RQS ECHOES

The Man of Ashes

Broklin sat on the sofa, paralyzed. The cold sweat from the night before had dried, but her perfume still lingered in the air—and worse, in his conscience. He looked at his own hands and felt they no longer belonged to him. He was a corrupted system, running in safe mode, about to collapse.

It was in this deafening silence, broken only by the sound of dystopian rain outside, that the memory came back to bite him. Not the memory of last night... but the memory of two weeks ago. The first line of code of this disaster.

FLASHBACK: The Warning in the Studio

The studio smelled of coffee and heated cables. Broklin was tuning his guitar, focused on frequencies, when Jonah walked in. He was electric, smiling, with that chaotic energy that lit up the place.

"Brooo! Guess what?" Jonah shouted, spinning the chair. "Kelma wants you to record 'If I Were You'. She said only you have the right shoegaze vibe."

Broklin felt a pang of pride. Being chosen by the "Muse" was a technical compliment. But then, the atmosphere changed. Jonah's smile froze. He stepped closer, invading Broklin's personal space with rare seriousness.

"But let me tell you one thing, bro..." Jonah lowered his voice. "Make sure you stay away from my girlfriend, okay? And if she makes a move... don't give in."

The air grew heavy. "You run the risk of falling in love with her," Jonah continued, eyes fixed on Broklin's. "Kelma has a unique beauty. And you know it."

That day, Broklin laughed. He put on his "honorable man" armor. "Relax, man. I'm a respectful guy," he lied, without knowing he was lying. "I don't usually go after other people's girlfriends. Let's just record the song."

BACK TO THE PRESENT: Mind in Ashes

Now, sitting in the dark, that laugh from two weeks ago echoed like mockery. The lyrics of the song Ashes on Me began to play in his mind, describing exactly what he had become.

"I wake in shards, My name won't respond to me..." Yes. He was fragmented. The "Honorable Broklin" died last night. What was left was this stranger in the mirror.

"The mirror throws a stranger, With my eyes but not my core." He ran a hand over his tired face. Where was his core? Where was the loyalty to his partner? Burned. Turned to ash.

"Clocks chew up my time, Each hour's a sharpened tooth." The digital clock blinked 09:46. Every passing minute was proof of the crime. He had promised not to give in. He had given his word.

The Season Finale

Broklin stood up and went to the window. The city outside looked gray and hostile, exactly how he felt inside. The final question of the song hammered in his head:

"How many me's fit in this hole? How many lives until it's whole?"

He knew the answer. He would have to kill his old version to live this mistake. The memory of Jonah saying "Don't give in" burned stronger than any kiss from Kelma. But it was already too late for backups or system restores.

Broklin closed his eyes, exhaled the air from his lungs, and whispered to the void, admitting final defeat:

Broklin: "I already gave in."

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⬛ [END OF SEASON 1]