23

Horace was bound hand and foot, unable to move at all. He closed his eyes in despair. But at that very moment, Amanda crawled over from the side. She had somehow found an abandoned gas mask in the derelict warehouse and, using her last ounce of strength, helped Horace put it on. “Amanda, you'll die like this...” Horace’s resisting movements trembled slightly. Perhaps even he hadn’t noticed, but he was crying. The tear was wiped away by the woman’s fingertip, and he heard her soft laugh: “But you’ll live.” Often, humans are an emotionally complex species. Love and hate can coexist, and disgust and desire need not contradict each other. It was as if, even after so many years, Horace still couldn't figure out why that tear had fallen. The murky gas spread freely in the air. Amanda was already lying there, silent. Horace's consciousness began to fade. He tried to shake her awake, urging her to hold on a little longer. Until the clear sound of sirens echoed outside the warehouse... Horace d