Bound by Darkness

Chapter 7: Confronting Shadows

After Mark's reappearance, quite a few different emotions Vincent had, but mainly it was confusion for him. He remained hell-bent on the community center project, literally losing himself to the task. Every new day brought new challenges, but on the other hand, they were chances to touch someone in a good way. The institution subsequently assumed the shade of a light regardless of many individuals being close to it as a burden and Vincent saw the part he f]ayed in the process of bettering the situation.

Once, Vincent and Lily congregated and made the decision to join the event that was happening at the center. The point of the fund was to get the necessary money for treating members of the society that had experienced any kind of trauma. One could literally feel the vibrations of positivity and connect as kids on the phone when the amounts of inhabitants have gone in the wrong direction are shared. Vincent enjoyed a sense of success for as long as he roamed through the people who united for the common cause.

As the night came, Vincent saw himself frolicking with a variety of different guests, narrating his own life and, most importantly, taking time to listen to their personal stories. It was during the busy conversations that Vincent saw Mark standing near the entrance, alone for the first time. His heart skipped a beat, yet he never thought of missing out on posing as confrontational forever.

Him leaving that cluster, Vincent presently made his way to Mark. "Hi," he whispered gently, his voice remaining strong in spite of the nerves he felt. "I am happy you came."

Mark gave him a puzzled, semi-adept look. "I wasn't convinced what I should or should not do," he confessed. "I came here to see what the event was about and the way you are doing now only makes me decide to stay."

Vincent shrugged, became aware of the reluctance. "I understand that. It's difficult for everyone. But I am really making an effort to change my life and to do something good."

Mark looked at Vincent for a few seconds and then opened his mouth to talk. "It is sad but it's true... it's too much of a challenge to get my head around the idea that you are not the person you used to be."

There was a sting of guilt inside of Vincent. He was fully aware that his deliberate actions had caused serious damage to others and even to him yet too. "I see the point. Forgiveness is not my demand. I just want to do the right thing."

"Maybe I can never get over this, Vincent. But at the very least, I can perceive the progress you are making." Mark exhaled deeply, with a small smile, and a bit of compassion showing up on his face.

He nodded with a dash of hopefulness in his eyes. "I am really grateful. It means the world to me՛ Vincent said, smiling from ear to ear.

The talk with Mark had been a mixed bucket of emotions for Vincent. He was convinced that the recovery route was far from easy and that it was full of challenges, yet he was ready to take on them. Day upon day, Vincent grew in his determination to do the shaking of hands and the self-reflection on his journey to recovery.

Lily who was observing from a distance, walked close to Vincent after Mark had left. "How did it go?" she asked with worry painted all over her face.

"Well, things went a lot better than I thought. He is still hurt, but I think he knows that I am trying to fix things,՛ Vincent said honestly but softly.

Lily smiled gently and agreed. "That is very good news. He is able to see the good person hiding inside you now."

Vincent was full of gratitude for Lily. She had been with him on his journey and he was so thankful for that; in fact, he was aware of the fact that he would really not have made it this far without her. "Thank you for supporting me, Lily. Honestly, I am afraid of the things that can happen without you besides me."

Lily looked at Vincent and tried to give him strength. Her eyes were full of love but she still smiled. "You're not alone, Vincent. We're in this together. And I'm proud of the progress you've made.

During the continued course of the evening, the couple shared their story with other guests, exchanging thoughts on hope and the possibility of redemption. The amount of money that was raised from the event was enough, in fact, it was more than was required to run the new programs at the center.

Soon after the incident, Vincent did not get distracted but simply went on with his duties, mentoring the others on how to get help for their issues. He engaged in the management of better programs and personally, he was a success in overcoming even the biggest setbacks. Every individual day was marked by dilemmas yet, Vincent challenged them with conviction and a new zeal for life.

Meeting with Mark was a crucial moment for Vincent. He got a glimpse of his past, the dark side of it which he had to confront and pledge his hands to change. He felt that even though he is not entirely convinced about being in complete redemption, he was more than ready to encounter anything that the series of trials might bring.

With the help of Lily, Vincent finally experienced hope and possibilities he never thought of before. He knew that he couldn't morph the past and that he was resolute to build a future, a bit better at a time.

Then again, as he stood in front of their tiny house porch and gazed far into the distance of the day, Vincent got this feeling of inner peace and peacefulness. He was aware that the journey ahead would not be smooth sailing, however, he displayed confidence and resolution. With Lily's love and support, he was of the opinion that nothing was impossible. The two of them bound by true bond would still extrapolate on their salvation journey.