《Pound Of Joy》


 The Favour

    Sun was ascending, and I could see it clearly despite the mist. The wind was tame so were the of the people there, walking, sitting on the benches, and wondering what is this day hiding for them?...a present or another misery. I rambled through the park for a hour; then I decided to hit the crib. The morning breakfast is must, and I was starving. Unfortunately, I forgot to buy eggs, and that was the reason, I left home so early, Oh...God! how could I forget. When you contemplate the nature, you do lose yourself sometimes


    Tirelessly, I went to the grocery store, all the way pondering if there is anything else that I''ve forgotten or it''s just my consciousness. I''m a normal teenager like millions of you, I do forget things, but does it make me irresponsible, and indolent.


    While I was in my thoughts, someone from behind shouted out loud, and the words I heard were, ''Hey, Bud'', It didn''t take me a second to recognize who this guy is; it''s not just a familiar voice to me, but this word ''bud'' does make me tickle, it was Bob, the motherfucking bastard. Bob''s a regular maniac, but a different kind. He has these choke burning eyes as if he has been snorting crack all day. Although, he has a pointy nose, but his hair are a blessing: smooth, shiny, and always in a tangle. The same old shirt, Jeff Spicoli aka Sean Penn from fast times at ridgemont high, holding his beer, printed all over his bloody red shirt, and I guess now, you know why the word, "Bud" from his mouth always titillates me. With an impish glee on his face, he hastened towards me and the rest is the history.


    Bob,'' I''ve been looking for you, and texted you a hundred times, but you never reply, ergo decided to see you face to face, and was going to your home''.


    Thoughts drifted through my mind....what? what''s so important that this guy, who''s so ne''er-do-well, left his home just to tell me this stuff, I''ve never seen him leaving his home in a decade, and he has this guy: Clein, who bring''s food, and stuff for him. I sighed, and replied, ''So,what''s the matter?is everything alright?. He pursed his lips, ''I don''t know, if you remember that few years ago you promised me that you would give me one of your dogs puppy when they are all grown up, and I was wondering that if they are yet, ready to leave their nest?. His face was profusely sweating, and I don''t know why he was so agitated to ask about the puppies, maybe he thought that it would not be appropriate at this time because just yesterday, I lost one of my puppy. Although, he didn''t control himself to ask about this puppy stuff and hence, he thought it''s prosperous, and would make me angry.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    I know,you will probably be thinking that what''s the relation between us,and why am I so kind and polite to him? He''s my neighbour, and my father always used to say," Neighbours are a blessing Kevin, you must never disturb their peace,and be kind to them because one day nobody knows,who''ll be there to help you,your own ones or the ones that are strangers,but are seeking a way to pay the favour you owe them"Honestly,if pop was here ,he surely,would''ve changed his perspective about all this neighbour thing by just looking at bob.I still remember,I had these first semester exams,and I was studying so hard up my ass,but bob,he had these big stereos in his home,and the volume of his music never knew the limit.We were friends,but him,being so presumptuous did nothing but weakened the very foundation of our friendship.


    ''The favour huh..?''I said mistakenly, while I was in my thoughts.


    Bob was like,''what favour mate?''.


    ''Oh,no, just a thought crossed my mind,why should I give you one of my puppies? It seems as a favour that I ought not to do.Bob''s impish glee turned into an expressionless face,and he replied,''Mate,it''s okay,calm down.'' I said in a forced exasperation,''why?just because I made a promise to a crackhead,years ago,when I didn''t even know how to wipe my ass after shitting, see there are two things that I care about,one:keep yourself as safe as possible from this city which is full of scum bags,and two:never ever make friends with any of these scum,nasty,and pathetic fucks. Bob seemed totally confused and objected, ''Bud,I don''t do drugs, do you even know this so you''ve been thinking all these years that I''m some psycho,doing drugs all day at home, you considered me one of their type, huh, didn''t you?. Now who''s a crackhead?


    To be honest, for a second, it didn''t seem true....what??All these years,my fallacious judgements about this guy, Oh God!forgive me for what I''ve done.I think so,now he''ll never show his face again.


    I reacted in a tremulous way,''Brother, I''m...I''m sorry.''


    Bob interrupted me and I could see his eyes at that time, all filled with despise for me,


    ''You know what? you''re a person, who''s just good at judging people, while his eyes are shut for the ones who judge him''.


    My poor heart, just shattered into pieces, and when he left me there at that right spot, whenever I pass through the place, it reminds me of a favour, one he did to me not the ones I''ve been doing for him.

 Chronicles Of Bob

    Bob lost his both parents due to cancer. His father suffered from bone cancer while his poor mother had blood cancer. Bob was left with a lot of wealth; a life savings of his deceased parents. He never knew how to maintain the money, but knew very well how to organize an extravaganza. The dear uncle Benjamin was a Godsend gift to Bob. Benjamin did all he could to raise him, he was a local businessmen; unmarried.


    In august, 2001, when Bob was nearly 15 years old,guess what?, he named Bob his only heir, and when he died in the middle of the road. Obviously,before he was hit by a car driven by an alcoholic twat who was recently divorced; the bank account of Benjamin came under Bob, and the boy knew nothing; All he wanted in this world at that time only was to appear on the show"The Generous People Of The Great Nation"which was used to broadcaste on ACC channel on every Sunday morning. Bob used to watch it with great enthusiasm; the show was about donations all over the country to help homeless, and poor people; Bob saw folks donating enormous amount of money to organizations, and the show owners had this policy to invite the donators too on the show, and that seemed a great deal of honor and respect to Bob. It was Sunday, when uncle Benjamin died, and when the life insurance guys came to his house to inform him about the death;the fortune uncle Benjamin has left for him, he was watching the show. On the very moment without any second thought, he decided to give away all the money to a child cancer institute, and he damn knew if he do this, he''ll surely be the next "Generous One"on the next upcoming Sunday''s episode.


    Agent, ''Bob Benjamin, are you sure that you want to give all this money which is under your name to the child cancer institute of Ohio?.


    Bob boasted, ''I want to do this, because I want to make a difference, and I''m proud of myself.


    Bob jested as he told Clein about his ephemeral days of childhood, and how he survived after his parents demise.


    Clein, ''You sure was high; did you make it to the show?''.


    Bob replied in a despondent voice, ''Yep, but what for?, I was young,did things always in a hurry, and when I appeared on the show, I wanted someone who knew me to watch this very episode, and guess what?I had no one, and that thought pierced through my brain; if my brain was shot, not once, but twice. I felt no satisfaction and needed none since then. Made a friend, I thought was close to me just like you, you know what?, Kevin is a good guy, but I still don''t know why he reacted in a very peculiar way''.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.Clein asked in curiosity, ''What are you talking about?''


    Bob stammered, ''Kevin..h..he broke his friendship with me, and said he doesn''t want to hang out with me anymore, because he thinks, I''m a crack-head or something. I do smoke, but I never lost control.''


    Clein jested, ''The fuck,that bastard; what was behind all this bond breaking, endothermic reaction.?''


    Bob, ''Few months ago,I..I wanted one of his bitch''s pups and asked him to give me one of them; he promised to do so when they''re all grown up, but yesterday, when I met him, I reminded him of that promise, and despite assuring me as I thought the way it would go down, he refused and called me things, and shit load of crap...Why the fuck are you laughing?.''


    Clein replied in a droll voice, ''So you wanted one of his bitch''s pup to pad along with you on the streets, and human-dog fraternal bond shit, so you could take a heave of relief that there''s someone who cares about you and in reality the pups with you because you''re still wiping it''s ass and providing this coffee-eyed poo the food.'' Clein patted his leg, and started to laugh so hard that his tears came out, and with the poker face Bob kept sitting on the cozy couch.


    Clein wiped his tears of joy, and hit bob with another joke, ''Indeed, it was a dog-tiring day for


    you, hahahaha..'' This time bob couldn''t held back his laughter, and with a puff, he started laughing too.


    Clein, ''People with low-life do stuff like this, l thought he was a decent man. Anyway, I guess we have no beer left so I''m going to the store, do you want something?.''


    Bob, ''No, you go now because lately, the streets aren''t safe, and you know this as well.''


    Clein, ''That kinky asshole, never thought he''s gonna break his friendship with bob in seconds, huh, what''s wrong with bob.? l have been with him for 2 months now, he never disrespected me, and what else do you want from the world except respect. l was far away from him that day if I were there, l swear to god, l would''ve punched his face so hard, sending him right to the bottom pit of hell''. Clein grunted like a loyal dog as he strolled down the street; Amidst his thoughts, he heard a noise, one which scared the shit out of him, and made him shiver in the cold somber night as if he was a cat on a hot tin roof. He glanced in the far corner of the street, and saw a bitch rummaging through the trash to find some food which he thought was some robber, because the streets of Ohio at this time of hour are nothing but perilous. He bought some beer, and made his way back home. When he was near the driveway, he saw bob talking to some girl at the door step, and thought not to interrupt them or she might be Bob''s girlfriend, and instead, he went to Kevin''s house to pay him a visit.

 Clein

    Clein is 21 years old; A skinny guy with these puffy eyes,and a buzzed haircut. Every day of his life is like a page turning by fate as it glances on his book of life with no intention to understand, and read it, but to see how many pages does it contain. This man has no future, no past, but a present which he knows will never last.


    On the other side, Clein''s life was in shambles. His folks kicked him out of the house, because he was nothing to them but fiasco, and nobody knows what happened between Clein and his family. Although, Bob, and Clein are more likely brothers, but Bob''s ears are also unaware about this untold story.


    Bob, ''It was a Friday night; I was about to hit the bar. The bar was like few steps away from the house only if you take the shortcut which is this long dark alley, just around the block. I was feeling euphoric that day,and the only reason which made me go through the alley at such hour was that I was awfully late, and the bar, it closes exactly at 12. However, I always pick the street whenever I''m going to the pub, but only in daylight. I just had smoked several joints, and was wondering If I could be able to make it to the pub. Don''t judge me, alright. I smoke weed, but I''m not a drinker, I just go to the pub because of these lit parties you know, and the women. I just want company sometimes, you know. All day alone at home, it''s no fun at all. You gotta interact with people, and hear them silly stories. The guards, they are the real morons. I''m underage, that''s right, fellas. You people would be wondering how do I get into the pub, it''s simple; money. I tip them bull dogs, and I''m in the party, baby.


    I stepped into the lane; was feeling paranoid already. I was looking down, you know finding them bloody puddles, because I didn''t want my night to be ruined. Opened the flashlight feature in my cell phone, and kept moving. As I looked up, I saw legs behind the trash bin as If someone was lying over there. I thought maybe this guy is in some critical situation, I tiptoed to the bin , and as I peeped, the guy swung a baseball bat at my face, It whacked my nose, and I slipped, my phone was in the air, and I hit the ground. I could hear him tramping towards me through the puddles.


    My cellphone fell right beside me, facing it''s front while the flashlight was still on as he approached me, the light reflected on his face, and I could see him. My nose throbbed with ache while the marauding thief ransacked my jacket, and rummaged through every fucking pocket I had in my jeans. It was arduous to make a move as if I was paralysed. Finally, he found the wallet from which I was about to tip them bull dogs. Through the all process, I was tasting my own blood which drained like hell from my nose. The bastard smiled at me, and raised his bat in the air, i gasped my last breath, and I knew, I was about to hit the bed, but out of the blue, someone from behind snatched the bat, and hit him instead, kaboom, right into the creeps head. The obdurate cunt fell to the ground in a dead faint. As I saw his fall, I took a big heave of relief. The man held my hand, and picked me up.


    He said with a shortness of breath, ''Are..are you alright?''.


    I winced, and replied, ''I''m good,thanks for coming in''.


    He said that we should probably call the cops, and I agreed with him. I picked my phone, and when I glanced towards the ground, the scoundrel was gone, because of this fucking dark all around, we couldn''t see him go, but only heard the echoes of the steps taken by his dead legs. I would''ve chased him, and hunted him like a bitch, but all of a sudden, a feeling of nausea overwhelmed me, and I puked.


    He handed me my wallet, and said in a solace voice, ''Here''s your wallet, motherfucker left it behind. Take this napkin, and wipe the blood'' .The napkin seemed more likely a souvenir, which would always remind me of this little accident, and I thought why not take it?I asked him to drag me to my home, and he obliged.


    On our way out of the alley, I asked him, ''What''s your name?''


    He replied, ''I''m Clein''.


    Bob,'' By the way,I''m bob. Where do you live?''.


    He replied in a sullen voice,'' Mostly on streets, sometimes under the bridge''


    I was startled,and his woebegone expression, it made me feel sorry for the dude, ''Don''t you have a family?, brother''


    He replied, ''Had, but these days, families, they''re not something you could rely on''


    We were in the drive way, when he left. I could see him making his way onto the streets again.


    That''s how I met Clein. It was not long until we met again. I was on the All-America bridge where I saw him on the road side. He was showing some picture to people passing by, and asking them stuff. It was one of the days of January, and I could see him shivering in the snow blizzard. It was below zero the other night; the day was bust as cold in Akron.I approached him, and just like that we became buds, and I coaxed him to come to the house; after a long argument, he finally moved in,and since then, he''s living with me. Believe me,just like I never had parents, he''s just another form of me in that aspect.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    A knock on the door...


    Kevin, ''who is it¡®?¡¯


    Clein ,''it''s me, Clein''


    Kevin with an impassive look on his face opened the door,and in a low voice he said, ''you....you can go fuckyourself!


    Clein with a smirk on his face replied, ''.Just the way you fucked your friendship with bob''


    Kevin, ''And why a creep gives a fuck about it¡®?¡¯


    Clein, ''lt''s just a matter of time, you''ll see yourself too in the same position soon, and believe me I know karmabetter than anyone in this fucking neighbourhood.


    Kevin, ''Life''s hard, not for only you, so don''t you come whining on the doors of people whom have better lifethan you''


    It pierced through his chest, and he could feel the words reaching his heart like parasites.


    Clein, ''l knew your father,he was a good man''.


    And with that Clein started walking backwards,and no one knew what Clein meant, but the poor ignorant boystanding on his door step.Memories resurfaced before the eyes of Kevin; if they were his alive past. As Cleinmade his way onto the shinny road in the dark, Kevin''s stare turned down, replete with regret,and sorrow.


    Bob was with his neighbour Jessica.They barely knew each other, and there was nothing between these two; shehas these gleaming eyes with a hue of blue in them. An epitome of beauty, and elegance. Brown,and black hair,mingled together, forming a shade of golden color. Jessica is a day dreamer; she is satisfied with her life, butwhat her life lacks is true love. A convoluted thought, indeed.


    Bob, ''Thanks for everything, Aunt Hannah cares about us just as if we are her own children. The pie looks delicious. Please,come inside, l''ll make some coffee''


    Jessica, ''No thanks, l have been very busy this weekend. You know, exams, so much excruciating, but, l appreciatethe offer. Maybe, sometime later''


    Bob, ''okay''


    Jessica went to her home; Bob felt alone as she left him in that despondent night, and at the same time Cleinappeared.


    Bob, ''What took you so long?


    Clein, "The wind''


    Bob, ''What do you mean¡®?the wind!¡¯


    Clein, ''My steps weren''t strong enough to hold against the force exerted by the wind, hence it took me forever''


    Bob, ''So, what did you think, the winds gonna help you to fly across the sky, and you''re gonna be like a fine bird till you reach home''.


    Clein jested, ''That''s why I didn''t trust the wind, kept my feet''s sticked to the ground, because there are suffice foolish birds in the sky''.


    Bob, ''I know, how cunningly you''re trying to change the topic''.


    Clein, ''So, who was the fairest damsel?''


    Bob, ''She''s Jessica; how come you don''t know about the Clawfield family? It''s been 2 months since they''ve settled in this neighbourhood.


    Clein, ''I''ve to spit it out, I guess, I saw a glint of love in your eyes when you were talking to her, and believe me at first, I thought she was your girlfriend,.


    Bob threw himself on the cozy brown couch, and replied, ''Maybe, may become''


    Clein, ''Don''t you count your chickens yet''


    Bob picked himself up by the support of his elbow, and sat firmly on the couch.


    Bob with an expressionless face said,''See Clein, you''re like my brother. We''ve spent good times, bad times, and still....you never told me about the feud or what was the reason which parted you, and your family''


    Clein gave a gazely stare to bob, and replied, ''Why do you wanna know?''


    Bob, ''Because then I''ll never know whom I''m living with''


    Clein,''Maybe, you never will .All my life, I''m just gonna ramble, and you''ll never know why; I don''t want you to know about my old life''


    Bob in bewilderment replied,'' What do you seek, you are a human too, you have dreams too, right?''


    Clein,''I''m heading to Cleveland tommorow''


    Bob,''What?, Why are you going to Clev...''


    Clein interrupted bob, ''I''m never gonna come to Akron,I guess''.


    Bob,''See uncle Benjamin used to say, "Only one life is given to everyone, so do whatever you like, and make a name so that even after death people would remember you;leave a dent on the earth"


    Clein with a blaze of anger in his eyes replied, ''I don''t want no one to remember my name, see people they''re busy, and in a universe this big with infinite time, all I want to do is live my part of life, and die a decent death. People, they''re like cubes of ice in a bucket, some melt easily, and in less time. Surely, the others their gonna take their time, but in the end, the bucket is all water''.


    Bob, ''Said many goodbyes to many people who were close to me, and another one won''t be hard to say''.

 The Departure

    Bob,'' At least I tried, but my words were of no avail to Clein. This crazy vagabond. It was one of the balmy days of summer when I bid farewell to Clein, and he left Ohio. A yellow cab took him far away from the house, and the way he said, "I''m never gonna come to Ohio" seemed he''s gonna forget Ohio, and his old friend. Long gone was he, but it felt like the lunatic is still on the grass, pondering about stuff, and smoking cigarettes''.


    Bob stood there staring at the tree in his lawn which was outside his home. His eyes were gleaming with the reflection of the glistening morning dew on the leaves or maybe these were tears accumulating in his round shaped eyes.


    Air blew on Clein''s face as he looked outside the window at the green leas of Akron. He wanted to climb out of the window, and lay on the leas that were once his home, but the journey he was on was more important to him than anything else. He was finding home that once he lost, and nobody knows what it is that has turned Clein''s life into a journey which may never last.


    Memories they''re kind of odd. Aren''t they?, sometimes they fade to dust, but sometimes, they just remain where they belong.


    5 years ago.....


    At a restaurant in Wisconsin somewhere, two teenage boys were having breakfast. One was Shimz, the older brother, while the other was his younger brother Chris. Chris had these curly hairs, and a face which was full of freckles. Shimz was a young handsome man with short black hairs, and square jaws. It seemed a crucial occasion, where the Jonathan brothers were cheerful,and enlivened.


    Shimz, ''Waiter!''


    Waiter, ''Yes Sir, what can I do for you today?''


    Shimz replied while pointing his finger towards Chris, ''See, this is my lovely brother Chris, and today he has done something which has made our whole family proud. I want you to listen him carefully, and bring whatever this man orders''


    Waiter with a smirk on his face asked for the order from Chris, ''What do you want to order Sir?''


    Chris, ''One black coffee please''


    Shimz jested, ''What?, only a cup of coffee?, I thought you''d say, "I want to buy this whole fucking restaurant".


    Chris, ''Okay, if you insist so much, I''d like a steak too please''


    Waiter while staring towards Shimz, ''And you Sir?''


    Shimz, ''The same please, a steak, and a black coffee''.


    Waiter wrote the order on a notepad with an ink pen which was held tightly into the grip of his clumsy hand, and fastened towards the counter.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.Shimz, '' Auspicious brother!, I knew you could do this, I saw the conviction in your eyes, and you know this, hard work...''


    Chris, '' Always pays off. Passing the high school was no big deal, but now my heart does shiver because dad wants me to study in New York, which is too far''


    Shimz, ''New York''s fun kid''


    Chris, ''Nope, It''s not''


    Shimz, ''And what makes you to say this?''


    Chris, ''New York''s an anxious place; too many people''


    Shimz, ''What?, now you''re being scared of people''


    Chris,''Been, for too long''.


    Amidst that the waiter arrives, and one by one places the plates on the table.


    While giving a soft glance towards the waiter, Shimz turns his face towards Chris


    Shimz, ''Whatever the old man says ,he says it for your own benefit''


    Chris, ''So, what are you up to''


    While piercing the knife into the steak layered with oil, Shimz replies, ''Arts''


    Chris, ''What?, do you even know how to draw, and paint stuff.I never knew you were obsessed with arts that badly''. Instead touching the steak, Chris chooses coffee first.


    Shimz,'' Sure do, but need some counsel, and that''s why I''ve decided to join some Art Academy.''


    Chris turned his face towards the window by his side, ''Nice. The weather seems nebulous, shit!! it''s rain''


    While sipping his coffee Shimz replied, ''So what?, you despise the rain''.


    It started raining in torrents, the drops damped Clein''s face; he noticed, he quickly pulled the window up.


    Driver, ''You despise the rain?''


    Clein chuckled, ''Why would I?, It just kind of makes me shiver, and I get cold more easily by rain''


    Driver, ''Louisiana?, I heard it''s gonna be in storms today on the radio''


    Clein, ''Still gotta go''


    Driver, ''So odd?, doesn''t it?, Just a hour before it was all sunny, and out of the blue it''s all rainy''


    Car just kept moving in the rainy hour. The sound of the lightning resonated the all area.


    Chris, ''No, I mean our clothes,and what''s so special about rain, I just don''t get it''.


    Shimz while looking at his reflection into the shiny white cup replies, ''See, people, they pray for rain, and when it rains there are other people who just don''t like rain, but neither of them can make it happen or stop it that''s what makes rain special. They can criticize it or dance in it, but no one knows when it''s gonna rain''.


    Chris stares at Shimz''s face for 3 seconds, and then replies, ''My friends, they''ve arranged a party; kind of a farewell. So, I must be moving on''


    Chris picks up his bag, and rushes towards the exit leaving Shimz behind on the diner.


    Shimz turns into a fireball, and with raising his both arms in the air, he yells from behind, ''What about mom,and dad?, What am I suppose to tell them?.Hey, don''t you turn your back on me. Little son of a bitch.''

 Jonathan

    Jonathan was a butcher''s boy, but his life turned to be different than his father''s. Firstly, he thought to choose the same line of work, but his old man never even allowed him to visit the shop, and educated him instead. Old man saw death which was neigh, and promised himself to make Jonathan a man who could provide more for his family which he was never able to do so in his whole life. The scruffy clothes, shoes with no soles, and hands of his children deprived of toys were a waking nightmare for the butcher. He could''ve worked more which he did, but wasn''t able to make the lives of his loved ones better. He had this glint of enviousness for the rich, and sympathy for the poor in his eyes. Jonathan urged that his education will cost an arm, and leg to his family, but butcher had a purpose, and nothing can stop a man to fulfill his purpose, but death.


    Butcher died right after Jonathan''s graduation. There he was, the boy, all wrapped up in despondency as if he felt a void in his soul for the first time. It was November when winter was hovering over the city of Wisconsin. The leaves, they started falling; all embellished in yellow. Death was not yet satisfied, Jonathan''s mother, she suffered a stroke, and died too during the fall. Jonathan, and his little sister Bella were now all on their own in this hopeless world of dawn.


    Bella, ''Brother, will everyone die?, just like mom, and dad''


    Jonathan, ''Maybe, maybe not. Why are you saying all this?


    Bella, ''After death, people, they return again after sometime, right''.


    Jonathan, ''Yes, they just go up in the skies to meet God, and then they return again to their families on earth''


    Bella, ''May mom, and dad come soon, I really miss them. I want to show mom the new dress I''ve made for my doll Nancy, and does dad know that the shop has been closed for a long time, what about the customers?''


    Jonathan, ''Yes sister, he knows, and how would he not?, the shop is what he had?, he would''ve been missing you too''.


    Bella, ''Brother, why are you crying?


    Jonathan trying to hide his tears, ''No, it''s just...something went into my eyes, I guess it''s dust. Come on!, let''s go inside, it''s the wind, it may start raining soon''.


    Jonathan started to work at a mirror shop which was situated at the end of the street.The neighbour''s were very kind, and used to take care of Bella when jonathan was at the shop. The mirror shop was owned by an old man named Henry Drumand who had no relatives alive, and was unmarried. Henry was a lanky man with a pallid complexion, face full and had a face full of wrinkles which depicted all of his life''s experiences, and wisdom.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Break a heart, doesn''t matter, but if you break a mirror then you''re dealing with the devil himself. Henry had this belief if you shatter the mirror, your image will shatter too, and the workers were punished not by any fine or money, but by insult in front of everyone so that the principle is followed in every way. Jonathan was one of the hard workers, and had these brisk movements, every step taken assiduously until the mirror is in the truck; Agile as a monkey. Henry was impressed, and what inculcated him to take more interest in Jonathan''s miserable life was the fact that Jonathan knew how to play Chess. They had this daily routine of playing a chess match.


    While playing chess one day....


    Henry, ''Boy, what have you done?''.


    As Jonathan kill''s the old man''s bishop with his horse.


    Jonathan, ''To finish the game, you''ve to kill every man alive who are up to killing you''.


    Henry sighs, and a smirk on his face reflected a fiendish move.


    Henry, ''Okay, I guess for something you''ve to give something else or maybe a sacrifice''.


    Jonathan knew in his small pumping heart that the old man has become aware what he was planning to do; killing Henry''s queen, but it wasn''t easy.


    Henry, ''You thought I''m gonna kill your horse with my queen in folly, and am so blind that I will not notice that dark bishop of yours at the corner waiting to pierce my queen with his swords. Doesn''t matter?, you killed the horse, and I know lightning doesn''t strike the same place twice''.


    Henry moves his horse, and makes a check...bounding Jonathan from every move, but to secure his King.


    Jonathan replies, ''But it did''


    Henry in bewilderment, ''When''


    Jonathan, ''Last fall, on the butcher''s house''.


    Henry thought Jonathan was talking about the game, but the conversation took another turn.


    Henry in a dejected voice, ''Yes, I heard. Poor people. Do you know them?, What about his son, I remember he had a son, and a little daughter''.


    Henry hardly remembered jonathan because it was years ago when he met him in the shop, and now here he was, sitting right in front of him, all grown up, but disguised by a blanket of lost memory. Jonathan didn''t want him to know so he lied, and Henry never knew.


    Jonathan,''No sir,I don''t know them''

 It Takes A Lot To Know A Man

    Cleveland was crowded, all anxious, and busy. The weather was gloomy as the cab driver suggested. Gutters were filled with rainwater; people were in a hurry as if apocalypse was broke upon them. Grey lightning after time to time could be observed at the far northern region of the sky. Clouds were black as onyx, and it kept raining for a whole day.


    I arrived at 10 A.M, and booked a room in a hotel named Mandy''s. My heart was sickening by the rain. I dragged myself into the room, and locked it''s door as if I''m never gonna open it again for years. A glass of water awaited for me on a low table beside my bed, and I hastened towards it to kill the thirst. The room was not that much bright so had to turn on the lamp. As light prevailed the room, I noticed that the walls were blue as lapis, and peculiar patterns were drawn on it''s wallpaper as if they were depicting a bouquet of flowers: very fascinating. A window was up above which filtered sunlight into the somber room.


    A knock on the door.


    Clein, ''Yes''


    Manager, ''Sir, it''s the hotel manager, could you please open the door for a second''.


    I opened the door, and there he was, a slim man with a red tie wrapped around his slender neck ; well accoutred. The eyes of his were impenetrable, and face tired of practicing daily mundane activities, but still he managed to pass a smile so that a good impression could be reflected. I didn''t recognize him at first, however he was there on the counter, but that doesn''t matter; what the fuck, he''s here for?, that''s the question; I paid for the rooms.


    Manager, ''Sir, you forgot your luggage on the counter''


    Clein, ''Oh, I apologize''


    Manager, ''No, it''s okay. So, there were only two bags, right sir?''


    Clein, ''Yes''.


    He ordered the lobby boy who stood firmly beside him to carry my bags into the room, and then set off to handle the other matters.


    Lobby boy, ''Tired, I presume''


    Clein, ''Nope, It''s just.....you know the fucking weather of your city, it just irks me; so smothering''


    Lobby boy, ''So, it''s your first time in Cleveland, right sir. The telephone is on the table if you need anything just call the number printed on it''s receiver''


    Clein, ''Will do, thanks''.


    Jonathan, ''Where is Chris''


    Stolen novel; please report.Shimz closes the door, and replies, ''He''s with his friends''


    Jonathan sighs, ''What?, it''s so late, and son why didn''t you stop him?''


    Shimz, ''Tried, but he''s furious, you know''


    Jonathan, ''Whatever, how was his result?


    Shimz, ''He has passed the high school''


    Jonathan, ''Was he happy?''


    Shimz, ''Happy as a dead man''


    Jonathan, ''What about you?, what have you been planning to do''


    Shimz, ''Nothing, thinking about giving arts a shot''


    Jonathan, ''Okay, whatever your heart says''.


    Shimz, ''I''m a blessed man you know''


    Jonathan, ''Everyone''s blessed son, they just don''t know. Tomorrow, me, and your mom, we''re going out of town for 2 days''.


    Shimz, ''Wherefore?''


    Jonthan, ''We are going to pay a visit to uncle Henry, see he''s kind of lonely since he moved from Wisconsin to Minnesota ,and....''


    Shimz, ''You want me to take care of Chris, okay.''


    Jonathan, ''Henry, he''s not well.''


    Shimz, ''And still I don''t know why are you people so much into some old guy who isn''t even family''


    Jonathan becomes fierce, ''You were not too, but still, aren''t you my son''.


    Shimz''s soul permeated with dolor, and a doleful look appeared on his face.


    Jonathan, ''Henry, he did a lot for me, and you''ll never know how much''


    Shimz in a low voice, ''No, but I do now by comparing what you people have done for me''


    Jonathan, ''What?, I didn''t mean that....oh you weak mind.''


    Shimz places his hand on the dinning table beside the couch, and picks himself up. Moving back, and then forth, his hand still in the air. A tear comes rolling down from his left eye, and then from the right. His heart racing like a horse, and he could feel the tension in the air; Things are at their places, but minds long gone, and lost. He couldn''t understand, and he knew, he never will. A shrieking sound of the opening of a door, and steps covered across the bright brown wood floor echoed in his ears. Time moved in slow motion for him as he turned himself around. His wandering, and empty gaze strikes on a face. A face of a person who is his brother, but not by blood. Shimz knew from the beginning that they were not his family. Mr,and Mrs Jonathan found Shimz lying in a trash bin; His loud cries could be heard all over the grim street. Shimz gave that street a name, " The Grim street". In moonlight, a baby thrown away cruelly by his parents, and what worse do you expect from a human. It hurts when it is reminded to him, but surely, Jonthan was his father, and could understand the feel in his veins. He didn''t mean to hurt him, but to make him understand.


    It takes a lot to know a man.Sometimes it''s difficult to comprehend the nature of a man,and his origins''.

 The Foolish Birds In The Sky

    Bob, ''The humming of the swallow birds could be heard from anywhere in the vast park. It could be heard more clearly by being neigh to the darkest trunks of the trees. The smell of roses, and lilacs drifted through the wind. Sun was still rising. Not all in it''s glory; not on it''s particular place where it settles itself for sometime, and then drowns itself intentionally into the unknown abyss. I felt nature; if it was an emotion, and at the same time, I felt a void in my soul as I sat there in desolation''.


    There I sat, lonely on the bench with no one around.


    Bob, ''The Most beautiful creature ever created by nature: A swallow bird.''


    Bob hears a voice from behind, and turns his neck around; there''s Jessica, wearing a scarf around her neck, and a dark, dusty grey coat over her body.


    Jessica, ''Bob?, saw you from the fence; I was walking by''


    Bob with a half smile on his face, ''Glad your eyes caught me, now there''s someone to talk with''


    Jessica sits beside Bob, ''Isn''t it to early''


    Bob asks in bewilderment, ''Early for what?''


    Jessica, ''Visiting a park which apparently seems empty, and boring''.


    Bob, ''You know, to hear a swallow birds humming, I''ll walk a hundred miles for no matter what, and I''m kind of addicted with the morning breeze''


    Jessica, ''Didn''t take you as a morning lover''


    Bob places his hand over Jessica''s; she could feel the warmth emanating from his veins. Her gaze momentarily shifts from the sky towards his face as if he''s looking right into her soul.


    Jessica, ''I knew you had a thing for me''


    Bob says in a droll voice, ''Since when?''


    Jessica giggles, ''From the moment you saw me''


    Bob, ''Then it makes your speculations absolutely right''


    Jessica, ''Heard about Clein, why''d he leave?''


    Bob, ''He''s gone for something, and only God knows what he''s after''.


    The park was now getting crowded as people could be seen around; the flocks of swallow birds one by one started fleeing, and in flight they flitted; drawing their shadows over the land below.


    Bob, ''I don''t know how to express this, but still, It seems, I''m invulnerable enough to. Lately, it kind of get''s lonely. Boredom, it tries to strangle me in every way; throwing me from place to place as if I''m a ball to play with. I want this feeling that I''m living a normal life to overwhelm me. Why are you not around?, you know, we could be buds. We can hang out, and have interesting, and intriguing conversations; Of course sometimes going out for movies. Oh God!, I want my life to be amusing too''


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.Jessica, ''Are you asking me out?''


    Bob, ''What?, yes....yes,yes, you can put it this way or another doesn''t matter or you can say, I want your company to escape from my nihilistic world''.


    Jessica, ''Poetic. You''re a comely person, Mr Bob. I don''t know if anyone has ever told you this, but you do cherish souls by your words''


    A smile splayed across bob''s face as he heard the compliment.


    The morning dew on the grass was now all turned into vapours in the air as the blistering heat from the sun reached the earth''s surface. Faces trickling with rivers of sweat.


    Bob, ''People, they underestimate me a lot''


    Jessica, ''I guess, that''s what people are good at''


    Bob, ''Jessica, tell me what is it that you covet the most''


    Jessica, ''See, I''m not gonna say anything stupid right here. I don''t want nothing. People, they murmur different, and peculiar kinds of stuff. They want to die because their life ain''t good.They never should have been born, but what they don''t understand is...they just cannot change what it is or how the way it is. Being suicidal, that''s no win, but a defeat not caused by one''s conscience; by one''s own cowardice''


    A man walks before them, and then stops. Accompanied by two dog pups; One black as coal,and the other was all white except regions on it''s body dappled with brown dot''s. They looked up. A familiar face; It was Kevin.


    .


    Kevin, ''Hey, bob. Hi, Jessica. Can I sit with you people''


    Jessica, ''Why not?, are you okay, Kevin?''


    No word from bob while Kevin settles himself on the bench, and sits beside Jessica.


    Kevin, ''Right as rain''


    Jessica, ''Bob, don''t you know Kevin. He lives in our neighbour...''


    Bob interrupts Jessica,''Yes, I know him''


    Kevin, ''See, the black pup is the one, the one you asked for. He''s all grown up''


    Bob, ''I thought you don''t give your pups to crackheads, right''.


    Jessica, ''What''s the matter?.Are you guys in some feud with each other''.


    Kevin, ''You can say misunderstanding''


    Bob glared at him, ''Misunderstanding my ass, you reckless piece of shit''


    Kevin replied in a sullen voice while turning his head down, ''I guess,he doesn''t want to talk. I must be moving on''


    He gets up, and walks away with his dogs.


    Bob, ''Hey Kevin, you deserve better than me''


    Jessica, ''That''s how you treat your friends, huh?''


    Bob, ''Say, overqualified friends''


    Kevin could hear the words shot at him from the rear. His mind all filled with regret. He couldn''t afford to lose a friend now. Suddenly, someone clasped his left arm from behind, and turned him around. Bob holds his other arm too in his hand, and while looking straight into his eyes, he says, ''I''m sorry, okay. I apologize. I acted like an asshole. I came all the way here running to confirm one thing. Are we square?''


    Kevin grinned with cheer, and replied, ''We were always square, we just didn''t know''


    They both started laughing, and then bob hugged the shit out of him.

 Red Sky In The Morning

    ''Life, it never treated me right. I was not misguided or betrayed, but without being known thrown into the grim street. Yet, I know it''s not the worse ever done to a human, and this thought coerced me to live through these years; gave me a fucking reason to live. I don''t despise them, and never will because I never knew them; maybe, they did this to me because of some predicament or misery. I couldn''t held the hate first, but as time passed, I became a man of patience; accepted my fate.''


    Jonathan, ''I think he''ll never show up till we leave''


    Marry ''Jonathan, you broke his heart''.


    Jonathan, ''It was a mistake, marry. Believe me''.


    Marry, ''Chris is gonna come home at noon''


    Jonathan, ''He is responsible, he''ll be here for Chris, and I know this in my heart''


    Mr, and Mrs Jonathan left Wisconsin for Minnesota to meet Henry Drumand. It was a pleasant day. Clouds were producing virgas; an iciness could be felt in the air. Shimz spent the night at one of his friends home, and on the first morning ray, he set off for the arts academy. He was feeling euphoric, but the memories of last night were constantly wiping the smiles out of his face. Mocking wind, it blew on his face. With his crimson nose, and hair in a mess, he kept trying to escape from "THE TWISTED REACH OF CRAZY SORROW".


    Pensively, he stared at the sky, and murmured, ''Redundant...everything''s redundant''.


    His cell phone rang; on the second beep, he answered it.


    Caller, ''Is it Shimz, Shimz Jonathan?''


    Shimz replied curiously, ''Yes, it''s Shimz''


    A few seconds went as he talked on the phone; then he stopped, and started running the other way as fast he could. It seemed, he wasn''t heading towards the academy, but somewhere else. He was near the lake; pigeons came flying in his way, he startled, and sling his right hand in the air, and other to cover his eyes. Sight darkened; his foot hit a rock, and he fell; soul, and body both were now in the air; it seemed as if pigeons were circling him; his face confronted the bluest sky of Wisconsin while his back faced the dusty ground. Finally, he was on the earth''s surface. Eyes, they were filled with dirt. Face, it was all etched in agitation, and pain. On the support of his elbow, and then left leg''s knee, he picked himself up, and rushed again.


    Kevin wakes up with ecstatic face, and makes his way towards the bathroom. He enters the bathroom, and tries to get hold off his sweater which is stuck in his arms, and isn''t getting off. He raises one of his leg, and pulls one end of the sweater away from his arms; such force leaves his head but stretches his arms forward; exerting a force on his body which makes Kevin to move forward resulting in a collision between his head, and the bottom edge of the window. He falls. After a few seconds of stumbling, he finally manages to pick himself up; he looks in the mirror opposite to the window, and finds his forehead profusely bleeding; in such state of annoyance there''s a knock on the door.Kevin grabs a towel, and presses it against his head.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    With the wound still fresh, he opens the door; he steps out while shading his eyes from the bright sunlight, and gradually, from the dark a face appears.


    Kevin, ''Jessica?''


    Jessica, ''Kevin, it''s Bob. He''s not opening his door, and isn''t even answering his phone''


    Kevin, ''Jessica, it''s so early, he may be still in his deep slumber''


    Jessica, ''I know him, he doesn''t sleep so long''


    Kevin stares into Jessica''s eyes for a second; they knew something was wrong. They both darted towards Bob''s crib.


    While running, Jessica, ''What happened to your head?''


    Kevin, ''It''s probably nothing''


    The gust didn''t quite let the words coming out of his mouth to reach Jessica''s ears


    Jessica, ''What?....I can''t hear you, speak louder''


    Kevin with a high pitch in his voice, ''I''ll...I''ll tell you when we reach there''.


    Sun, it kept shinning while their legs were in motion.


    Shimz''s thoughts were swirling like a hurricane; he was home. He commenced thumping the bright red door with his knuckles, and the strike grew bigger, and louder every time. Finally, sound of steps could be heard.Chris opened the door. Shimz stood stock-still,and a dejected stare emanated from his eyes towards Chris.


    Chris, ''Shimz. I thought, you''ll be away for a while, last night, it was..''


    Shimz, ''Chris....there''s been an accident''


    Chris, ''What accident?, are you okay?


    Shimz embraces Chris, holding him tightly within his arms; with a trembling voice, ''Dad, and mom, they ....they died. Their car hit a truck''.


    Chris whimpered, and broke down; pushing Shimz''s arms away; started thrashing him across the head, and shoulders. His cry turned into a cachinnation, he was so mired, deep down into poignancy that he lost his conscience for a minute;then he fell to the floor with a dead faint as if he was poisoned.


    They halted right before his door; Silence resonated the whole house. Kevin started sneaking through the windows one by one.


    Jessica, ''Break it''


    Kevin, ''Are you sure''


    Jessica nodded; Kevin darted, and saw a rock in the garden. He lifted it, and with a run, threw it like a cannon towards the window. With a shrieking sound, the window shattered, and turned into shards. Assiduously, they entered the house; while climbing inside, Jessica get''s a cut on her left arm from one of the shards still sticking at the edges of the window. Bob coughed; they didn''t know from where. Kevin in a panicked way peered through the rooms, but found no one. Then, they tip-toed up stairs, and there he was, lying immobile on the couch. He tried to speak, but his persistent coughing wouldn''t let him.


    Bob clucked, ''It occurs usually, like a daily routine; it just showed up early today, this sick hacking. I guess, I heard some sound, Goddamn it!, those little scumbags broke the window again. If I ever had a say in this fucking neighborhood, I''ll ban the games first''


    Kevin, ''It was us, you asshole. The door was locked. Told you, not to smoke so much. It''s destroying you''


    Bob asked in bewilderment, ''Okay, so...now what?''


    Jessica, ''We''re taking you to the hospital''


    Bob, ''Not the hospital, please. Hospitals, they rile the shit out of me''


    Jessica, ''You surely are out of your mind; I don''t want to hear any excuses, and you are going to the hospital, now. Kevin, do you have the keys on you?''


    Kevin,''Yes, I''ve them''


    Bob, ''So, get the car, you dumb ass, instead of gawking at me. Another morning with another misery''. They pulled him up, and then hauled him out of the house.

 Nemesis

    See,I knew it.The General Hospital was all chaotic as usual.We had to dash through long throngs of people,and it was exhausting as hell.We waited for decades to take an appointment with almighty,Dr.Smith,or you can say,Dr.Robert James Smith.Founding member,and the lead singer of the band,"The Cure".I''m joking,if he really was Robert James Smith,I would''ve been to hell,already.The 70''s,it was all madness,and mayhem,if you ask me.Whatever,he didn''t look like Robert,and neither did resemble Edward Scissor hands. In fact,a decent,and diligent cardiologist;on whom,people believed in,and relied on.


    In the waiting lounge..


    Kevin,''I''m not sure if bob has already killed the doc?''


    Jessica chuckled,''What?bob''s not a maniac.So,shut up''


    Kevin,''Look,the lady with the cat,on your left''


    Jessica,''yeah,so what''


    Kevin,''When we were,little bastards,you know,me,and bob.We..we used to steal mangoes from her garden,and she was used to be so pissed at us,Mrs Lont. Whenever,she saw us,she had this look on her face,a unique one which we never understood,was it a form of expressing anger,despise or was it a half smirk splayed across her mouth.She''s been waiting here for her turn for a quite time right?.


    Jessica,''Yes,almost for a hour''


    Kevin,''Wouldn''t she be angry?''


    Jessica,''Yeah,she is,the look on her face''


    Kevin,''Believe me,that''s anger,but the look,I was talking about,it''s not there,anymore.Maybe,she was happy.She''s a widow,she never had children,and never knew the love of a child;to feel that,maybe,she allowed us to steal them mangoes.Turning a blind eye,whenever we stole,displaying weakness so that we come again''


    Jessica,''Wow....why don''t you meet her''


    Kevin,''Now,she''s old,and may not remember us''Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Doctor Smith,''Take off your shirt,please''


    Within a fraction of a second,he takes the shirt off,and calms himself down.


    Doctor Smith,places the tunable diaphragm of the stethoscope on his chest,and drags it left,and right along the skin.Focused,and determined;Listening,very quietly:the heart beats.


    Doctor Smith,''Take a deep breath''


    Bob takes a deep breath,and exhales.


    Bob,''What is it,doc?''


    Doctor with a sigh replies,''Go into the other room for the ECG,and bring the results back to me''.


    Bob,''What''s ECG?''


    Doctor Smith,''Electrocardiogram''


    Bob,''Yeah,ECG.Okay.''


    Into his office,there was another door,which led to a laboratory.Bob followed the instructions,and after half a hour in that room.Alas,he comes out with a report,and hands it over to Dr.Smith.


    Doctor smith glances over the paper,and examines it.He predicts that bob has a coronary disease,known as "Atherosclerosis"Which is the reason, he feels such squeezing pain in the chest, and coughs time to time.


    Doctor Smith scribbled him a prescription for medicines,and gave a fair warning if he doesn''t quit smoking,It will have adverse effects,even leading to a heart attack.


    Kevin,''Told you,not to smoke so much''


    Jessica,''Oh God,It''s bad,it''s bad,.


    Bob shouts aloud on his way,''Where''s the fucking egress''


    A nurse from behind replies,''It''s in the back,sir.''


    After getting out of the hospital,they ambled towards the drive way;where they found some kids fighting each other.Bob runs towards them,leaving Jessica,and Kevin behind;he pushes one of the kid away.


    Bob in perturbation,''An alien invasion is inevitable,and you assholes are fighting among your own selves.Just kidding,kill yourselves''.


    He pushes them again,and moves on,while they keep standing there motionless,and puzzled.


    Bob,''Hurry, you shmuck. Start the car,we have to go''


    Kevin,''And where are we going,my lord''


    Jessica,''Where are the medicines,didn''t he give you a prescription?''


    Bob,''I forget to buy them.No worries,We''ll get them from a medical store on our way home''.


    Shimz,said in apprehension,''What happened to Chris?.


    Doctor,''It''s..''


    Shimz,''Speak your mind''


    Doctor,''He''s alright,he just suffered a nervous breakdown,Jonathan.For God''s sake,calm down.''


    Shimz,''Is he gonna be fine?''


    Doctor,''Just don''t talk about the accident for a while,he''ll be fine as long as you''re there for him''


    As Shimz leaves the room,he finds Chris waiting for him on the counter.Chris trudges towards him.


    Shimz,''I couldn''t breath;I found myself in a confined space as my brother was approaching me.This dizziness became a long sensation,and there I was,a foreigner,waking up in the lands of horror.He confronted me,and I waited impatiently for him to speak.His lips moved,and he uttered something,but I couldn''t hear him;I felt numb;I nodded anyway,but I had to listen what he had to say so I asked him,''What?''.He stared right into my eyes,and spoke again,and the words were clear now,"Let''s go home,brother".

 The Funeral

    The day was bitter;dust was all around.Summer was gone,these were the overcast days of September. It was hard for me to look at the coffins;flowers thrown at them one by one,I wish they were hollow from the inside.I guess,In the end,it all comes down to this,you lying in a box,and waiting for eternity.Nobody,no one could''ve imagined what I just had lost.I kept looking at my feet,and could see the tall brown grass around my legs; little insects, roaming over the soil as if they were searching something,or maybe, wanted to accompany us in our predicament. All I could hear at that time was the howling of the wind in the cemetery.


    The truck driver,he escaped; left the truck behind.My parents,at that time,they were still breathing,he should''ve stayed,instead of feeling culpable;running away in apprehension,he could''ve helped them,bringing them to the hospital would''ve been his greatest virtue,but yet,he made it his worst sin by turning a blind eye.Police did everything to trace him down,thus far no sightings of him are reported.


    They identified him by his truck''s license plate.As far as I know about him,He''s a Caucasian male,named: Aaric Dacian, from Ohio.


    As you know,my father,he had no relatives,but from my mother''s family,faces could be seen.Grandfather William confronted me,and sympathized.


    William,''My angel,what could I say.Are you alright?''.


    With a heavy heart Shimz replied,''I''m fine,how are you?''.


    Finally,he crumpled,and started to snivel.William embraced him,and caressed his forehead.


    I was locked down in a war with emotions,and on every second,I felt my heart shrinking to an enormous degree.


    I felt myself in the grim street;right on top of that trash bin, for my saviors were gone.


    William,''Where''s Chris?''


    Shimz,''He...he didn''t want to come to the funeral,and I thought,I should leave him be''.


    William,''I''ll check on him''


    Shimz,''Okay.''.


    The day was getting more frigid;The priest went ahead,and commenced performing the rites.


    Priest Allen,''My friends,It''s...it''s just so sad to lose such precious things in our lives.We,humans,we are mortal beings,and are fully submitted to the lord,and returning to him is our final destiny.The world it''s just a mere reflection of eternity,and peace.The one''s who depart,will never be forgotten,and praise him be who rises them,and takes them into his shelter.May,the lord who frees you from your sins....save you,and rise you up.Lord,have mercy on their families.Amen''.


    After the recitals,priest looked at me,and said,''Son,do you have anything to say?''I couldn''t refuse.What a son you''re if you cannot say a few words about your parents.


    Shimz,''I just want to thank you,everyone.I''m glad,you all came here to share a moment with the deceased.My parents,they were kind,and loving.I do not have words to describe them,and I guess, that''s all I want to say''.I came down,and started drinking wine.I glanced over,and saw a lady,standing alone behind the crowd.She was attired in an elaborate black gown.She was right below a Northern Red Oak tree.She sobbed as if she was a little baby.I couldn''t recognize her;No stranger shed tears except her,and that was a peculiar encounter for me.It felt like,I should talk to her.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Present time in Ohio....


    Kevin says in a forced exasperation,''Then,talk to her.Why can''t you?


    Bob with a half hysterical smile replies,''Just because of this silly,and pathetic heart,she''s angry with me''He places his palm on his chest.''Since,the all hospital thing''.


    Kevin,''What did she say?''


    Bob,''she said,"You''re a careless person,bob.Why do you do this to yourself".


    Kevin,''On that I agree''


    Bob,''Kill me,already''


    Kevin,''Whatever.Where''s Clein,didn''t see him for quite a long time''


    Bob,''Why do you ruin the mood,every fucking time.Do not talk about him,he''s gone for good''.


    Present time in Cleveland....


    Clein,''What good?that much good that It deserves every penny I have.This umbrella of yours should not be that expensive,Mr..Ameer''


    Shopkeeper,''It''s Amir,sir''


    Clein,''Yes,Amir''


    Shopkeeper,''Sir,it''s the best one so far,believe me.I showed you every umbrella in my store,and yet,you disagree on every price.I am compensating for you,lowering the prices,but your intentions are as if you want to buy one for free''.


    Clein,''That''s not true,everything has a price.I''ll give you the money,don''t worry.Just answer one question''


    He reaches for his wallet in his left pant pocket,and takes a small passport sized photo,and held it in front of the shopkeeper.


    Clein,''Have you seen him,somewhere''


    Shopkeeper,''No,sir''.


    Clein,''Are you sure,look at it.Relax,and just look at the photo''.


    Shopkeeper squinted,and with a bemused look,''I''m sure, sir. I''ve never seen this man''.


    Clein with a sigh puts the photo back into his wallet,and looks at the sky.


    Clein,''Does it always rain like this.Every fucking day I tracked his number, and he was living right here, in this area,but I''ve checked every fucking motel; where could he be,the answer was simple, someone had told him about me, and as I entered Cleveland, he left it, and all of a sudden, his phone isn''t operating anymore, something''s fishy.


    Clein seemed troubled.His hopes were now climbing down.He has been searching this person for months,he roamed places stranger,and far worse,but still,no sign of him. Clein started taking drugs,especially: diethyl ether.It used to help him,but only for a short period of time.Stress,it had it''s claws nearer to his neck,than his own heart to him.Being alone in an unknown city,all drowned into the ether binge can make his life a liability.


    Lowering his handkerchief into the bottle of ether,and soaking it;then just like the police dogs who sniff the drug houses voraciously,he sniffed it.His drowsiness made him fragile,and incompetent.Morning,and nights,all seemed same to him.


    Past time in Wisconsin....


    Shimz, ''I placed the glass on the table,and fastened towards her.I patted on her left shoulder from behind to gain her attention.She sniffled,and turned her misty eyes towards me.


    She spoke with agitation,''Oh, Shimz. How are you?''.


    She knew me,''I''m fine.May I ask?Who are you?''.


    She replied,''I''m Bella....your father''s sister''.


    I had to think,I needed time,but it would be awful to leave her in middle of the conversation,and the way she looked,she wasn''t fine.


    Shimz,''Aunt,I may not remember you,but where were you all these years?,father,he never told me about you.''


    Bella,''How could he?he was upset.I left you people, a long time ago.Time elapsed so quickly,couldn''t get a grip on it.I was ashamed to face him .I was in the town,and was waiting for the right moment,and I guess,I lost time''.


    Shimz,''Doesn''t matter now,does it?Chris,he may want to meet you''.


    She had this quivering in her voice,''No,I cannot meet Chris.I should leave now''.


    She tightened her grip on her purse,and vamoosed from there.

 The Mean Palpitations Of Heart

    Bob,''On a splendiferous morning,A forlorn stare emerged from her down turned eyes towards me as we were lying over the meadows of our lost, and gone dreams.It seemed,her eyes were deceiving me again, but not the way, they used to. Her dilating pupils gave me shivers down my spine,and I had this estranged, and peculiar thought.What would I do without her?; in the same moment, I was all drowned into her eyes., and yet, couldn''t comprehend what they were really trying to convey. Words would''ve worked well compared to those glares, but they were beautiful in their own ways. My eyes petrified, heart pounding instantaneously; wind trying to distract me, and she turned her head, hiding those eyes; preparing them to kill me again''


    Jessica,''What are you thinking?If it''s about smoking,I''m gonna kill you for real''


    Bob,''No,It''s just,I am curious about the things which relish you''.


    Jessica chuckles,''Nothing relishes me,except lying eerily under a sky illuminated by aurora in an arctic region''.


    Bob,''Now,that''s something,but if that''s what relishes you,then why is it eerie''


    Jessica,''Desires are always like this way: anomalous''.


    Shimz,''Not a single word, he spoke since the funeral.Inscrutable, that''s what he was becoming''.


    Shimz opens the rusty gate,and strides through the brick made pavement in the middle of the lawn.The gate is aligned with the hedges from both sides making a boundary.The house is enclosed by a deck skirting.He places his hand on the railing around the steps, and trudges up, towards the bright red door.Picks out the keys, and opens the door, letting the little finger like rays of light to enter the house, which reflected to his body; projecting his shadow on the floor.He enters, and finds Chris sitting on the sofa with his hands curled into each other, propping his chin. Shimz walks past the kitchen and throws the keys on the counter; leans on the wall.


    Shimz,''How''s the head?''


    Chris,''It''s....You know what? I''ve been experimenting this aspect of human nature that''s just so hard to manage''


    Shimz,''What aspect are you talking about?''


    Chris,''The sphere, the psycho sphere.I thought, there may be a way to control your conscience, but I guess, I''ve been wrong for decades. I try so hard, to escape from these emotions, and try to keep calm when, I''m angry, but every time , I just can''t, my backbone bends, and there, I am.The fragile human''.


    Shimz stares towards the floor, a pin drop silence.


    Chris,''So, who''s the man?''


    Shimz looks up,''Who?''


    Chris scratches his head,''You know''..Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Shimz,''The truck driver?.What about him?.


    Chris,''Where''s he from?''.


    Shimz,''Hey,man.What are you talking about?, look into my eyes when I''m talking to you, what are you up to.?''.


    Chris,''I''m gonna kill him.That''s what, I''m gonna do, brother''.


    Shimz,''So, you want to be the bear with the sore head,huh..just tell me one thing, should I worry?''.


    Chris stands up, confronting Shimz,''Oh, big time, if you care''.


    Shimz runs towards him;grabs him by the collar,''What do you mean by, "if you care"?''.


    Chris gives this vacant stare, and Shimz releases his grip off his pea coat''s collar; wiping the dust off it, he walks away. Chris picks a glass from the kitchen''s counter, and throws it like a baseball towards the wall; turning it into shards.


    Bob picks himself up of the grass, and gives Jessica a helping hand, she clutches it, and lifts herself up while swaying her wavy hairs in the cold breeze.Bob comes closer, and lip locks his, and her lips into a sensation, which overwhelmed both of them; Bob staring right into her''s ocean like eyes, while her eyes searching a dead end into the impenetrable murky eyes of him.


    Bob''s room gave a sense of loneliness ,and then there was none.The door opens, and two people bolt through it, shutting the door behind them.Jessica throws bob on the bed, unclothing herself in front of him while he lays down peacefully, staring impatiently at her.Jessica proceeds and hovers over his body, and kisses him on the neck while he grabs her by the waist, and rolls on top of her, kissing her forehead, and nose.She unties his belt, and he drops off his pants. Rays penetrating from the window, flickering their naked bodies with gleams, their faces, and edges shinning like diamonds.Bob makes his way towards her,leaning all over her body,and she could feel him deep under her skin;Jessica moans as hard she can while feeling bob''s pumping heart on her chest, and the warm breath on her neck.The pain at first was now transforming into tides of pleasure.


    Clein in trepidancy, ''Ah....God!'', Shit!,Shit!,Shit!''


    His nose started to bleed. He drops the plastic bottle, and his handkerchief on the floor, running towards the bathroom, washing his face repeatedly, but the the floor still kept spinning; a headache with a magnitude of lightning piercing through his head as if his head has become a circuit with no switch off buttons. His body touching the ceiling, and then falling to the ground in instants. Finally, he was on the ground, and everything started to become right, his jacket which was flying a few minutes ago was on the couch, resting. Finally, the floor was tired of all dancing, and fooling around.Backing again to normal.All of a sudden, It all felt wrong, and a moment of clarity prevailed the room.He picked up the bottle of ether, and threw it out of his apartments window, and looked down from the edge, waiting for the bottle to hit the ground, but it didn''t; instead, it started floating in the thin air, and he knew drugs made a fool out of him, again.


    Chris ambles into the police station


    Sergeant Jensen,''Mr.Chris, how are you''


    Chris approaches his table,''Fine as usual''


    Sergeant Jensen,''So, what could I do for you, is everything alright?''


    Chris,''Any news about Aaric?, the Ohio man''.


    Sergeant Jensen,''Yep, We''ve got the man in a CCTV footage on one of these stores on the highway, the owner said he came to the store walking, no vehicle.Then he asked for a ride from a passing by truck, and towards the West, they set off.''


    Chris,''West,it means, he''s heading back to Ohio''.


    Sergeant Jensen,''There''s this big ice factory up in Akron,Ohio,named Shuckleberries, the truck was one of theirs,I guess it was distributing the product all along Wisconsin, a free ticket to home.the truck''s gonna halt at the factory for loading, and our man will separate his ways from there.His home is not that far from there. We''ve apprised the police up there, so they''re gonna be alert.


    Chris,''Thanks, man.Just wanted to know''.


    Sergeant Jensen,''I know, don''t you worry, we will catch this son of a bitch, soon enough.Do you want some coffee?''


    Chris,''Yeah,sure''


    Chris glances on Sergeant Jensen''s table, and a passport size photo catches his eye.He lowers himself, and tilts it over, at the back, he founds a name written as"Aaric Dacian".He looks up, and taking the advantage of the solitude, he picks up the photo;leaves the station.

 The Panic

    In the month of September, Milwaukee''s still burning, the sun, it just kinda ruled over us all. The day was at it''s peak;the crows, they were huddled in sweat, all going crazy, and shit; same was the display of humans. I had to decide, because this road, It had no turning back, and the worst case scenario, you were failing a brother''s trust,Although, he ain''t my real brother, and kinds of shit he say to my face,but still,he''s been very serious about me; whatever, I had to avenge my parents


    I wanted to buy a weapon as soon as possible, so that justice could be done, and that motherfucker could be put at rest.You tell me, how could you just leave someone to die, and at the same time, you''re the one, because of which they are in such agony.Oh, Mother Earth, what are you? how could you allow such cunts to walk over you.Such a pussy, I would''ve seemed, If I had not hated you.I felt frustrated, had to break something, nah...that glass wasn''t suffice, don''t take me as a mental case, but had to break them windows.Still, It gave no relief to my soul.


    Shimz arrives at home, and founds all the mirrors and windows broken, and thrown on the road.


    He runs inside, and sees nobody, but a note stick to the wall.


    Note; "Hey, brother.I''m leaving town for some unfinished business, so don''t worry about me,because it ain''t your job or whatever.Just stay out of it, I''ll be home soon, I''ve taken the money from father''s account, I''ll be fine".


    Shimz,''Goddamn it, what have you been doing?''.


    You just can''t buy a gun in here without a license.I had to find them pawn shops so that as an antique, I would buy one of these horse pistols, or 80''s revolver, so that owner shouldn''t have any suspicion flying over his head,


    and I found one.Different kinds of shit were there, from an animal''s leather to unique and lost metals.I walked in ,and guess what?, not even a single customer, it was a lucky day for sure.The owner had a familiar face,my whole plan turned upside down, It was a person, whom I knew, it was Uncle Max.I knew him, but not the part that he owned a pawn shop,I thought,he''s some business man or shit.Father had told me about this man, and we''ve met on occasions. Father had only one friend in this town, and it was him.I just couldn''t run back, so I approached him, made a big fat lie about this hunting thing, I said, Shimz had sent me; he didn''t even ask any questions?, and started telling me about hunting.I asked of a horse pistol, and instead he handed a shotgun to me, and said in a gravelly voice,''It''s a far better gear than a horse pistol, if ya want to shoot the birds, your father too didn''t know about them guns,but I''m sure, you''ll find your way around these things''.Stolen story; please report.


    Chris,''I will, because in a world like this, you need weapons''


    Max,''You sure do, because men are not fool to spend their pennies on such heavy things''.


    Chris,''Uncle, can you give me a bag for this, because you know the children outside, and families,they may feel uncomfortable''.


    Max,''Sure, why not?''.


    He gave me a black bag, and with that thing, filled with bullets, and a pretty awesome "gear",I left Milwaukee.


    Shimz,''Such a conniving son of a bitch, I should''ve warned sarge, he''s gonna mess with Aaric''s family, if that happened, Chris is in grave danger from this man,we don''t even know about''


    Shimz''s phone rings.


    Shimz looks at the screen,''Uncle Max?''


    He picks up the phone, with stumbling hands,not with the expectations of hearing something bad,''Hey,Max.What''s up?''


    Max,''Nothing, just wanted to tell you guys that the Lapam peak, Delafield has been closed for hunting, just heard the news on the Tv, if you guys are going to the peak, you should...''


    Shimz interrupts him,''Wait, what?, what are you talking about?''


    Max,''Excuse me, weren''t you guys going for the hunt''


    Shimz,''Max, I don''t understand, we weren''t, and who told you this?''


    Max,''Chris, he was right here 20 minutes ago, told me that you''ve sent him to buy the gear''


    Shimz in overwrought,''What did you sell him?''.


    Max flummoxed ,''A shotgun, didn''t you ask for it?''


    Shimz presses his head against the wall,''Oh God! Max, you should''ve called me, my brother, he''s gone mad, he bought the gun to kill a man''.


    Max in a low tone,''Jesus Christ!''.


    Shimz in a dead voice''He''s gone,Max, just do me a favour, give me your car''.

 Its All About Time

    Chris yells at Bob,''Yes, I lied to you, you fucking moron''


    Bob stood crestfallen in front of him, holding a .99ml gun at his head,''The whole thing, the street ambush, it was all you''.


    Chris tries to get close,Bob jams the muzzle of the pistol into his forehead''.


    Bob wipes off the tears by the back of his hand.


    1 hour before....


    About 5''o'' clock in the morning.The squeezing sound of the tires resonated the whole area;the over steered car drove through bob''s driveway, and crashed into the tree.


    Bob fastened to the door, and opened it.A man came out of the car, and started walking towards him.


    Bob squinted his eyes, amidst the black smoke rising from the car''s engine, he couldn''t saw his face,but a sillhoutte of him in the commencing dawn. As he was now at the doorstep,he raised himself;grabbed bob by the collar, and said in a low mechanical voice,''Where''s my brother?''.


    1 week before....


    Shimz,''Aaric was not in Akron.I asked from his co-workers at the factory where he used to work, they gave me quite an earful about this man''s nature.He didn''t even drink bear. For God knows what happened on that highway.Wife,Elizabeth,she died couple of years ago due to leukemia.No one, but a son named Kevin, who''s in his high school years. They''ve been living in this neighborhood, which was just a few steps away from the factory..


    First, I thought Chris would be there too,I asked around, and I came to know about his new identity, under the name of "Clein", tried to find him too,but not even a trace.He was living with this junkie,named Bob Benjamin.I didn''t talk to him, at least he wasn''t in danger.Started keeping checks on Kevin everyday, he seemed fine, but I knew,if he left him here,it means, he knew where Aaric was.


    Aaric where are you, did the earth swallow you, or it''s just an invasion by the sky.You did good, you left your son out of trouble by leaving him here.He wasn''t one of them leaving other people on their own kind, there must be someone keeping eyes on Kevin, providing him with money, and things.I had to find this mysterious man,so I used to drive into the neighborhood,mostly spending the night into Max''s 1969 dodge charger, keeping my eyes fixed at the house.


    9 hours before


    At night, I saw this dubious man walking towards Kevin''s home, he didn''t seem like his friend or anything.


    And I knew him, he was from the faculty, I jacked him right there, showed him the pistol, and made him walk with me.I asked him, he was reluctant to tell me about Aaric, I had to tell him everything, so it took hours to convince him, that I''m the one who''s gonna save his ass.Kevin was in contact with his father, and I didn''t want to make him nervous or anything so I never talked to him.Instead, I hit the road, right to Cleveland, where Aaric was.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    I reached Cleveland at midnight.He was living in one of them motels by the highway.I knocked his door, he didn''t open it, I knocked again,but this time with my knuckles.As he opened it, I pushed him back inside, shutting the door behind my back.


    Aaric,''Are you the police?''


    Shimz,''No,I''m not the police.Listen to me carefully, I''m here to save you, and Kevin''.


    Aaric in apprehension,''Kevin?,What did you do to him?.


    Shimz,''He''s fine, you''ve to come with me''.


    As I was talking,a car drove by the window, I peeped into the night,outside into this red light,which was emerging from the Motel sign.This was my brother, and seeing him, It was a relief.He trudged inside the motel.


    Aaric,''Who''s this man?''


    Shimz,''It would''ve been your death,If I wasn''t here''


    As we drove away, he came running out of the motel, and saw us.


    Now....


    Bob,''They''re gone, Chris''


    Bob points the gun at his head


    Chris,''Whoaa, You''re mistaken,brother''.


    Bob with a morose voice,''Brother,huh...Clein?''.


    Chris,''Yes,I lied to you, you fucking moron''.


    Bob stood crestfallen in front of him, holding a .99ml gun at his head,''The whole thing, the street ambush, it was all you''.


    Chris tries to get close,Bob jams the muzzle of the pistol into his forehead''.


    Bob wipes off the tears by the back of his hand.


    Chris,'' The whole street thing, it was a set up.I paid the man, who attacked you,but just to be near Kevin''.


    Bob,''Yeah, so that you could kill him''.


    Chris,''No, I''m just trying to save him.The man, who approached you was Chris, my little bother.Not me;no wonder how,he convinced you that I''m the bad guy.I admit, I did wrong by you.I just wanted to be near Kevin,when the day comes, when he''s all mad taking Kevin away as a bait so that, he could trap Aaric right under his nails, and I guess, the day''s here''.


    Bob was baffled, he didn''t understand.


    Chris,''You tell me,why did he give you a gun,so that you scare me off,no,no,no,on, he gave you this to kill me,so that he could be able to full fill his insanity.I''m just trying to put a stop to all this madness, tell me, where did he take Kevin.''


    Bob takes the gun off.


    2 hours before....


    I dropped Aaric few miles outside into the outskirts of Akron, and told him to wait there, while I bring Kevin.


    Drove back into the neighborhood.Took Kevin out of the house.As me, and Kevin were about to leave, Bob came by.


    Bob,''Nice, car''.


    Kevin,''It''s Bob''.


    Shimz,''Yep, I know him really well''.


    Shimz gets out of his car.


    Shimz,''Hey, What''s up.You''re Bob Benjamin, right?''


    As Bob was finished glancing the interior of the dodge charger, he looked at Kevin,''Yes, I am.What''s going on Kevin, is everything alright"


    Shimz confronts Bob,''No,it''s never been''


    Bob,''What''s the matter with you?''


    Shimz,''You tell me, what are you doing up so early?''


    A thought crossed my mind, maybe Chris was here.Is Bob with him, I couldn''t take a risk.


    Shimz,''Where''s Clein?''


    Bob,''And Why does it concern you?''


    Kevin gets out of the car,''Bob, Clein''s not what you think he is''.


    Bob in bewilderment,''What did he do?, Is he alright''.


    Kevin,''He was here to kill my father''


    Bob,''What are you talking about''


    Shimz,''He''s my brother, and he''ll be here soon, if he come''s to you, tell him Kevin''s gone''.


    Bob,''Oh man, did he kill him''


    Shimz,''Not yet, If you''ll ask more questions, then I''m not sure about his life with the rising sun''.


    Bob,''Where are you people going''


    Kevin,''Outside of Akron''


    Shimz interrupts him,and glares,''Just out of here.Okay, take this''.


    he hands over the revolver to bob.


    Bob,''What the fuck, why are you giving this to me''


    Shimz,''You''re literally into this, so if he comes to you, and asks you where''d we go,you don''t tell him anything,if things get worse,it''s just to scare him off, you see;don''t kill him, please''.


    Bob stood there as they drove off.

 Red Sky At Dawn

    Bob,''Oh shit, he has Kevin''


    Chris,''Where did they go?''


    Bob,''He said somewhere out of Akron''.


    Chris,''Then, what are we waiting for''.


    As I took off the gun, he punched me right into face,and I was not in my volition anymore''.


    I woke up, my hands tied, and me sitting right in the front seat of the psycho''s car.


    I turned my head, he was driving the car ,and singing this song playing on the radio...


    Chris singing in alleviation,"There must be some way out of here...."


    He looked at me,smiling,"said the joker to the thief.....there''s too much confusion, I can''t get no relief", tapping the wheel with his fingers time to time.


    Chris,''I really miss Bob Dylan''.


    Bob,''You fucking...''


    Chris,''Fucking what?''....huh...''.


    I remained calm, and quiet.I knew there was no way to stop him, and the hate couldn''t let me talk.


    Chris,''Talk, pistol boy.Did the cat got your tongue''.


    I kept staring right out of the fucking windshield, and with the road,looking at my reflection....bruised face, and a fucking mess,I had done.


    Bob,''It was all my fault, I never should''ve allowed you in my house, you snake''.


    Chris,''Don''t take this hard on yourself,it''s not a dick''


    He chuckled; I never wondered that one day,I''d be with Clein,driving right out of the city to nowhere.


    Bob,''Wait, it''s Kevin''s car, how did you?''


    Chris,''You ever wondered, how I got the car that I crashed into your lawn.?''


    Bob,''Probably, stole it from a poor lad''.


    Chris,''Nope, the owner of this car had an axe shoved into his head''.


    That was gruesome, my soul started to shiver now, what the fuck,what the fuck..


    Bob,''No, you''re lying''.


    He gave me this long stare, and opening his lips wide, splaying a bizarre smile on his countenance...


    Chris,''You know, I could do things,if they have a justified purpose''


    Bob,''So, why''d you kill him?''.


    Chris,''The owner of this car was a child molester, Court wasn''t able to held him responsible so the very next day, he was a free man...I couldn''t just turn my eyes from it, you know....In Cleveland, I was finding this twat,who killed my family, and as I came across this guy, I could feel it, in my veins, the feeling of the victim''s family....he didn''t even let the poor boy live, after raping him he drank a few bottles of alcohol, and the rest, he poured onto the boy, and burned him alive.As I shoved the axe into his head, I took out a tub from his bathroom, and let the blood drain into it..Then, the bottle he bought for the night, I poured it and mixed it real well with his blood, and as I lit fire into the mixture, the smell from the burning gave me relief at last, then as I went out of his house, I saw the car...It would''ve been wasted,if I hadn''t taken it.''.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    I''ve never been so much fretted,since the last encounter with my heart.Sometimes, when my heart used to beat rapidly, I used to have this feeling that, this is it, Bob.Your heart is about to fail, and I used to run to the hospitals in panic.That kind of feeling has now been taking over me.


    Bob in a trembling voice,''So, you think, you did good, huh..''


    Chris,''I guess so...''


    I looked back, and saw this black bag...


    Bob,''What''s in the bag''.


    Chris,''Shotgun, which,I''m gonna empty in Aaric''.


    Bob,''If you had a gun so why didn''t you kill the owner with it''.


    Chris,'' when I entered Akron, I went to the shooting range.When I first fired the shotgun,it''s recoiling effect left me shivering,and I just didn''t want to shoot it again, but not to raise any suspicion, I had to load it, and fire at least two rounds..Firing a gun,It ain''t easy as it seems in movies,I fucking hate the way it recoils''


    Shimz,''We drove into the bare ground, and saw Aaric nowhere.So we stopped at the place, where I dropped him.Waiting for him, and the sun to show up''.


    Kevin,''Maybe, Clein..''


    Shimz,''No, he has not.Your father''s gone to someplace, and I''m sure,he''ll be here soon''.


    Chris,''Finally''.


    Oh shit,he found them.We drove in, and he halted the car just a few meters before them.


    Shimz,''Kevin get into the car''.


    Chris get''s out of the car picking the bag from the backseat.


    Chris,''You stay into the car''.


    Shimz get''s out his revolver stuck inside the backside of his jeans, and takes aim at Chris


    Shimz,''You don''t have to do this Chris,let the man, and his boy go''.


    Chris with a smirk on his face get''s down on his one knee,and unzips the bag.Lifts the shotgun,and places it on the ground,with it''s barrel pointing into nobody''s direction.Fills his both hands with the bullets, and empties them into the pocket''s of his leather jacket,keeping one shell only, he pushes the lock lever down,then pulls the pump slide of the mossberg 500 into rear direction,and rolls the shell into the empty chamber.Releasing the slide, he holds the gun horizontal,and pushes the safety button on top into the off position.


    Chris,''So, our man''s out on walk, I guess, and you know, I''m all tired of chasing the rabbit thing,so send the boy to me''


    Shimz,''Can''t do that''.


    Chris stands up, turns his face, and looks at bob.Get''s him out and places the barrel''s mouth at the back side of bob''s abdomen.


    Shimz,''The poor boy had done nothing, why you brought him here..."


    Chris shouts,''Hey, Kevin....look who''s here....oh,it''s your friend bob...''.


    Shimz,''Kevin, do not come out of the car''.


    Kevin,''He''s got bob, we have to do something''.


    Bob,''I had been tearing the tape off my hands when Chris was loading the gun.I saw no way around, freed my hands pushed him back, and started running.. As I was halfway, I thought, he''s gonna hit me, but instead,he started talking again''.


    Chris laughs,''Hey, bob, ever wondered what''s in the trunk of my car''.


    I knew not what he talked about, but then I realized, Jessica..


    Chris,''Yes, poker face, the first thought that crossed your mind is the situation''.


    Bob,''Why did you take Jessica''..


    Shimz,''Hey, bob.Don''t listen to him....he ain''t have Jessica, he''s just playing with your mind''


    Bob looks at Shimz,and says in a quiet voice,''Or maybe,she is in there''.


    And his eyes filled with tears.....


    Bob,''What you want me to do....''.


    Chris,''Come back, the way you ran''.


    Bob walked back,and Chris hands him the keys.


    He ambles towards the back of the car, opens the trunk, and nothing..


    Shimz fires away at Chris...Chris takes cover....bob taking the advantage runs from the other side towards Shimz.


    Aaric drives in with a truck, and accelerates it towards Chris.


    Chris starts shooting right at the truck, which was about to wipe him, and the car along.


    Shimz cries out,''No, Aaric...''.


    Bob,''As I was running, the wind blew in the direction of my face,and the dust pranced around..the noises, the noises.....I couldn''t bear them...I felt a sudden pain in my chest, I stopped....my hands were becoming numb,I sat down in the middle.....and looked up, Chris loaded the gun, a last chance, it seemed for him....he waited until the truck was neigh... He pressed the recoiled pad against his bicep,and shot the last round......the bullets shattered the windshield,and pierced through Kevin''s father......Chris looked at me, and a complacent smile played across his face,until the truck struck him''


    Shimz dashed towards the truck.....


    Kevin came out of the car crying...and fell on his knees..


    Shimz looked at bob, he had stopped breathing.


    Kevin,''Bob was lying in the middle,all his face covered with dust.It was a heart attack. Shimz was all into pieces, he just seemed failed at everything, My dear father he sat peacefully at the driving seat in his last moments....I looked up at the sky.Sun was ascending, and I could see it clearly despite the haze.''