Short Depressed Story :
The Light After the Darkness
The soft sound of the city outside always appeared like white noise to Alex. But today it felt louder and annoying. He sat on the old couch in his small, dim apartment, staring idly at the television which he hadn’t turned on in days. The dishes in the sink were lined up, the clothes were all over across the floor and the trash can was filled with empty takeaway boxes. However, nothing was important. Not anymore.
He rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the tiredness that gripped him like a second skin. It had been months since the accident but the memories were fresh as ever. He could still hear the screeching tires and feel the sudden shake, followed by the terrifying loud silence.
He lost his parents in a flash.
That day, he had lost more than just his family. He had also lost his sense of purpose. Two weeks after funeral, the company where he had worked for three years decided to downsize. Alex had been among the casualties.
“I’m sorry, man.” “It’s only business,” his boss had said, avoiding eye contact.
Business. That was all his life had come down to.
Now all he had were these four walls which kept him trapped in a cycle of grief, anger and hopelessness.
The knock at the door was faint almost like an echo. Alex initially thought he had imagined it. But it came back and louder this time.
He sighed and stood up and heading to the door. When he opened it, he was greeted by a young woman, likely in her mid-twenties, with soft brown hair tied in a messy ponytail. Her outfit was simple, hoodie and jeans but her eyes were attractive. They were bright green and filled with a comfort he hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Hi” she said, a little breathless as if she had just run up the stairs.
“I’m sorry to bother you but I think I have your mail.”
She held out an envelope. “It was accidentally delivered to my place.”
Alex looked at her for a moment before reaching out to take the envelope. “Thanks,” he said but just looking at her.
She smiled, though his cold reception did not appear to bother her.
“I’m Emma,” she said, as if expecting a proper introduction.
“Alex,” he replied, already preparing to close the door.
Emma quickly said, “Hey, wait,” and stopped the door with her foot.
“Are you alright?” You seem to… I don’t know, a little down.”
Alex gave her a look that said everything. What are your thoughts? However, he was not in the mood for small talk.
“I’m fine,” he lied, attempting to close the door again.
Emma turned her head,
“Well, if you ever need to talk about anything, I’m in flat 302. Just thought I’d offer.”
She gave him another warm smile, this time mixed with sadness.
Alex remained silent and eventually shut the door. Something about that short come across stuck in his mind even after he threw the envelope on the counter and slumped back into the couch. Maybe it was the way she stared at him, as though she could see past the barriers he had put up around himself. probably it was simply the knowledge that someone had bothered to ask about his condition.
Alex found himself thinking about Emma a lot more than he would have liked to over the next few days. Every time he saw her in the hallway, she would always have that same kind smile and he would get a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach, perhaps guilt or regret.
After yet another restless night, Alex one evening found himself waiting outside her door. He reached up to knock, then thought better of it. How on earth was he in this place? This girl was unknown to him. He was beyond her sympathy.
As he turned to leave, the door suddenly opened.
“Alex!” Surprised Emma cried out.
“What are you doing here?”
He moved uncomfortably, feeling foolish.
“I… uh, I was just…”
“You want to come in?” she asked, taking a step back.
“I was just making tea.”
For his better judgement, Alex replied and walked inside. Her flat was small but comfortable. There were pictures on the walls, plants on the windowsill and a soft inviting affection that his home lacked.
Emma handed him a cup of tea and took a seat on the couch across from him.
“So, what’s going on?” she asked gently.
Alex looked into the tea and watched the steam rise. He wasn’t sure where to begin. How could he explain the upheaval of emotions that had consumed him? But as he sat there, something inside him snapped and the words spilt out before he could control them.
“My parents died in a car accident a few months ago,” he explained calmly. “But then I lost my job. It’s been difficult.”
Emma did not say anything right away. She simply listened, her eyes staying on his face. For the first time in a long time, Alex felt like someone truly noticed.
“I’m so sorry,” she said after a while,
“That must’ve been painful.”
Alex replied and swallowed the lump in his throat.
“I don’t know how to move on,” he accepted.
“Every day just feels… empty.”
Emma leaned forward, her green eyes full of empathy.
“Alex, you don’t have to move on. Not right away. sorrow is not something you simply get over. But you can start by taking small steps. One day at a time.”
He looked at her deeply and for the first time, he felt a glimmer of hope. “How do you know that?” he wondered.
Emma smiled sadly. “I lost my brother a few years back. It happened suddenly. Your parents had a car accident. I went through exactly what you are going through right now. Guilt, anger and feeling empty. But in the end, I realised that the pain does not go away but it simply changes. And you learn to live with it.”
Alex’s heart tightened at her words. He had not expected to meet someone who understood and who had experienced the same crushing weight.
“But how do you keep going?” he asked,
Emma reached out and placed her hand on his.
“You find something or someone to live for. And you remind yourself that even in the darkest moments, there is light somewhere. You just need to find it.”
Days turned into weeks and Alex found himself spending progressively more time with Emma. She became his anchor who bringing him out of the darkness in which he had been drowning. They’d go for walks in the park, sit in cafes or spend hours talking in her flat. She never pushed him to move faster than he was capable of but he slowly began to heal.
One night, while they were sitting on her couch watching a movie, Alex turned to her and said, “Thank you.”
Emma looked at him, puzzled. “For what?”
“For everything,” he replied. “Thanks for being there. For caring. I doubt I would have made it without you.”
She smiled, her green eyes bright with affection. “You don’t need to thank me Alex. I’m just happy you’re here.”
Alex reached over and took her hand, feeling the softness of her hand against his own. For the first time in months he felt emotions other than sadness. It wasn’t happiness just yet but it was hope. And that was enough.
Months passed and while the pain of his parents’ deaths never truly ended, Alex found himself living again. He got a new job that wasn’t just for the money but also something he enjoyed. He reconnected with old friends and began volunteering at a local shelter and finding fulfilment in helping others.
But, most importantly, Emma provided him with a reason to keep going. She became his light, a constant reminder that even in the darkest of storms, the sun will rise.
And as they stood together one evening, watching the sunset paint the sky in orange and pink, Alex realised that life, for all its pain and loss, was still worthwhile.
“Do you think things will ever be normal again?” He asked softly.
Emma smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder.
“Maybe not normal,” she replied. “But they’ll get better. We’ll make certain of that.
Alex looked at her with a sense of calm that he hadn’t felt in a long time.
“Yeah” he replied quietly. “We will..”
And in that moment, he realized that he wasn’t alone anymore.
