Thoughtfully

The air crackled with unspoken threats, heavy with the weight of unresolved tensions. For the first time in Judas' life, he saw a stranger in Matthew's eyes - a cold, hardened glint that sent a shiver down his spine. The familiar warmth and camaraderie that once bonded them now seemed lost, replaced by a chilling distance.

The silence stretched on, a silent battle of wills playing out between the brothers like a game of chess. The ticking clock on the wall seemed to amplify the tension, each passing second weighing heavier than the last.

Finally, Matthew broke the tension with a humorless laugh, his voice laced with bitter resignation. He threw his hands up in surrender, palms facing Judas in a gesture of defeat.

"Fine, have it your way," Matthew said, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Just don't come crying to me when things go south."

As he turned to leave, the sound of his boots echoing through the room seemed to seal the rift between them, leaving Judas with a haunting sense of lo