Happy New Year

He grabbed the bottle that he had stored from when Prat and Elisa were over to see Ernest. He should thank Prat, he didn't need to, because technically, he should not be carrying alcohol. Regardless, it was there and in his possession. He popped the top and poured it into a black plastic cup that said "2025" on it in gold digits.

He put it down onto the counter and walked over to the gramophone he had and grabbed the record by ABBA, exclusively playing Happy New Year.

He started it, walked over to counter and grabbed his drink, closing his eyes and softly moving side to side. 2024 was a hot mess for everyone, he felt. He officially left the position in December of 2023, but he felt like it was his fault for the six months of misery at the beginning of the school year, for how hard it was to obtain a full time job, how he would have to do miscellaneous things or use his savings to keep the house and mortgage paid.

He got tired of hearing his sons argue with one another in the house, how he wished they saw each other as friends and not as mortal enemies who walk into one's room to fart and close the door to trap the smell in there. Not as someone to beat up when they were wrong and to reassert their dominance.

He felt like he wanted to rip out his hair. He couldn't keep doing this all by himself. He needed someone. But he tried to clear his mind as he listened to the music further. He tried, really.

It was hard to have a bare mind when there's so much that makes your mind race, worry or feel concerned about.

It seems to me
that the dreams we had before
are all dead, nothing more
than confetti on the floor

He took another sip, keeping his eyes closed, making his way over to the couch to sit and relax.

It's the end of a decade
in another ten year's time
who can say what we'll find
waiting down the line
in the end of '89

Heh, time did fly. Time definitely flew when he turned 18, felt like life was speeding up as we went down the road, until we meet our fatal end. He wished time would slow a lot more than anything else that would occur in his life. He was 36! He started Hogwarts in '99. That was only 25 years ago! Well, 24 and somewhat years ago to be exact.

Sure, he wanted to know what the future was like but he did not want to speed up his life any more than it has already. He could say that Clark was ready for adulthood to come though, but him? No, he didn't want Clark to get older and leave him. And every new year reminds him of the dreadful.

Happy New Year, Happy New Year
May we all have a vision now and then
Of a world where every neighbor was a friend

He opened his eyes and stared at the wall, tired. Scared. Not ready for what changes or challenges were coming his way.

Happy New Year, Happy New Year
May we all have our hopes, our will to try
If we don't, we might as well lay down and die

Hopefully he would not screw up the next beautification potion, hopefully he would not be tempted to scream words he would regret into his boss's face like he wanted to do all year long. How many people could die or go missing? Why? Just lock them up in your house and don't ever leave..

Octavius knew it was not possible, that tragedy was going to happen no matter what way it goes, no matter what year it was, but he hoped for the new year, there would be nothing to hate. It's impossible, that's for sure.

If he were to decide his New Years Resolution, the highest priority would be to dedicate more time to the care of his sons, rather than to mope around. The other thing he would have on that list is to prioritize a relationship, to see Ronnie around more.

You and I