here." the young man said. "It certainly has that presence of grandeur beyond the simplicity on the surface."

"You must have gone shallow then."

The young woman strode past them, casting a glance at the young man, yet the young man sensed a taunting finger beckoning him to lash back at the young woman's words.

"I might have, or I might have not." the young man said coldly. "That is none of your business, however."

"Suit yourself. You are such a killjoy."

The young woman went away.

"You two still have not gotten over it, have you?" his friend asked, as the young man returned to his drink. "It would be best if you told her that you no longer feel comfortable with her constant - erm - attacks."

"I try not to bother." the young man said, downing the entire drink in one gulp. "Sometimes I just think that it is her showing how much I have hurt her or just being her normal, usual self. I do not even know why it affects me so lately, but something has changed. We are both aware of it."

"Well, that is something beyond me, my friend. Just let her know if you are no longer at ease with the status quo. Otherwise it could be devastating."

"I will try."

As his friend left, the young man pondered over his wine glass.

Months of misery and suffering, and still the mask he had worn over himself to hide his own pains has not been truly broken yet. The facade of happiness and cheeriness still has not completely hidden the guilt and the pain welling up from behind its flimsy surface.

~

"Strange." I said, as the Light joined me. "I feel as if I have gone through such an experience in life."

"Everyone does." the Light said. "To show their strength in the world many have put up a face. A mask, as you yourself have written it. Life is a constant battle of supremacy in some way and many have opted to put up a facade of their lives just so they can be competitive at it. It is a natural order in life, one that may no longer be removed from the culture you have developed along with being civil and intelligent beings."

"Yes, that is true." I said. "If only everyone would be as understanding and as tactful with their words."

"You cannot expect that of every human being. Everyone is unique and different and has their own lives to live. That is what makes the world a more interesting place."

I felt her presence on my shoulders, as if putting her arms on it.

"I shall cut your work short here for now, as you have witnessed and written sufficiently." the Light said. "Think about these lessons as you venture further into your crusade."

With that, she disappeared. A door opened from a hallway behind me, revealing a new path within.

Day 5 - Letting Go

I passed by a graveyard today, probably the worst place I should be in. Such a place brings sad memories, for this was the place where my mortal life formally ended. Although this graveyard was not the place where my remains now rest for all eternity, the place does make such memories come to rise again.

Unlike any other place, people seemed to look at me from everywhere as I stepped upon the grassy ground and treaded carefully past gravestones. Although some of them could see me, I could tell they just wish to be left alone. Some were even trying to converse, although having no luck getting a response.

It was then that I remembered: It is almost that time of the year.

As I lamented on the occassion, I drew out my journal and pen to see if I can craft another tale from such a solemn and memorable event.

~

October had almost ended, yet death apparently does not care.

A burial had just finished its ceremonies in one secluded part of the graveyard. People dressed in black clothes headed off to their respective rides while a man and a woman dressed in black remained behind, the man comforting the crying woman. They appeared to be husband and wife.

"Let's not cry now, dear. It was not our fault to begin with." the man said. "It was just our son's time, I suppose. We can't do anything about that."

"It isn't fair..." the woman sobbed, caressing her son's gravestone one more time. "He was such a nice boy... he loved us more than he loved anything else in this world... why would this happen to him?!"

"Come, come. I'm sure our son wouldn't want to see us wasting away like this, would he?"

He took his wife by hand and headed to their carriage.

---

"But of course, madam." a woman clad in a black habit said, smiling assuredly at the husband and wife. "I would be honored if one of our children were to come under your parentage."

"Thank you so much!" the wife cried excitedly. "Did you hear that dear? She said we could adopt someone here!"

"Well, yes, thank you so much, Mother Superior." the husband said. "May we see who will become our new son?"

"But of course." the nun said, smiling as she stood up. "Follow me, please."

---

"Here we are!" the woman cried.

The carriage had just pulled up in front of their mansion. The woman stepped out first, then took a handsome young boy in her arms and led him to the front gate. The man followed suit, carrying the child's luggage behind the two.

"Now, now, don't rush him, he's got new things to learn here." the man said, laughing as he opened the gates, causing mother and child to run towards the front door.

---

"Now, now, I'm sure you'll be fine." the woman said.

"But, mother," the child said, balancing himself against the small pony he was riding. "I... I'm a little afraid of this."

"Oh, but of course you are! But my son before just overcame his fears and rode well back then! I'm sure you could do it too."

"I... yes, Mother, I will try."

---

"How many times have I told you that our new son isn't enjoying his riding lessons?!" the man cried, as the woman collapsed on the bed after tending to their son's injuries.

"Let's not talk about this right now." the woman said coldly. "I'm sure he will be a fine rider as our son was!"

"It's always between him and our son, this is not going to work!" the man cried. "He has a life to live different from what our son lived and had before. We shouldn't force our son's ways to him just so he could become 'our son' as well!"

"So what is your point?" the woman asked annoyedly. "That I haven't been a good mother to him?"

"Ask yourself that question. I'm calling the orphanage first thing tomorrow morning." the man said, heading out of the bedroom.

---

"Well, it is such a regret that this did not work out as expected." the nun said, walking along with the man in front of the orphanage. "We were optimistic that the child would be the perfect blessing you seek to comfort your hearts."

"Forgive me, sister, but my wife still needs to think things through." the man said solemnly. "In the meantime, I will leave the child under your care again until we decide if we would still keep him or not."

"Do not think over it too much, my boy." the nun said. "Sometimes there has to be a healing process to this. Your wife has suffered so much with your son's death, I'm sure. It would take time to recover."

"She needs to learn, sister." the man said. "Learn to let go."

~

"I would do the same if it were to happen to my case as well." I said, when I felt the Light's presence behind me again.

"Yes, I am sure you would. What did you glean from this tale you had just witnessed?"

"We should eventually learn to let go of things that we care for very much." I said. "Everything in the world isn't forever; Things come and go. We are no exception, I suppose."

"well, you have come and gone yourself. I hope that as you come again you would remember these things before you are gone again."

"I'm sure I would." I said, laughing.

The Light disappeared, leaving a new path in its wake.

Day 4 - Career

I entered an engineering firm today out of curiosity, for I had long wondered what manner of force creates these structures that keep on rising like mushrooms sprouting after a thunderstorm.
I need not even say here that I would be restricted to entering. Ironic, but I guess this is one of the benefits of being a ghost. I wonder if others like me to do this as well.

As I entered an office I knew my curiosity had something more in store for me than just satisfying it.

~

The engineer pored over the building designs for their latest project, taking each detail in with a critical mind. He knew this project was the company's finest, their shining moment, and it was down to his abilities to do this project justice.

"How is it going there?" the head engineer of the project said, approaching him. "You'd better do well here, this will be our best project ever, I'm sure of it. There's huge money involved too so do your best!"

"Yes sir." the engineer said enthusiastically, making notes on the latest design. The head engineer laughed, gave him a hard, hearty slap on the shoulder, and left.

---

The project proved to be more complicated than the engineer had initially thought and was soon beset with doubts whether his skills would be able to accomplish the task at hand at an acceptable level. The head engineer appeared to show dissent at his latest suggestions, instead giving remarks that the engineer knew would not work. Despite that, he pursued the project even if it is causing him headaches at night thinking about it.

"Oh, yes, before I forget," the head engineer said, before leaving the engineer's desk. "Tonight we are having a meeting with the clients for the building project. They wanted to talk about the revisions made on the designs and how we're pushing through. Be there tonight."

"Until what time is the meeting?" the engineer asked. "I'm afraid I have a prior engagement at night."

"Well, cancel it. There's bigger stakes involved here. I don't know how long it will take but you'd better be there. I can't afford to explain everything since you know things better."

"I - yes, sir." the engineer said, breathing a sigh of disappointment as the head engineer left. That's the third time now. His wife is bound to get annoyed already rather than disappointed.

The late night meetings are already starting to take a toll on him with now three postponed dinner dates with his wife. His wife had already started arguing at him about his work habits.

"You've been spending time more at work than here at home!" his wife cried. "Even here at home sometimes you still answer your work calls on the phone!"

"I couldn't help it, dear." the engineer said. "I'm already tied up in this project."

"Well, suit yourself. Don't die over it now." his wife said coldly, heading to their room and slamming the door hard behind her.

The phone rang.

"Be at the office early tomorrow morning, we have a meeting with our clients again to finalize things at the project." the head engineer's voice said from the other end of the receiver.

---

The engineer now works at a small engineering firm that he had set up himself with the help of some of his colleagues who had also decided to pitch in to start their own. It had been a grueling year in the engineering firm from whence he came and he was glad he was out of the nightmare.

The earnings were lower than what he had considered as a dream job in the past, but at least he's happy.

Career for fun. Not for death.

~

"I don't understand." I said, as I felt the Light's presence behind me. "How could he find happiness in a job where it pays less than where he used to be?"

"Well, look at it." the Light said. "Do you think he was happy with the job he had before? Where he was paid highly and treated with rank?"

"I... I don't know. It just looks... impractical. Wasteful, maybe."

"Each person finds his own happiness in different ways." the Light said. "Others might find happiness in the most different of tasks, while there are some who find them in the most arduous. But regardless, all that matters is to enjoy what one truly does and do it with passion."

The Light disappeared, guiding me to a new path she has opened for me.

Day 3 - Fate

I find myself walking along a busy street filled with people conducting day-to-day business. It was a marketplace of sorts, with food stands arranged on both sides of the street and filled with busy shoppers all anxious to purchase that day's meal. They did not even bother excusing themselves, even as much as to look at me.

Not that I'd mind anyway.

I was fortunate I had my journal and pen out, for I had the chance to imprison another worthy tale within its black pages.

~

The marketplace was crawling with people along the sides as they all clamored to haggle over food prices and fill their baskets with their purchases. Carriages came and went at the center of the street, no doubt carrying nobilities that consider marketplace business as something too trifle for them to personally handle.

"How much for a pound of meat, my good sir?"

"These vegetables cost dearly! Is there no cheaper price to it?"

"I'll take half a dozen eggs, and please add a bag of flour as well."

These animated chatter of business was suddenly cut through by several screams of terror as a black carriage pulled by several black horses cut its way through the street, the townsfolk hastily huddling near the food stalls.

A scream. Sounds of clattering hooves. Wood scraping nastily against stone. Cries of horror.

A young man had been run over.

"Someone help him!" a vegetable vendor cried, moving out of her stall as people gathered around the single fallen body now on the center of the street.

"Is he hurt?" a shopping woman asked, looking anxiously from the crowd. "That carriage run clean right past him! It could kill the poor boy!"

"Please, let me through! He is my fiancee!"

A woman pushed herself through the crowd of onlookers and threw herself down upon the fallen man's body, sobbing dearly.

"Oh, my beloved, what has happened to you?!" the woman screamed, tears pouring down her face as she caressed the man's bloody face, the man unmoving. "Please, is there a doctor here?! We need a doctor, please help!"

Another man pushed himself through the crowd, apparently a man of medicine, as given away by his stethoscope that hung round his neck.

"Please give me room." the doctor said, examining the man's body.

~

As I observed I suddenly felt as if I was being observed myself. Like as if someone among these crowd of onlookers could notice what I was writing on the journal.

And there was.

The young man stared out intently at me from a small distance from the gathered people. I need not explain to myself that this evidently has to be the poor chap's ghost.

"What am I doing here?" the young man asked, puzzled. "There was a flash - a mix of pain and force, and all of a sudden I am standing here."

I was about to explain his condition when he suddenly moved to the crowd of people.

"I say, what are they looking at over there?" the young man asked, pushing himself effortlessly through the crowd, me following suit. "What are they - good lord, what am I doing there?!"

The Light spoke.

"Fear not, for what has happened was an unfortunate accident."

We both looked towards the source of the voice, and found the Light, her visage the same as I had seen when she first made herself known to me.

"What has happened to me?!" the young man implored, motioning a hand to his fallen corpse. "Am I... am I dead?"

"Yes." the Light replied. "But not for long. Fate works its ways too fast for mortal minds to comprehend, thus some are caught in her tangles before she could even fix her mistakes. Return to your shell and live life anew, young man."

Before the man could even react, he had already disappeared before my eyes.

~

"He's breathing again!" the doctor exclaimed, after applying pressure to the chest a fifth time. "Thank goodness he is all right!"

The young man opened his eyes weakly, turned them to his fiancee, and stroked the lovely face with a trembling, bloody hand.

"My dear..." the young man gasped. "...for a moment there I thought I had lost you forever..."

"No... do not say such things..." the woman said, clasping his hand hard and kissing them. "I love you so much..."

"So do I..."

The crowd gave a jovial applause as the doctor helped the man to his feet and hailed a carriage to bring them to the nearest infirmary.

"How ever did you manage to bring yourself back to reality after that nightmare, my boy?" the doctor anxiously asked the injured man.

The young man just managed a smile.

"Fate, sir. Fate."

~

"What do you make of this?" the Light suddenly asked me, as the carriage set off and the people returned to their usual businesses, here and there still talking about the bizarre events a few minutes back.

"I do not understand." I replied. "You said it was not his time yet, yet for mine."

"Yes. Precisely the thought I was expecting you to have. I have said it a while back - Fate works too fast to pay attention to trifling mistakes. She only realizes them when it is too late already."

"Do you mean mine was not a mistake of Fate?"

"No. For some, there are things not yet meant to be, death included. Crude mistakes of Fate that she rectifies almost as instantly as she made them. The workings of Fate are complex business, my dear. Pay no heed to it."

I did not answer. The confusion has settled over me again, just like three days back.

"I can say one thing for you." the Light said again, after realizing my silence. "Your fate is certain, and what you are doing right now is all according to her plan."

The Light vanished, but in her wake she revealed a new path.

Day 2 - Cycle

From the hazy darkness of my travels I stumbled upon a garden overlooking a mansion of grandeur. From a first glance I could easily tell that a rich family lives there, but will they let me in?

Of course they would. It's not like someone cares if someone like me enters people's homes without permission, right?

As I wandered into the living room I drew out my journal and pen, for I realized something worth writing was afoot.

~

It was a family of four - a father, a mother, and two siblings, brother and sister. The family was in the living room, apparently in the middle of resolving an otherwise hopeless conflict.

"And now we have just lost a potential deal if it weren't for your actions!" the father lashed out at his son. "I had told you ages ago to take care of this matter first before anything else but what did you do?!"

"I was trying to arrange more opportunities for the business, Father, I - "

"You wasted your time and effort rallying these insignificant people you claim while there is a good price to be fetched with what I had originally intended for you to do!"

"But, Father, times are changing now - no longer are the methods of the past working, if you would just listen and observe, you - "

"Silence! I will have no more of this! You will do as directed and do it without question. Am I understood?"

"I... yes, Father..."

"And mark my word: If this sort of blunder happens again I swear to you your future in this family will be at stake!"

With that the father stormed out of the living room and into the study, slamming the door hardly behind him.

"Let it not trouble you, my son." the mother said calmly, cheering her son, who had started to fight back tears. "Your father has always been like that, if you would only do as he asks..."

"But I have, Mother!" the son burst out, tears fought over finally winning over at last. "For twenty years I've done as he directed, atoned over any sin I've committed, yet he still treats me as scum whenever I do something wrong!"

"Well, I'm sure Papa is only doing it for your own good, brother." his sister remarked, not consoling him as well.

"My own good, sister?" he choked. "I've done countless goods in my life yet he never acknowledges a single one of them as much as he pays attention to every single mistake I make in my life!"

He stood up.

"Leave me be for a while." he said, making his way upstairs into his chambers.

The mother and the daughter could only glance worriedly at one another as the brother's upstairs bedroom door opened and shut with force.

---

Days passed and the matter was thought forgotten and dealt over with, until a family guest paid a visit to the mansion. The mother graciously welcomed the guest, who was her sister, and the family gathered in the living room to attend to their guest's needs.

"And how is the family business picking up, my dear sister?" the guest asked the mother.

"Oh, but they are doing well, thank you, m'dear." the mother remarked. She was about to brush the topic aside when the father suddenly chimed in.

"Yes, well, we have significantly done better than before, although it could have gone better if not for my dear son's efforts there..." he trailed a glance towards his son, who fought his best effort to maintain his attention on the book he had been reading. "...isn't that right, my son?"

The last few words were spoken with much sarcasm that the son flared up with annoyance, forgetting all manner of respect to his father.

"We have settled this matter days ago, Father, does that not suffice for it to be left at that?" the son retorted.

"Hmm. Yes. But I suppose a little reminding should put you in order, no?" the father said.

"I've already learned my lesson there, Father. Please do not make things any harder for both of us."

"Oho! So you think you're a big man now? Do you think you have the guts to stand on your own now and challenge my authority in this house?!"

Their voices steadily rose in anger now and the guest watched in fear beside her sister and niece as the argument started to turn to a shouting match.

"No, father." the son finally said, making his way back to his chambers. "I have long learned that you always win in this house for as long as you live."

With that he turned his back on him and imprisoned himself within the confines of his sanctuary once again.

---

A funeral. Both mother and daughter were anguished as they stood upon the freshly hewn grave where the father now rested, having been killed by a business associate whom he tried to confront after threatening the safety of the entire business. The son was there too, holding an umbrella up so as not to soak his mother and his sister in the rain that seemed to join in the mourning of the family.

As they walked away from the grave, mother and daughter leading the way, the son holding the umbrella behind them turned one last look at the stone panel now embedded on the grass, and as he turned away an apparent sliver of a smile crossed his face.

The cycle is over. Or is it?

~

"Who do you think is to err in this tale, the father or the son?" the Light asked me again, her voice shaking me from my mourning reverie.

I failed to answer. The last words poured from my pen into the journal as I put the story into a close, then closed the black book before heading off.

"Think about this as you journey towards being reborn anew." the Light said again, her voice fading into the rain as a new path was shown to me.