The only guy in the world

They became… like children. Not literally—they remained adults, with the same voice, appearance, and habits. But their perception of the world had become naive, spontaneous, and almost defenseless against reality. They enjoyed simple things: sunlight, bright objects, tasty food, attention. They could laugh for no reason, play with things as if they were discovering them for the first time. Sometimes it even looked cute. But more often it’s alarming. They trusted easily. Too easily. They didn't ask questions, didn't doubt, didn't analyze. If Artyom said, "It's safer this way," they simply believed. Conflicts also became childish: resentment flared up quickly and was forgotten just as quickly, Disputes arose over trifles - who sat closer, who received more attention. They could repeat the same questions: “What are we going to do?” — “Why?” — “And now what?” And if the answer was complicated, they lost the thread after just a few words. Their speech became simpler. Their thoughts became short and direct. Sometimes they couldn't explain what they were feeling—they only showed it through emotion. But the hardest thing was something else. They didn't realize that there was anything wrong with them.