THE SQUARED WORLD

I have been in love with lego since the tender age of childhood. Like a drug addict, I would squander all my pocket money on those nonsense plastic bricks (as it described by my father). I would ensconce myself underneath my bed, meticulously crafting a kaleidoscopic kingdom of just me and my building blocks. The humdrum hamlet where I dwelled was a monochromatic wasteland, devoid of any spark or spirit. My Lego constructions were an escape, an oasis of creativity in the parched desert of my existence.

But my father abhorred my pastime. He saw it as a frivolous fantasy that distracted from earthly duties. In his theology, idle hands make the devil's work. He believed a child's head still lost in dreams of heaven remained oblivious to the toil required on this mortal plane. Whenever he uncovered even a single brick in my room, he would tear the place apart hunting for more contraband. Any Legos discovered were sentenced to immediate confiscation and exile.

I matured in melancholy isolation, unable to forge any meaningful bonds with kith or kin.

Adulthood provided no relief.

One day a tempest of rebuke rained down from my supervisor. Though not wholly my fault, in co-workers' eyes I was the scapegoat. I was an island, isolated from all in the office. The day was calamitous.

At home, my wife's words whipped me like hurricane winds, chastising my late return. I sat mute, eliciting a cold front that froze me out through dinner.

I sought solace in Jenny, my petite Chihuahua. But even she rebuffed me, rewarding my affection with a quick, sharp bite.

That evening, eyes brimming with tears, I plunged into the forest, enshrouded in darkness.

They say a man's demise springs not from a lifetime of misery, but from one perfectly wretched day. This was such a day, flirting with being my last.

I ventured into the woods as dusk settled over the land like a cloak, the last rays of light slowly receding. Clutching the coarse rope tightly in my hand, I moved with sinister purpose toward the predetermined tree. This would be my final walk in the forest. Morbid plans brewed in my mind - I would at last take control and end the ceaseless suffering that plagued me.

Arriving at the mighty oak, ancient and sturdy, I solemnly slung the noose over a low branch. My hands shook slightly as I tied the knot, cinching it tight. This was it. Heart pounding, I placed my head inside the loop, feeling the abrasive texture against my skin. Tears streamed down my face and I said a silent prayer. With one last shuddering breath, I steeled myself to step off the ledge into oblivion.

But then, a crackling sound fractured the silence. I froze, weeping eyes searching the gloom. Emerging from behind a tree was a shocking sight - a cat shaped entirely of Legos, its plastic limbs undulating smoothly as it approached. It was Leegeeske, my childhood companion, now reborn in modular plastic bricks. I stared in disbelief as its square Lego mouth stretched into an earnest smile.

I was transported back to fond memories of my innocent youth, before the darkness descended. My heart swelled with nostalgia, momentarily transcending the hurt and despair. The cat tilted its blocky head, as if beckoning me to abandon my fatal plan and follow to a brighter destiny.

It gestured into the distance, where the lake shone like a mirror in the fading light. At its edge sat a stunning Lego castle, turrets and ramparts rising majestically over the serene waters. A vision from my childhood dreams, now tangible before my eyes.

As if in a trance, an involuntary smile crept over my face. My legs carried me forward through the trees, each step taking me further from the sorrows of the past. Arriving breathless at the castle's grand gates, they soundlessly swung open, welcoming me home.

Inside, familiar faces turned to me with loving smiles - my father, my wife, my boss. But they were all Lego figures now, exuding kindness and acceptance. The dark memories were wiped clean, replaced by this perfect sanctuary existing just for me. A sense of peace and belonging washed over my soul, forever.