The Last Breath

  Rain presses against the hospital window.

  Machines hum softly.

  A dim light flickers above the bed.

  Damien lies there, chest rising unevenly.

  Nurse: His breathing is stabilizing… but it's shallow.

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  Doctor: He's exhausted. Forty-two and his body looks sixty.

  Damien: [Breathes heavily]

  (Am I going to die?)

  [His fingers twitch weakly.]

  (What does my life amount to?)

  [Silence.]

  The machine continues its quiet rhythm.

  Beep.

  Beep.

  Beep.

  Damien: (Games…)

  [He lets out a faint chuckle.]

  Damien: [Sad smile]

  (I was the best though.)

  (No one cleared the bosses like I did.)

  (No one found the hidden builds like I did.)

  [His breathing slows.]

  (But what did it matter?)

  (No love.)

  (No family.)

  (No one here.)

  The room grows quiet.

  The monitor slows.

  Bee—

  Bee—

  Bee—

  Damien: (If there was another life…)

  (Just one more…)

  Darkness swallows everything.