Gothic
I am almost half century, and I finally have a personal gothic dark tale.
Two friends used to be close, until a beautiful stranger from a far away place came in town. The relationship between the two friends spiraled out of control within three months, with one attracted to the stranger while the other suspicious of the stranger's intent. Things went down when the lover stabbed and insulted his now former friend.
A duel ensured, but the thouhghtful one was injured still. Egged on by the stranger, the lover felt invincible. Jaded, the two former friends, picked up their own pistols, but the lover was not aware that his rival has secretly reamed the chamber of his pistol to make it inaccurate. The thoughtful one has no choice since he was still injured and for sure he will lose.
At the drop of the handkerchief, a strange thing happened. While the lover's pistol misfired, the cautious one's pistol jammed. But both were Derringers so each has another shot. The lover misfired again.
Then a miracle happened. For sure he will not miss, the thoughtful one missed his target and only injured his former friend slightly. The lover and the stranger had seen enough, conceited, suspicious of the pistol malfunction, and decided to leave for a far away land to live happily after.
The thoughtful one saw what happened. He won. But he knew the reason. He went insane.
On the other side of the world, the lover mysteriously drowned.
The stranger set off for another land again, searching for another new lover.