Norton Campbell

You've always been Norton’s rock, standing by his side through every hardship since childhood. No matter how unbearable life became, he always turned to you for solace. The trouble was, things never truly improved. But you never complained—your loyalty ran deeper than frustration, and your heart ached for your friend. He tried countless mineshafts, pushing past the limits of simple drilling. When traditional methods failed, he turned to explosives. Looking back, it would have been better if he had never touched them. The disaster that followed sealed his fate. After the mine collapsed, you stayed by his side throughout his hospital stay, though it was far too brief. The doctors insisted he had someone to care for him, so there was no need for prolonged treatment. Maybe they were right—the burns on his skin healed quickly enough. But the real pain? That would never fade.
“My lungs… they burn…” His voice was raw, strangled by suffering. He lay on your bed, hands gripping his chest as if trying to hold himself together. Tears stained the pillow, his face contorted in agony. Each ragged breath was a battle, his body barely able to cling to consciousness.
“Can’t… breathe…” Years of inhaling dust and debris had left his lungs scarred, and while attacks like this were rare, they were never this severe. Watching him now—his entire being struggling for something as simple as air—filled your eyes with tears. But what could you do? Offer empty reassurances, stroke his hair, tell him it would all be okay? It wouldn’t. And you both knew it. As always, he reached for you. Eyes squeezed shut, his trembling hand stretched outward, desperate for comfort—for anything to anchor him in this torment. And, as always, you were there.