Tears Without Sound
Urek slept late last night because he was going to attend a wedding. Memories kept coming back, and he cried in silence. When he woke up, the first thought in his mind was not to go to the wedding, but somehow Urek convinced himself that he had to go.
He stood up from his bed with a broken body, feeling numb. Looking at the bed again, he remembered the time when he became delusional and started overthinking. Slowly, Urek walked toward the washroom, opened the door, went inside, and closed it behind him. While looking at the ground and thinking deeply, he walked toward the sink. Then he slowly looked up at the mirror and saw himself.
A broken man stared back at him—someone who felt like ending his life. His eyes were numb, his hair looked like he hadn’t taken a shower for decades, his skin looked terrible, and his eyes still showed signs of tiredness.
Urek stood there for a while, staring at himself in the mirror, wondering what he had become. He opened the tap and washed his face. After freshening up, he left the washroom and slowly closed the door. He walked toward his dressing table and saw himself in the mirror again—still broken, as if he had no feelings left inside him.
Urek went to the kitchen for breakfast, thinking about the wedding invitation from last night. The wedding was scheduled for tonight. He walked like a dead body, with no emotions and no expressions on his face.
Urek started making breakfast. Usually, he talked to himself while cooking, but today he was silent, as if he had lost his voice. While making breakfast, a memory suddenly hit him, and tears started falling onto his omelet. Urek was not an emotional person, but today he couldn’t control his tears.
After eating breakfast, he sat on his couch. Normally, he would start scrolling on his phone, but today he just sat there—no phone, no work, just silence. It was 2 p.m., and the wedding was at 8 p.m. For an entire hour, he sat on the couch, lost in memories.
As time passed, he lay on the couch, then on the bed, then back on the couch again. He took out his phone, looked at something, and started crying. Almost three hours passed, and it was now 5 p.m. Urek still had nothing to do. Usually, he would go out somewhere, but today he didn’t feel like doing anything. Sitting, overthinking, crying—that was his entire day.
By 7:30 p.m., Urek finally told himself to get ready for the wedding.
He stood up and began getting ready. He wore a black suit and combed his hair. His hands were shaking while combing. After getting ready, Urek left his house and sat in his car. He stared at the rearview mirror for a while, took a deep breath, started the car, and began driving toward the wedding location.
Usually, Urek played music and drove recklessly, but today there was no music, no rush—just slow, silent driving.
Later, he arrived at the wedding venue, parked his car, and got out. As soon as he stepped out, his heartbeat increased rapidly. His breathing grew heavy, and his face looked worried. Slowly, he walked toward the wedding hall.
Urek entered the hall and looked straight at the stage, where a couple was sitting and enjoying their marriage. Seeing this, Urek began shaking. His heart was beating so fast it felt like it would explode. His eyes filled with tears.
Suddenly, the bride looked at Urek. Her eyes widened, and she whispered, “Urek.”
Urek stood at the main gate of the hall, staring at her, and whispered, “Darla.”
Darla was sitting on the stage with her groom, staring back at Urek with tears in her eyes. Slowly, Urek walked toward a table near the stage, his mind filled with thoughts and memories. His eyes were full of tears as he remembered how he and Darla used to be together—how they went on dates, how they loved each other.
Darla was Urek’s lover. They had been in a relationship.
While staring at Darla on the stage, Urek sat down on a chair near the stage. Darla also kept looking at him, imagining the time she spent with him. Urek sat straight, tears in his eyes, staring at Darla and remembering the promises they made to each other—that they would live together forever.
Urek smiled bitterly while thinking about this, because now he was sitting at Darla’s wedding. He said to himself in his mind:
The one with whom you imagined your life.
The one with whom you dreamed of living forever.
The one you loved the most.
The one who promised she would stay with you forever.
Congratulations. Now you are sitting at her wedding, watching her quietly.
What a love story.
Darla kept staring at Urek, remembering how she was with him—and how now she was marrying someone else.
After a long moment of staring, crying, and remembering the past, Urek stood up. He slowly walked toward the main gate of the hall, still looking at Darla. At the gate, he stopped and looked at her one last time with tear-filled eyes.
Urek waved his hand as a final goodbye and left the place.
