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Chapter 5 - 5: Despair Watches the World from the Balcony

Despair stands on the balcony, watching the world beyond the glass.It doesn't open the door.It simply stares, frozen in place.And I stand beside it.

It was one of those days when I hadn't spoken a single word.The message threads were empty.There was no one to call.No one waiting on the other end.And no reason to leave the house.

So I stepped out onto the balcony.It felt like the only place in the house that could imitate the world outside.

There were people out there.Cars.Even a stray cat wandered by.Life moved on, indifferent as ever.And I—I felt like a frozen frame from a paused movie.

Despair doesn't speak to me.It just rests its weight on my shoulder.Heavy, slow, silent.

Once, I used to walk down those streets.I used to smile, make plans, wait for someone.But now, I stood behind a clear glass dooras if I no longer belonged to the world I was looking at.

The balcony was narrow.The air felt thin.My thoughts kept drifting outward.

I could open the door if I wanted to.But crossing the threshold felt impossibly far.

Despair stays a long time.It doesn't leave.It waits—until I stop calling it despair.

That day,I stood there for a while,just watching the outside.And a quiet thought passed through me.

If a feeling stays this long,maybe it has taken root inside me.

And for the first time,I whispered to it,"Please leave one day."

That was the momentsomething inside mebegan to move again.

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