He stared at the empty spot until the sky turned a deep navy blue and the sun had long disappeared. He knew he should leave. Moonlight filled the toolshed, mingling with his anxiety and hesitation.
He tried to smother his newly awakened feelings, though it pained him deeply. He was no stranger to death, but this ache in his chest was unfamiliar. He knew he could never reach that paradise, but a humble desire to keep it in his sight lingered, sticking to the soles of his feet like glue.
Why had Nerva brought him here? The boy had no way of knowing she had a soft-hearted habit of tending to the wounded. All he felt now was a confusing knot of gratitude and resentment.
Still, he had to leave. After hours of convincing himself, the boy finally descended from the wall, his limbs stiff from disuse. He had to accept, with a heart-wrenching realization, that this was not where he belonged.
