I knew from the first glimpse that he was dead. But I ran to him. There was no way in which to describe his feelings, because he hadn't had any. The world had simply ceased in that moment, and with it, all his knowledge of how things were done. He simply could not see how life might continue. The first lesson of adult life was it, horribly, did.
The narrator immediately senses death when they see a loved one, realizing that the individual lacks any feelings as they had already passed. This moment signifies a profound personal loss, where the realization of death starkly contrasts with the expectation of life continuing. The heaviness of the situation overwhelms the narrator, creating an emotional void that is hard to articulate.
This encounter serves as a harsh introduction to the reality of adulthood, where life goes on despite catastrophic events. The narrator grapples with the sudden cessation of normalcy and the painful acceptance that, terrifyingly, life must persist after such loss. This paradox highlights the inevitable passage of time and the resilience required to navigate it.