Antoine's Authentic Pursuit
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Published 3/21/2023In the 1st century BCE, Antoine, a French man, faces an ethically challenging dilemma that he is uncertain will bring good or harm to his family, testing the strength and integrity of his character in this leisurely paced New Wave French story.
The rain was heavy. The stone wall was slick. The wind blew hard. He lost his footing and slipped on the muddy cobblestones, landing hard on his backside.
"Papa!"
"Maman!"
"Edouard!"
The cries of his family brought Antoine back to consciousness. His whole body ached from falling so far, but he tried to push himself up off the ground. He looked around at the crowd of people staring at him in confusion and fear. He tried to speak, but no words came out. Drool ran down his chin as he attempted to call out again. "Please...I cannot...look away."
The last thing he remembered was darkness and the words: "Do not open your eyes." He had obeyed those words, and they had been right; now he needed to look away. But how could he? How could he look away when his wife, his son, and daughter were in danger? He tried to move forward in their direction, but a pair of strong hands gripped him by the shoulders and pushed him back down onto the cobbles. A deep voice whispered in his ear: "You know what you have to do."
He did. He knew that if he opened those cursed eyes, then everything would be taken from him, just like before. Antoine would lose all that he loved most in this world once more because he was never able to look away from what should never have been seen. But there was nothing else that he could do; it was too late now. His family needed him, and so with great effort Antoine opened his eyes...and saw the truth of things for what it was.
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This is a work of fiction, assisted by artificial intelligence. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
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