Chapter 100: This is Reality

AARON But before I could think, the lights flicked back on, and I found myself surrounded by the rest of the kitchen crew. They stood around the central counter, each holding dishes covered with silver lids. They were all smiling. I was even more confused at them than at Fredo. It took me a moment to realize what was happening. 'What… what's going on here?" Fredo burst out laughing, giving me a playful shove. 'Man, did you really think we'd let you leave without a proper send-off? This is our own way of saying, goodbye." The tension drained from my body as I relaxed. A wave of warmth flooded through my body, and the blood returned to my veins. I was completely speechless. Mr Alessandro came forward, with an exasperated expression. His eyes were calm, understanding. 'You've been a good coworker and friend to all of us. We couldn't just let you leave like that." I didn't even know how to feel what I felt. The crew pulled off the lids, revealing a spread of my favorite Italian dishes. From lasagna to my signature sauces, everything was plated to perfection. How did they even know what I liked? I stood there, frozen. 'I don't even know how to…thank you. All of you." 'Don't get all sappy on us now," Fredo teased, handing me a fork. 'Just eat before it gets cold." The group laughed, and I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. Talk about an eventful night. We dug into the food, the kitchen filled with the familiar sounds of laughter, jokes, and stories about our time together. Most of the stories were centered on me, but I didn't mind. It felt like a normal night, one of many they had shared over the few months I had stayed with them. But deep down, I knew this was different. This was goodbye. The evening wound down and the plates emptied. One by one, everyone came up to say their final farewells. There were hugs, slaps on the back, and wishes of good luck. Each goodbye felt like another small weight pressing on my chest. Is this how humans lived? The emotions were too much to handle. This wasn't just a job—it had been something that made me see another phase of life. And now, apparently, that phase was over. Finally, it was just me and Fredo left in the now-quiet kitchen. 'I'm really gonna miss this place," I admitted, looking around at the empty counters and dimming lights. The decor would forever be imprinted into my memory. 'Yeah, man. We're gonna miss you too," Fredo said, his initial playful tone now softer. 'But don't be a stranger. You'll always have a spot here." I managed a small smile. 'I'll hold you to that." With a last look at the kitchen, I grabbed his jacket and stepped outside. The night air was crisp, a stark contrast to the warm kitchen. I walked down the street, his footsteps echoing in the stillness. The feeling of finality settled over me, a mix of sadness and reluctance gnawing at my gut. He had no choice, it was what I had to do. But that didn't make leaving any easier. CALEB. I stood in the sterile hallway of the hospital, pacing with worry. It felt like I hadn't slept in days, and the dark circles were starting to get prominent. I couldn't even recognize myself anymore. Brielle, sat slumped in a chair nearby, nervously twisting her hands together. Her face was pale from exhaustion and anxiety. "Any changes?" She asked quietly, barely lifting her head to look at me. She had been by Kyle's side for hours, refusing to leave, as if being there might somehow keep him alive. I shook my head, and my voice caught in my throat. 'Not much," I muttered, glancing at the door to Kyle's room. The doctors had stabilized him for now, but that didn't mean anything. Each passing minute without a real solution felt like another nail in the coffin, and it was driving me crazy as hell. "This isn't fair," Brielle said suddenly, her voice cracking. 'Why him? Why now? He didn't do anything to deserve this." I wished I could explain, but I had no answer. I wanted to say something comforting, something that would take the edge off her pain, but there was nothing. Kyle had been poisoned, and we were running out of time. I had released Dr. Flora straight into the arms of Uncle Kelly, and we hadn't heard from her since. If there was anything I trusted Uncle Kelly with, it was handling situations like these. "I know," I managed to say. "But we're not giving up on him." Brielle looked up at me, her eyes red from crying. When I told her about what Marcus said, she raced down here immediately and remained until I had to come and tell her it was alright. "What if we lose him, Caleb? What if this potion doesn't work? What are we going to do?" She buried her face in her palms. I crouched down in front of her, placing my hands over hers. "We're not losing him," I said firmly. "I'm not losing him. I'm going to fix this." Or at least, I could try. Brielle bit her lip, and I could see another mist forming on her eyes. "I want to believe you," she whispered. "I just don't know if I can take it anymore." I shut my eyes, holding her tight. I wished I had more to offer, some magic words to ease her fear, but I was scared too. Kyle wasn't just my brother; he was a part of me. Losing Kyle would mean losing a piece of myself and I couldn't let that happen. Despite his annoying nature. After a few moments, Brielle pulled away, wiping her eyes with her palms. 'I'm going back in to see him. I can't leave him alone." "Yeah," I agreed softly. "I'll come with you." We walked together toward Kyle's room, the steady beep of the machines the only disturbance in the quiet ward. Kyle lay motionless in the bed, his skin pale and his breathing slow. He was still twitching every now and then, and his hair was still white. Seeing him like this felt like a punch to the gut every time. I had always seen Kyle as strong, invincible. Now, he looked fragile, like he could break at any moment. Brielle sat by his side, gently caressing his hair. "Hey, big brother," she whispered, trying to smile through her tears. "You've got to wake up soon. We still have a lot to do….so much to do.." I stood by the foot of the bed, clenching my fists. I didn't know how to talk to Kyle like Brielle did. The words caught in my throat, too heavy with fear and anger. How had it come to this? Dr. Flora, The wolfsbane, The sleepless nights—it felt like a bad dream I couldn't wake up from. But it was reality.