Chapter 62 - Train

The platform buzzed faintly with the hum of late-night commuters, but to me, it felt like a hollow void, the noise distant and meaningless. My thoughts were loud, deafening, urging me toward a choice I no longer had the strength to resist. I stared into the darkened tunnel, watching as the distant light of an oncoming train began to grow brighter, closer.
My mind was a whirlwind of memories—fragmented and painful, flashes of laughter, warmth, and moments of joy tangled with the heavy weight of despair. My labyrinth t-shirt clung to me like a cruel reminder of the escape I sought but couldn’t seem to find. This was it, I thought. The final step out of the maze.
The train rushed in, the roar vibrating through the platform, through me. I made my decision in an instant, a blur of motion and overwhelming emotion.
And then it happened.
The impact wasn’t what I expected. It was chaos—blinding, disorienting, and agonising all at once. My body was thrown, twisted, and for a moment, there was only darkness.
When I came to, the world around me felt distant, muffled. Pain surged through me, but even more overwhelming was the clarity that followed. I was alive. Barely, but undeniably alive. I remember the blinding lights above, the panicked voices of strangers, and then the silence of the hospital room where I woke up.
I reached for my arm instinctively, only to find it gone. The realisation hit me like a second train, not just the loss of a limb but the gravity of what I had done. I’d tried to leave this world, and yet, I was still here.
In the weeks that followed, the physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional weight. But somewhere in the midst of that darkness, a new thought began to take root. If I was still here, still breathing, still fighting—maybe there was a reason. Maybe there was something left for me to do, something I hadn’t yet seen in the labyrinth I’d been trying so desperately to escape.
This wasn’t the end, I realised. It was a new beginning, forged from the wreckage of my despair. The labyrinth wasn’t behind me; it was still ahead. But this time, I wasn’t going to run from it. I was going to find my way through.
Recovery wasn’t a straight road—it never is. The first days were unbearable. My body ached in ways I didn’t think were possible, and my mind was a battlefield, constantly pulling me back to the events of that night. But every so often, there were glimmers of something else: a nurse’s kind words, the warmth of a visitor’s smile, or the feeling of sunlight on my skin as I sat by the window.
It was strange to be so fragile and yet so present. Every little thing carried meaning. Even the most mundane moments felt magnified, as if the universe was offering me a chance to start over, to find a purpose I hadn’t seen before.
The loss of my arm was a daily challenge, both physically and emotionally. Tasks I’d once done without a second thought—tying my shoes—became mountains to climb. But as frustrating as it was, every tiny victory felt monumental. Each step forward reminded me that I was still capable, that I could adapt, that I could live.
I started talking to people again. Opening up about what had happened, as terrifying as it was, brought a sense of release I didn’t expect. It turned out I wasn’t alone in my struggles. So many others had fought their own battles with mental health, loss, and trauma. Their stories inspired me, and I hoped that, in some small way, mine could do the same for someone else.
As the weeks turned into months, I began to focus on what truly mattered to me. My passion for creativity—designing, building, expressing myself through my work—slowly returned. The labyrinth I’d worn on my shirt that night now felt less like a trap and more like a challenge, a puzzle I was determined to solve.
I started writing down my thoughts, documenting the journey I’d been on. At first, it was just for me—a way to make sense of the chaos in my mind. But the more I wrote, the more I realised that my story wasn’t just mine. It was something I wanted to share, not out of vanity, but out of a hope that it might resonate with someone else who felt as lost as I once did.
Every day is still a choice. Some days are harder than others, and there are moments when the weight of it all feels like too much. But I remind myself of what I’ve survived, of the second chance I’ve been given, and of the labyrinth that still lies ahead. It’s not about escaping anymore—it’s about exploring, learning, and finding meaning in every twist and turn.
This is my story. It’s messy, imperfect, and full of pain, but it’s also a story of survival, resilience, and hope. And if it can help even one person find their way through their own labyrinth, then maybe it was all worth it.