Karl's eyes widened in shock as Richard's words hung in the air. "Everything?" he repeated, his voice trembling with emotion.
Richard nodded, his eyes still cast downward. "I remember it all," he whispered. "The abuse, the bullying, the pain. It's all coming back."
Karl felt like he had been punched in the gut. He had been hoping that Richard's memories would remain locked away, that he would never have to confront the trauma of his past again.
But now, it seemed that the floodgates of memory had been opened, and Richard was being forced to relive the horrors of his past.
Karl didn't know what to do. He felt helpless and powerless, unable to stop the tidal wave of memories that was crashing down on Richard.
As they sat there in silence, Karl could see the pain and anguish etched on Richard's face. He was reliving the nightmares of his past, and Karl was powerless to stop it.
Suddenly, Richard's body began to shake, and he buried his face in his hands. Karl could hear the sound of sobbing, and he knew that Richard was breaking down.
Without hesitation, Karl reached out and wrapped his arms around Richard, holding him tightly as he cried. "I'm here for you, Richard," he whispered. "I'll always be here for you."
As they sat there, holding each other, Karl knew that he had to find a way to help Richard heal. He couldn't just sit back and watch as his friend was consumed by the demons of his past.
He made a vow to himself to do everything in his power to help Richard recover, to find a way to heal the wounds of his past and bring him back to the present.
But as they sat there, holding each other, Karl couldn't shake off the feeling that they were in for a long and difficult journey.