Some stories… do not begin with screams,
they begin with laughter.
With a simple smile,
a warm moment,
voices gathered around you, repeating words that seem ordinary…
yet in truth, they are the last things you will remember before everything falls apart.
There are moments in life
that feel eternal,
as if time itself pauses to give you one last chance to feel happiness…
not out of kindness,
but because it is preparing to take it all away.
Soren didn't know…
that this day, the one he gave everything to make Lira smile,
would become the beginning of the end.
And Lira…
didn't know that her laughter that night
would turn into an unbearable silence.
This chapter is not about joy…
it is about the moment before it collapses.
Chapter Eight: What Is Happening?
After nine years of Soren and Lira's relationship, it was Lira's birthday—the twenty-eighth of November. Soren had prepared a birthday party for her and invited all their friends. Lira had no idea about any of it.
When evening came, Lira entered the house and found all the lights turned off. She stepped forward slightly, and suddenly…
BOOM!
Everyone shouted:
"Happy Birthday, Lira!"
Her happiness knew no bounds, and she was extremely grateful for this party. Everyone began singing:
"Happy Birthday…
Happy Birthday…
Happy Birthday, dear Lira…
Happy Birthday."
After they finished singing, she picked up the knife to cut the cake, but she noticed that Soren was missing. He wasn't at the party. She felt a bit upset, but she didn't know that Soren was the one who had prepared everything.
Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. She went to open it and was surprised to see Soren wearing a clown outfit.
She said:
"What do you want? Are you serious?"
He replied:
"Today, I'm the party clown."
She said:
"So you finally started working in your field."
Soren looked at her and said:
"Am I a clown to you?"
She replied:
"The cutest clown."
Soren smiled, and they both went inside. The sounds of celebration filled the house. Soren began performing as a clown, holding three balls and juggling them. Everyone was laughing. He raised his head and opened his mouth, and suddenly one of the balls went into his mouth and he choked on it. He started coughing until he fell.
Everyone grew worried and watched in silence… then Soren began laughing as usual, and the celebration resumed.
It was a day that would never be repeated…
Until the party ended at midnight, and everyone left the house. Soren and Lira stayed behind, cleaning the mess that filled the place after the celebration. Then they collapsed from exhaustion. After that, Soren left, and Lira returned to her bed to rest, soon falling into a deep sleep.
In the morning, Lira woke up and went out to walk in her garden. When she opened the door, she found Soren lying in the middle of the garden on his face, as if he wasn't breathing.
She approached him… he wasn't breathing.
She placed her hand on him and tried to wake him up, until she heard him say:
"Mom… give me five more minutes, and I'll get up."
Lira smiled, then said:
"What did you just call me? Mom?"
She slapped him until he woke up. He stood up and looked around, saying:
"Where am I? Wasn't I supposed to be in bed?"
She poured a little water on him to wake him fully. When he woke up, she said:
"Why are you sleeping here?"
He replied:
"I didn't realize… I remember getting home, but I think sleep overcame me, so I slept here."
They both started laughing about what had happened.
Lira invited Soren to have breakfast with her, and he agreed. She prepared the breakfast, and it was delicious from her hands. After they finished eating, Lira was washing the dishes while Soren stood beside her, and they were talking.
Soren yawned and closed his eyes for a moment…
Suddenly, there was a loud thud.
Soren was startled and turned around… to find Lira on the ground.
He thought she was joking and said:
"Now is not the time for jokes, Lira."
She didn't respond.
"Lira…? Lira!"
Soren panicked, carried her, and ran with her to the nearest hospital. She was quickly taken to the intensive care unit.
After three hours, the doctor came out.
Soren ran toward him and said:
"What happened, doctor? Please tell me."
The doctor said:
"Lira…"
To be continued
Sometimes…
tragedy needs no introduction.
No warnings,
no signs,
nothing to prepare you for what is coming.
Just a single moment…
separating the life you knew,
from the one that will never be the same again.
Soren thought the worst that could happen
was losing a moment,
missing a word,
or carrying a small regret.
But he didn't know…
that some things,
once they begin to fall apart,
never return to what they were.
And what happened in that moment…
was not the end.
It was only the beginning.