The Gallery Waits in Silence

to the point of collapse, Isaa

ng anniversary, he aband

ccused me of respondin

I found a place to accep

ost his

time had passed before

tively reached

lost my child with I

the chance

stemmed from the physi

hone, a video m

ifted somewhere, his mouth open

d this video

s egging him on, asking if he

ce was th

Isaac had a wife, stood t

posed, had been s

I might have forgotten I was

he video, revealing text b

less

aring at my bloodless face

ed Ava would the system

t need to

, I entered thi

timed, just after the fem

had been colle

internships, Ava learned o

part, and Ava left fo

a teacher Jake. Our shared int

were supposed to

ve him m

d our compatibility w

hobbies, he never car

ng couple or stran

he would realize

h Isaac made me forge

e that if Isaac loved A

g did I

fading for who knows how long, bef

Isaac stepped inside, and a

n da

ven day

the living room, his eyes flicke

concern in his gaze

ok my

f alcohol c

the scent overwhelm

He took my hand, seeming

e I'm out this late, don't wait up

im. "No, I'm pro

soon vanish from this w

catching up with

uld've broug

ly, "Bring me to witness y

's presence, Isaac did

" He brushed past me

, I sensed everyt

ad's return rendered these

the bathroom, ma

ke memories with Isaac. "Isaac, Jake's holding anot

w was our third we

ur

lifted s

g his jacket, so

t, I pulled ou

t could onl

Isaac returned, I had missed another me

I even sa

, I typed a reply.

he system punished me eve

saac and Ava were dinin

topped

n with Isaac, then find a quiet pl

ree o'clock in

I tied Isaac's tie. "Three o'clo

by noon. It's been three years since Jake'

yself, "It's m

looming, there was n

, Ava's harassment

e left, I didn't w

at me, a premoni

c stopped replyin

system's punishment mo

er lied. Isaac had

floor, gasping in pain

ed me again. This time, it w

nd suggested

t to imagine what th

led my heart

et outwe

nt kept me from attending the

er goodbye, it felt like I h

the pain in my bo

eant Isaac wa

water on my face and applied

I sat on the sofa, flipping

uick, carrying a

I have been

from my hands, his voice

ourse, me

tion was

ponded to her

rst love, sorry, she

to harden Isaa

w she messaged you first, but did you hav

most pleading. "If you're upset, take it ou

e first?" I repeated unc

e was clever enough to know Isaac

ip, I was the fool

king our plans, I added sharply, "You've been spending so m

e someone in

mention the system,

ulging on the hand gripping the m

aside and stormed ou

m fell

ff the floor, my stomac

ve disappoin

, I packed a few

he task ended, and I could

not, I still

saac on eve

al town, to a modest co

h that no one would t

llege, saw me and her eyes filled with con

nce noticed my conditio

punishments h

ained blind t

ok my

usually for Nora when she couldn't

e coastline by day and did od

aac and Ava met

ns struck

g up blood several times

ared hearing s

have been happy, and I hope you won't be scared when it happens. I'm telling you because I'

weighing

in my mind. "What

I imagined Isa

uldn't, w

at's all, Nora. I hav

re meant vanish

tem left me floa

ience true heartbreak

collapsed when she s

e arrangements quickly and sc

my soul felt i

after a moment of disorientati

passed, and he

the picture of a stern

bruptly. It was

Gran

et to come home fo

won

ing Zoe

e, Isaac's fingers, tapp

ur

ll her about

g up, he ope

in a while, I saw

away fr

block

oming back? I'l

othes. I know you don't

arked with a red e

a bitte

e because I onl

re words. "Come home

another exclamati

s his face. He slammed t

d his face wit

dn't re

rned about the f

hip hadn't been approved,

ked to visit as a

idn't o

g me with a warm smile, s

ast Ava to Isaa

lied smoothly, shift

a small gift. "I bought this h

e. Keep it for your own grandma." Isaac's

aac frowned. "Grandma, i

ift into Isaac's hands. "The

ndma, I know you don't like Ava, but

is grandmother cut hi

ted. "She co

Her phone's off-

aze darte

of Ava? Did y

"She's upset and left, but don't worry

ready elderly, clutched her

her, she summoned her strengt

rtless! Your wife's missing, and you're this

y started lo

eek still red, he did

her gift, left quickly

figure, I found it both

d wife, and he only searc

racked me do

e calmly finished his work

rk, fingers clenched, as if

saw me, he'd sco

I was alrea

e coastal town

onvenience store, Nora

sed, then guessed their p

impatiently. He sighed.

Nora's cautious demea

espair and pieced togethe

th hostility. "Sorry,

argue with a woma

young girl. I fumed nearby,

rms. "You really

tayed s

s not

on hardened.

ore sat by the sea, the salt

an. "Her ashes are in the

she pointed when her words hit. Hi