The Phoenix Rises Anew

Vincent sat at his desk and let out a heavy sigh. The past few weeks had been very trying and his head ached with agony and despair as he tried once more to come up with a plan to maintain some semblence of respect. He knew he was going to lose everything he had worked so hard to achieve. His hard work, his efforts, his blood and sweat and determination... all for naught.

He hadn't meant to hurt anyone, but he knew that people would be upset. Words of anger and pain would be tossed in every direction. Tears would be shed. And it's all his fault. He could cast the blame in many directions, but Vincent knew that when push came to shove, the only one responsible for his dilema, for all of the misery to come, was himself.

Vincent could feel his eyes watering up. Tears were flowing freely down his face. Could he face losing everything once more? Could he face hurting those people who have had so much faith and sacrificed so much for him? Could he face the tears and pain? Could he face being forced to being dependent to others for even the slightest deed?

The tears continued to flow as Vincent stood up at his desk and reached into a drawer. He pulled out an object of respite, with the long steel tubing, the hard, cold handle and the permanent solution to all the pain, the fear, the despair, the answer to it all, resting in the chambers.

For a long, long time, Vincent just stared at the gun in his hand. It'd be so simple and so quick. It could be over. All the pain. All the hurt. All the anxieties. It'd be so easy.

But then Vince thought of his family. Of his friends. Of those in his life who stood by him and supported him as he struggled before. It would be over for him. That's true. But if he was worried about possibly hurting others before, what would this act do? It'd show that their faith was unfounded. It'd show that he was unworthy of their love and support. It'd forever frame him as a coward.

And Vincent, although he may be many things, knew he was not a coward. He wiped the tears from his eyes and placed the gun back into the drawer.

With another heavy sigh, Vincent closed the drawer and took several deep breaths. What was taken away and lost can be rebuilt and found once more. It might take a while and it won't be easy, but what in life truly is? Just grit the teeth, suck it up, deal with the consequences and move forward.

Vincent wiped his eyes once more. The time for being distraught and afraid was done. The time to be strong and look ahead had just begun. An old cliche says that whatever doesn't kill someone makes them stronger. Vincent was not dead. He was strong. He knew it and smiled to himself. Now it was just time to let everyone else know..