"Survival of the fittest" the Universal Law of every living organism even before the ancient times. A law that most people hate but has no choice other than to obey it.
"Uwaaah!"
A sudden noise that came from a baby can be heard, and it broke the silence of the empty streets.
"What is that noise? Did you hear that?"
A male beggar whose name was David Mills whispers to his lovely wife, Sarah Mills.
"Yes, and it was coming from that huge basket. Let me take a look."
"Hey Sarah, wait!"
David calls out his wife but she already left to see where the sound came from.
As she approach the basket, she was so shock to find a little human crying with snots all over its face.
"David there's… there is a kid inside the basket."
Said by Sarah Mills as she pick up the little baby.
David run immediately to see what his wife discovered.
Ash Magnus, a name inscribed in a piece of cloth that the baby wore.
"Ash Magnus. What a powerful name you got there little one. However, it seems like you have an unfortunate life as an unwanted infant that's left to die here in the middle of the streets."
Said David as he took the baby from Sarah, wiping its snots.
"David look. He has two different eye colors. Awe, the red and blue eyes made him look so handsomely beautiful, don't you think so dear? We must keep him."
Sarah said, rubbing her palm to the baby's black hair.
"You're right, honey. We can't let a beautiful infant in the middle of the streets, it is unjustifiable in itself."
David agreed to his wife.
The two kind-hearted couple that found the baby took it into their home.
A tiny house made out of cardboards standing beside a pile of trash in the middle of a narrow alley.
"We are very sorry little one. We're only beggars who are trying to live for just another day. So, please do understand that we cannot give you much, but we promise to give you nutrition, and guide you like we are your real parents."
The couple was so happy when Ash came into their lives.
Ash Magnus grew up happily with his parent's company. However, this happiness was cut short when misfortune continued to follow Ash.
He was just a little kid, when his so-called "Parents" were killed in front of him by an Aristocrat family, just because their spoiled and narcissistic son hated seeing beggars.
Because of this experience, the happy kid Ash Magnus, grew up in a harsh and dirty environment. An environment where survival of the fittest is a real thing, and "giving to others" was an illusion.
Trying everything he could just to survive his daily life in the harsh environment, but fate doesn't seem to let Ash prosper, as all of his daily earnings from begging in the streets will just be taken away by other beggars, and if he doesn't give his money, they will beat him up to a pulp.
This harsh setting became his daily life. A life that's hard for him to blend in.
Until one day, all of his pent up frustrations and the usual beatings from the same people who took away his money, Ash Magnus was done.
Walking back slowly to this tiny palace in the middle of a narrow alley, the only place in life where Ash had experience happiness.
His entire body was broken, his every move was very painful, and his resolve to live had depleted to zero.
"Life, a beautiful word that has two sides. The side of fairness and justifications, and the side of sufferings. Unfortunately, I have fallen to the latter side of life. An endless suffering of pain and injustice."
Ash was contemplating life when he saw an empty bottle lying on the ground.
"Why... Why must I suffer from this painful life? Do I really need to continue living as an insignificant, and useless piece of meat attached to a bone that can do nothing but talk?"
Ash pick up the bottle and throw it to the ground as hard as he could.
Seeing the largest piece of the broken bottle, Ash pick it up and began to score down his wrists.
"I am very sorry mother, father, I couldn't do it anymore. Life without you became hell to me."
Blood started to gush out from his wrists, Ash started to feel numbness from his legs.
"I am very sorry self, I couldn't continue living like this anymore. If... If only, I could just forget this life even for a single second, I would be the happiest person ali…"
Ash Magnus dropped to the ground as his blood continues to flow out from his wrists.
In another Universe, a very promising young man named Stellan Roosevelt, got his first contract application approved for writing novels.
"Yes! After trying for over a year, I finally got a contract! Thanks to the gods who finally listens to my prayers. This time I can finally pay my debts and upgrade my life!"
Stellan was practically shouting and kneeling as he was heading back to his room in an apartment building.
"First, I will buy myself a ticket for a vacation! And then buy myself a house and a nice car."
Counting his eggs before it hatched, Stellan walked inside his room.
Everything was already happening inside Stellan's head, before it even starts to happened in reality.
Stellan lied on his bed as he said his early goodbyes to everything inside the room that accompanied him throughout his writing journey.
"Goodbye to you four walls, and to you too my beloved bed, I will be transferring into another house after a month. Thank you for staying with me until now."
Stellan rubs his palm to his pillow, as he slowly closed his eyes.
Stellan continues to appreciate the greatest opportunity that arrived in his life yet.
Although, Stellan was still young, his body already experienced a lot of pain and illness throughout his life.
Headaches, body pain, the heavy feeling in his lungs due to his excessive smoking hobby, and the frustrations from expectations.
A clear example of a person who loves life but doesn't know how to take good care of it.
Finally, after he got his contract approved, all the frustrations inside his body that kept him alive for so long had vanished, as his mind and body began to relax.
"Ohh. Life is good. So goo…"
Stellan Roosevelt shuts his eyes and fall into a deep sleep.
It was the deepest and longest sleep he had experienced in a very long time.
The next morning, Stellan woke up full of energy, and the first thing he did was to take a shower, as it's been so long since he had taken a long cold shower.
After taking a shower, Stellan had breakfast and drank his coffee before proceeding to continue writing his story.
"Alright! Let's speedrun this story and send it to the publishing company."
Lighting up a cigarette, Stellan began to wrote his novel story faster than ever.
In just a single day, he made 50 chapters and smoke 3 packs of cigarettes.
It was already dusk when he decides to take a quick break.
"No one is faster than me in novel writing!"
Stellan streches his body before standing up to have a fresh air in his balcony.
He light up another cigarette as he watch the lights began to slowly engulf the city.
After finishing 3 sticks of cigarettes, Stellan grabbed a cup of coffee before going back to his desk and resume his work.
"Ughhh! Where was I again?"
Streching his limbs, Stellan began to write again.
He wrote for the rest of the night and didn't realized that he already dozed off to his desk.
The next morning, Stellan woke up in his desk and noticed the time in his digital clock.
"Fuck! I'm late! I have to give this copies to the publishing company today! Damn it! Damn it!"
Stellan cursed as he print all his works.
Changing his clothes while brushing his teeth, Stellan was doing everything at the same time. He didn't even bother to eat his breakfast.
"Shit! I hope they won't cancel my contract just because I'm late for submitting my papers. Why did I stay up late last night! Urgh!"
After finishing everything, Stellan hurriedly rushed to the company.
"Where are all the taxi when you needed them the most!? Damn it! It seems like I needed to use my running powers this time!"
Stellan began to run towards the publishing company 5 blocks away from his apartment building.
Running through the streets, Stellan's mind was in turmoil that he forgot to look for the traffic signs.
"Do not cross when the light is Red."
"Accidental Prone Area."
Stellan crossed the intersection without looking sideways.
"Honk!" "Hoooonk!!!"
"Bogsh!"
Stellan was hit by a fast moving truck and was thrown to the middle of intersection with his broken body and blood all over him.
"Someone, hurry and call an ambulance! A man was hit by a truck!"
The bystanders shouted as they saw Stellan's body lying on the ground.
"Urgh! I can't feel my body. Why now, when I am in a hurry and needed to submit my papers."
Having all these thoughts, Stellan couldn't even utter a single word.
Stellan's consciousness began to drift away slowly.
"Is this the end? Is this where all my life's hardwork end? If only... if only I had given another chance to pursue greatness, I will do everything to achieve it."
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, you're wish has been granted.]
[You will be trans...]
Unable to maintain his consciousness to hear the last words, Stellan died in the middle of the streets.
-End of Chapter-