Chapter 1: The Road of Reflection

"In the theater of existence, our choices carve out our journeys. Regrets, enigmas, and unexpected meetings weave through the serpentine paths beneath the unyielding sun."

As July's scorching heat enveloped the day, people often found themselves lost in a haze of illusions. The lines between reality and imagination blurred, as the past and future faded into mere figments of dreams. On a winding mountain road, shrouded by tall pine trees, Noah drove aimlessly. His fingers clenched the steering wheel tightly, a cigarette dangled from his lips, and beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, akin to ants fleeing a scorched terrain, merging with the oppressive warmth spilling through the open windows. He accelerated forward, the rhythm of brakes and gas jolting him, heedless of speed limits, sharp bends, or the scattered gravel that littered his path — much like his usual reckless behavior. He had no recollection of where he began, only the relentless urge to return home, still two hours away.

"What a fool you are! How weak!" a voice within him sneered, dripping with sarcasm: "Can you even recall a single day in your ill-fated marriage when joy graced your heart?"

He wiped his perspiring brow with his shirt sleeve and closed his eyes momentarily, succumbing to a flood of thoughts. "If only I had stayed with her, everything would be better now," he murmured, almost inaudibly.

"More foolishness. Staying means surrendering to madness, or perhaps even your own demise at her hands. What did you expect from a conventional marriage to an ignorant village woman? What were you waiting for?"

"Our early days of marriage were filled with joy, I know that!" Noah insisted, reminiscing about the initial months of his marriage, a memory that clung to him, portraying a simple yet blissful life. Yes, it was just a fleeting few months, but its essence lingered for years, often just in his thoughts.

How peculiar it is that the human mind buries painful memories deep, allowing the pleasant ones to fade like mirages. In the midst of his ongoing suppression of feelings toward Linda’s mother, a wave of frustration burst forth: "Her mother embodies evil. That old woman pulls her strings like a marionette, her sharp tongue and suffocating presence are unbearable. We were content with our fate, but the thought of children…"

"Damn that old woman, the bringer of misfortune. I’ve never wished for anyone's death except hers."

"I shouldn't have distanced myself from them, especially now."

"And how do you plan to support your family, dear? Who fulfills their needs?"

"I’ve done many things out of desperation, not for money." Noah replied, squinting to concentrate on the road ahead. The sweat flowed more profusely, urging him to close and reopen his eyes. The air turned stifling, and the road steepened ominously.

"Don’t blame yourself; this isn’t your fault. You preserved the remnants of your sanity amid her darkest nights of fury, her screams, her curses directed at you and the world, her neglect of hygiene, and the filthier-than-a-road conditions of your home. Admit it, Noah, there were moments when you wished for her demise, so she could join her elderly mother."

Noah's voice echoed with a mix of despair and denial. Reality is merely an illusion crafted by the human psyche, reshaped repeatedly to endure pain, ever seeking salvation. As emotions surged from the depths of his memories, Noah whispered to himself, engaging in a secret dialogue with his buried thoughts: "Everything has transformed; we have finally been blessed, and Linda’s wish has been fulfilled… As for me, I desire nothing from this world, but I yearn to see Noor."

"Then hurry, for perhaps the danger facing your daughter isn’t merely external but could come from Linda herself. Or have you forgotten who seeks redemption?"

Not a single part of Noah's mind could fathom his wife harming their child, even if he had witnessed it firsthand. He gazed into the rear-view mirror, thoughts heavy in the air, and spoke aloud as if addressing a presence: "Is this what you're trying to convince me of? It was merely postpartum depression, something common in our village."

Then he leaned forward, pulling his damp back from the car seat that felt like burning coals. The engine roared violently, mirroring his tension, his lungs filled with the acrid scent of smoke mixed with sweat. An ominous stillness hung before the storm, both mysterious and terrifying. The pine trees thickened, veiling the sun, crafting an illusion that everything could vanish, casting scattered shadows on the now perilous road, winding with sharp turns. It stretched endlessly ahead, each curve harboring painful memories, every shadow from the trees whispering a nightmarish tale. As the car trembled under the weight of speed, shadows and light grappled within him, just as they clashed on the road ahead.

At exactly one-thirty in the afternoon, nearing his home, Noah witnessed an otherworldly scene. Two hundred meters ahead — deer gathered in a swirling circle, as if guarding a hidden secret or surrounding a mysterious prey. Anxiety surged within Noah as he slammed on the brakes, but the car continued its relentless charge toward the deer. His breaths quickened, matching the car's pace. In an instant that felt eternal, the pine trees swayed beside the road, their shadows stretching and vanishing like phantoms fleeing an inescapable fate.

And like in dreams, time decelerated drastically, unveiling everything to Noah with piercing clarity. The tyres resisted his commands, while the deer danced gracefully on the precipice of existence. Only moments remained, and one choice lingered — either veer off the road and plunge down the cliff or collide with the deer.

No mercy awaited him, just the certainty of inevitable arrival or eternal regret, compelling him to swerve. The deer scattered chaotically, clearing a path for an unexpected figure — a small child, no more than six, clad in a large black coat that concealed all but a pair of intense, sorrowful red eyes, locking onto Noah’s. Then, a voice echoed inside the car like a ghost: "Daddy!"

In that fateful instant, the tire trembled violently, and the front wheels regained control, enabling the car to veer left until it collided with a roadside barrier. The red Chevrolet careened down the mountain, tumbling violently five to seven times, where Noah felt the agony of his bones shattering and a heavy blow to his head before darkness enveloped him. The car settled at the valley's bottom, engulfed by flames and unrelenting memories, in a blaze flickering between illusion and reality.

Chapter 2: Confronting the Echoes of the Past

The first video, Ray LaMontagne - Highway to the Sun (Lyric Video), captures the essence of a journey filled with introspection and emotional depth.

The second video, Chris Brown - Right Here (Lyrics), resonates with themes of longing and connection, paralleling Noah's emotional turmoil.