The Blog

Berwald: Hurt

Warning: this chapter mentions the topic of suicide!

Victoria sat at the kitchen table, staring at the empty seat in front of her. She let out a deep sigh and shook her head in disbelief. Her son, Berwald, had been acting strange for the past three days ever since he stormed into the house with an empty expression and tears running down his face.

She and her husband, Oscar, had tried to talk to him, but he had become withdrawn and uncommunicative.

"He hasn't come down again. I'm getting really worried, Oscar. This isn't like him at all, he always comes to us whenever he has a problem," Victoria said with a trembling voice.

"I'll try to talk to him again," he replied, concern etched on his face.

He went upstairs and knocked on Berwald's door. When there was no response, he tried to open the door but found it locked.

"Berwald, open the door, please!" Oscar pleaded.

Still no response. Without hesitation, he broke down the bedroom door. When he entered the room, he found it empty. Panic set in as he searched frantically for his son.

"Berwald! Where are you?" he called out, fear and worry in his voice.

Oscar's heart sank when he noticed that the bathroom door was ajar. He pushed it open slowly and didn't have to walk any further to see an arm protruding out of the door.

"Victoria!" he wailed. "Call the emergency services!"

A little boy, no older than twelve, walked into the bedroom and looked at Oscar with a confused expression on his face.

"Erland, go play with Peter next door!" He instructed, trying to keep his voice calm.

"What's wrong with Berry?" Erland asked innocently.

"Nothing, he just had an accident. Now, go," Oscar replied, ushering Erland out of the room.

Victoria frantically called for an ambulance, her hands shaking as she struggled to keep her composure.

"Yes! He's still breathing but it's shallow! No! I don't know what happened but I can see some pills on the bathroom sink! Oh my God, my baby!!" she exclaimed into the phone, tears streaming down her face.

Oscar sat next to his wife, holding her tightly as they waited for the ambulance to arrive. They didn't know what had happened to Berwald, but they knew that their world would never be the same again.