1877 March 14 - Lincoln, New Mexico

Dearest Diary, in the tender hours of this dawn, I pen what feels like the most challenging entry I have ever had to write. The night sky still clings to the last of its stars, as if reluctant to let go, mirroring the tumult in my heart. Today marks a turning point, a painful farewell that I never anticipated when I first set foot in this wild, restless town of Lincoln.

Henry and I, we've journeyed together through a landscape of laughter and danger, of whispered dreams and shared warmth. But as the sun creeps over the horizon, painting the world in hues of sorrow and longing, I am faced with the inevitable truth – I must leave. The bond we've formed, so deep and so true, has edged me dangerously close to revealing the secret that is my very essence.

Last night, as we lay under the vast expanse of the night, the words teetered on the tip of my tongue, the truth of my immortality aching to break free. It was in Henry's eyes, those pools of understanding and silent questions, that I saw the reflection of my own turmoil. The weight of eternity pressed upon me, a burden I never wished to share, a shadow I never wanted to cast upon his life.

With a heart heavy as the setting moon, I made the decision that cuts through me like a knife – to leave before the veil of my secret is lifted, before the truth taints this beautiful, fragile thing we have. As I whispered my goodbye, the words felt like shards of glass, each syllable a piece of my shattered heart.

Henry, ever the embodiment of strength and wild spirit, understood. He didn't ask why, didn't plead for explanations. In his silence, there was a resonance of pain, a shared sorrow that needed no words. Our final embrace was a tempest of emotions, a fusion of love and heartbreak, a goodbye that will leave an indelible mark on my soul.

As I walk away from Lincoln, from Henry, each step feels like a journey away from a part of myself. The town fades into the distance, but the memories, the feelings, they cling to me, an eternal tapestry woven into the fabric of my being.

So, my dear Diary, as I venture forth into the endless march of time, I carry with me a scar, a tender, aching reminder of what I've had to leave behind. Henry, with his wild heart and fierce soul, will forever be a part of me, a shadow in my endless journey.

Until we meet again, in this life or another, Tak (Your heartbroken, forever-changed immortal)

Time to go meet up with Erik. He's buying!

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