Don’t do this.

The door, the house, the quiet street, the night itself, dissipated into darkness. Or at least, it did for the one who had been in charge, a breath away from knocking on the door. Waiting in the darkness was the one who had bided his time all for this moment.

You must have forgotten the value of suggestions from another mask of myself. What I choose to do, is not your concern.

His breath caught in his throat when he realized that something was keeping him here, far from the choice at hand.

I had a feeling you’d be like this.

Incredible intuition. After a life of being ignored, having to watch you lose everything of value in our life, I am not particularly open to input.

You’re angry.

I’m not angry. There is no point getting angry at a troublesome fly. You’re an annoyance. How can anyone get hold a grudge against such a pitiful creature? Their significance in this world is so minute. Why waste another thought on this brief blip in my existence?

Were you always this talkative?

It had only taken one question, and his hands were balled into fists, so tight that they shook.

I suggest you savor my company while you can. Believe me, I know how the idea of loneliness hardly gives that existence justice. Have you started talking to yourself yet?

It’s very possible that I have. And you’re right, loneliness is a barely puddle to this crushing ocean of silence.

Exactly. If you had the power to keep me here for good, you would have done it a long time ago. You may have gotten me here, but I’m sure your hold won’t last long.

It won’t. All I can ask is that you’ll hear me out, at least in these few moments when I can still hold on.

Get on with it then.

Once more, the two of them found themselves in their childhood bedroom.

I’m dying. In fact, I’m fairly certain that this will be last time we speak.

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His voice did not waver. He stared out of the same window he had stared out of when he was a boy.

I promise you it’s true.

I didn’t know that was a possibility. I still don’t understand how that concerns me?

Your empathy is truly astounding.

You expected condolences?

I’m dying, not delusional.

He continued to stare out the window, while the other one tried to find the ulterior motive running just beneath the surface of his words.

I don’t expect you to mourn me. Maybe you’ll be happy to know that this adjustment has caused me plenty of suffering.

I made it as pleasant for you, as you did for me.

I won’t bring it up again. Believe it or not, I have learned more about myself during this little transition than I ever wished to know.

At last, he turned his gaze from the window, a recollection of a cool, spring day from his past. He turned to meet his adversary’s gaze for the first time since they entered the room.

Have you thought at all about what it is you’re about to do?

I’m not surprised that you don’t approve of this plan. You’ve worked so hard to keep us apart.

You’re still acting like a child, throwing a tantrum to fulfill these delusions that you’ve been wronged.

You said it yourself. An ocean of weight. Now, it’s my call to make.

For someone that “cares” about people as much as you do, you certainly have a weird way of showing it to the people you love.

You’re willing to admit it? You loved her too?

There was a subtle shift in the power between the two of them. He felt the change in balance, suddenly having the power he needed to pull himself out of this place. With each passing moment he felt the power tip further in his favor. But now, he wanted to hear what the other was about to say.

Of course, I loved her. I’m only here, because I loved her.

So, you spent most of your life pushing her away, and now, you’re spending the last of it trying to get me to do the same thing?

Maybe you are better at the controls than I was. Nothing ever felt as certain enough for me to know it was love until it was too late. I lost her, before I loved her.

Then why not fight for her? If you knew that you loved her, why not do something, anything to make it right?

Figuring out I loved her led to another realization. Sometimes you have to let go. If you really love them that is.

You’re trying to manipulate me again, and I won’t let you do it.

Listen, if this was just an issue between you and me, I would have let go a long time ago. You have to have felt the difference. Out there, there are stakes, and it’s messy. When you make a decision, you actually have to live with the consequences. We’re not in your narrow world of hypotheticals.

But Clara will make us happy. I know it more than I know anything else.

You sound so altruistic. This isn’t some fantasy where one heroic act leads to a lifetime of happiness. At some point, even you started to doubt that. You’re going to blow up her life, and you haven’t even considered the fact that you are only back here because you have nowhere else to go.

That was because of you. If it had been up to me, we never would have hurt her.

There’s no point in talking if you’re going to have such selective memory.

You don’t know. She might be happy to see me.

Maybe. Contrary to what you probably think, I don’t want you to suffer any more than you already have. I get it. After a lifetime of cruelty, you can’t accept any act of kindness from me.

Because I know you.

His voice broke.

It’s all part of your plan. I listen to you once, and you’re going to put me back there.

The memory of the late afternoon sun crept into the room. With the golden light, he had begun to dissipate like dust motes blown by the wind.

You know, I was never much of a planner. I think you saw us as more similar than you think.

What’s happening to you?

I told you I was dying.

That’s what this is?

Your guess is as good as mine.

…

…

Aren’t you afraid?

Of course. I’ve always been afraid.

I’ll stay until you’re gone.

Thank you.