The funeral parlor was a somber blend of dark mahogany and muted grays, filled with mourners draped in black. The air was thick with the scent of lilies and the soft murmur of whispered condolences. Oscar, seated near the back, seemed detached from the solemnity around him. His wide, slightly unfocused eyes wandered, taking in the quiet chaos of the room as though seeing it for the first time. The flickering candlelight cast strange, elongated shadows across his face, making him look almost ethereal.

His gaze drifted lazily to a simple vase of flowers on the nearby table, the petals vibrant against the otherwise dull backdrop of the room. He was mesmerized. The flowers swayed gently, their colors shifting in his vision, or maybe they weren’t. Oscar giggled softly, completely oblivious to the funeral proceedings. He leaned forward, transfixed by the way the orange petals seemed to sparkle, and reached out a hand, his fingers grazing the air as if to catch the floating colors.

Elaine, a few steps away, spoke urgently with Jeff, her words a low hum in the background. She hadn’t noticed Oscar’s strange state until after the pills were swallowed. Her heart dropped when she realized her mistake. Now, she left him alone for a moment, hoping he'd just stay put while she tried to manage the situation.

But Oscar, in his altered state, was far from still. He reached for the vase, tugging it slightly closer, tilting it in his hands like he was holding something fragile, something precious. His face twisted with an exaggerated expression of concentration, as if he were solving the greatest mystery of all. “Are you… are you alive?” he whispered to the flowers, eyes wide in wonder. “You must be, because… you’re so beautiful.” The sounds of the funeral around him were muffled as his giggles filled the air, his movements slow and childlike as he explored the strange reality his mind had created.