Kyle wasn't sure how his next move should be decided, and it really didn't matter. This was no mere end of a chapter, this was the end. He had already ended the book in his mind, and he took the necessary action to ensure there were no more chapters. In a successful twist, he ended one book and was given the opportunity to write another. A new beginning waited for him on the other side.

His achievement was not apparent in the instant. He was actually disappointed in the outcome. Disappointment became the dominant feeling, followed by fear, and leaving him with confusion. His life ended that day. It was also a beginning. The beginning of this new life was something he hadn't considered. His fear was well founded. He had gotten to this place by his own doing, and he feared he may end up here again. But he knew something different on that day.

That day was not the same as the ones that led him there. The final straw had broken the camel's back, but despite having done so, the day carried on. He looked at his phone and recognized the time as being significant. It was almost time for his partner to arrive home. She knew Kyle would be home, but she was not aware of the days events.

This moment brought anxiety and nothing more. He was not relieved by her presence, and the thought of her arrival filled him with dread. Would he explain what happened? Would he show her the misfired bullet? Would he carry on as though nothing had happened?

These thoughts did not last long until the anxiety faded with one realization. He realized that he was already dead. Kyle had killed himself that day. Although not physically, he was no longer the same person that pulled that trigger. In this moment, he felt relief. There was no more pressure to perform, no more demands on him to be "successful," and no more need to hide. That guy was no more, and the man who stood in that moment was someone different, someone new.

Kyle heard keys in the front door. He heard it unlock. He watched the door open. He saw her face, and nothing changed on his. Kyle's mind was quiet when he was her. No reaction, no explanation. "Hi, sweetheart," he said. "I'm leaving tonight."

Her face curled into confusion. "What do you mean? Where are you going?"

Without any change in his expression, he looked at her for a long moment. "I'm leaving. I don't know where, just somewhere else."

Her eyes filled with tears. She wrapped her arms around herself as she began to shake. The tears flooded down her face, blurring her vision. After wiping her eyes, she watched Kyle walk to the other room as if her emotional state had not registered with him at all. But that was not the case. Kyle had registered the emotions, and he was simply not connected anymore. It didn't matter. That was the life he chose to leave behind. That was what died that day. The decision was made, and he felt nothing but relief. She'll be fine, he thought as he walked away from her.

Kyle grabbed a couple of things, but he left his phone behind when he left minutes later. He left that life behind, uncertain about what came next. He was at peace with the decision because every moment that came next was a gift. He would not waste time anymore. He would no longer be pressured into being something they might like.

Simply stated, he was reborn. He did not know himself anymore, and he needed time to get to know this new world. With fresh eyes, he looked ahead for the first time in as long as he could remember. He also recognized the now for the first time ever.