Axel remained respectfully silent as John shared this emotional memory. "It's good to remember her. I forgot my mother's face, you know," Axel said.
Hearing Axel's words, John took a deep breath and turned to him. The sadness and understanding in his eyes seemed to share Axel's pain.
"Maybe it's for the best, Axel. "John said, taking the last drag of his cigarette, tossing the butt to the ground and stepping on it. As much as he loved Evelyn, sometimes he wished he could forget her. Because if he could forget her, the sadness he felt would disappear.
John blamed himself for feeling like he had betrayed Evelyn with this idea.
John turned to Axel as he struggled with these thoughts. "Sometimes it's harder not to forget," he said in a low voice. "But forgetting also feels like a betrayal."
Axel touched John's shoulder and said, "We all live with our past, John. We shouldn't let our regrets and what-ifs hold us back. We still have a chance to make new memories here."
John took a deep breath at Axel's words. As Axel encouraged John, his resolve was rekindled. "You're right, Axel. We are here to make new memories," he said.
Felix and Maxwell heard what they were talking about outside, but remained silent. They agreed that Axel's words were enough.
As John and Axel walked towards the house, they heard Felix and Maxwell's voices from inside. The group had already started unpacking. As John entered the house, he took a deep breath and inhaled the atmosphere inside. There was dust everywhere because he hadn't covered the furniture before leaving.
"I think we're going to have to do some cleaning," Axel said with a smile, waving a cloth in his hand.
Felix called from the kitchen, "Hey, I found some water, we can use it for cleaning."
Maxwell, cleaning an old chair in the centre of the living room, said, "This house is really full of history. John, how did you keep this place hidden for so long?"
As he cleaned one of the shelves in the room, John said, "My grandfather built this house. This house has stood for centuries. One day I will die and you will have this house.
Felix could not remain indifferent to John's words. "What are you talking about dying, old man? We still have a lot of work to do," he said, trying to hide his discomfort.
"You're right Felix, we have a lot to do," John said, smiling slightly at Felix's reaction.
Axel opened the window to let in some fresh air. "We will create new memories in this house. Even if the traces of the past remain here, we will make our future here," he said.
As they cleaned, the group worked to revitalise every corner of the house. The sound of creaking wooden floors, the faint smell of cleaning materials and the sounds of the forest outside echoed like a melody that revitalised the house.
After hours of cleaning, the house was finally more livable. Everyone was tired, if not physically tired, they felt tired because they didn't like cleaning, but they were happy when it was over, they felt at home. When Felix found an old radio and turned it on, a gentle melody filled the house.
As the tune faded, Axel went into the kitchen to make tea and sandwiches for John. Sitting on the sofa, John gratefully accepted the sandwich and tea from Axel. The steam from the tea warmed the cold air, creating a soothing effect in the room.
Felix brought them some frozen blood from the RV. As he carefully warmed the blood in a bowl, his eyes drifted back in time for a moment. "Come on guys," Felix said, "it's going to be a long night. I'm glad we're all here together."
As Maxwell poured the blood into the glasses, he swayed slightly to the rhythm of the music that filled the room. "This house reminds us of the past, but it will also shape our future," he said, turning to Felix as if lost in the moment.
John took a bite out of his sandwich. As his eyes swept over the faces of everyone in the room, he felt a sense of peace.
As Felix stood by the window looking out, he said, "This forest, this house. I have a feeling it's all going to be more than just a short stay for us. Time seemed to stand still as the sound echoed through the house, combined with the silence deep in the forest.
"To new beginnings," Maxwell said, raising his glass. Maxwell and Axel raised their cups as well. John joined them and raised his cup of tea. At that moment, a new hope sprouted in all of them.
The old walls of the house echoed with their laughter.
For the first time in a long time, the lights were on in the house. John felt a little free today, having not lived in another place for so long.
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