"I... who am I? A question like that has been bugging me for a while now, but..."
Click—
"Alright, that's enough for now. Please check the following item—"
Click—
Tap
Tap
Tap
Tap
.....
Sigh…
Tap– Tap–
The sound of boots hitting the asphalt of a side road that didn't seem to be in good condition was now the only thing that echoed on the deserted midnight road.
Aside from the occasional passing car, the side road looked rather desolate, devoid of any human life except for the young man.
Boot after boot hit the ground, creating a rhythmic, hypnotic sound. Though, that didn't seem to matter to the young man.
"Hmmm..." A sound escaped his mouth as he took a deep breath.
He couldn't help but look up at the sky and recall everything he had done.
Nothing better. At least, that's all he had been.
No pursuit. No passion. No life. No… Nothing.
His life was full of nonsensical things, and for the first time, he wanted to be something.
Rumble—
He turned his head. As he saw the sky start to summon rain, he once again realized how fucked up his life was.
But then again, it was his life, and he could do nothing but continue to live it.
As they always say, "Take it or leave it," and he had no better answer to that.
At least for now.
Tap– Tap– Tap–
Tap– Tap—Tap—
Aside from the sound of his boots on the asphalt, the only other sound was the rainfall hitting the pavement.
It didn't matter. What mattered now was shelter. Find one. Survive the night. And prevail.
When he took a turn, he saw a shuttle bus, the usual kind of bus stop.
It was lit up, like a beacon in the night. It was attractive, like a moth drawn to a flame.
He didn't think twice; there was no need. A shelter was a must... for now.
He reached the bus shelter and immediately sat down inside. The wooden plank used for the bench was cold. Too Cold.
'It doesn't matter. It's bearable,' he thought. "When the rain stops, I'll leave immediately," he murmured.
He tilted his head and looked at his shoulder. He wiped the water from the lens of his body cam, which was attached to his shoulder strap.
It was his survival recorder and also a lifeline in case something happened, like getting caught in a storm. Not a literal one though.
A leverage.
"Huff..." He inhaled and exhaled again to calm himself and to recall everything he had done that day.
'Looking up now, I suddenly miss my mom. I wonder what they're doing now. Are they worried about me? Do they resent me? Was I ever a good child to them?' he thought, staring at the dark road ahead of him.
The night was dominated by silence, and the sky was one with the darkness tonight, it seemed.
'Will I find a job? I've been trying to get one all day, and I'm really afraid— Huh!?'
He had run away from home yesterday. No, he had been awake for two days now. For a moment, he caught a glimpse of something in the dark and felt a jolt of alarm.
"May I sit, young man?"
"Ahh!" he almost screamed when someone suddenly spoke beside him.
He turned his attention to the voice. There stood an old man in his seventies. He looked so old and weak, his eyes nearly hidden in their wrinkled sockets. He wore a smile. The smile itself wasn't wrong, but it was the way the old man carried himself.
He looked energetic—certainly energetic enough for a walk tonight. He carried an umbrella, which he was holding in his left hand. It looked very old, much like an antique. The same could be said for the cane he was holding.
"Sure, sure, sir," V faltered and stuttered.
"Hahahaha, thanks, young man," the old man said and looked at him.
"You don't look like you're from here, young man." The old man struck up a conversation, trying to lighten the mood.
V looked at him, dazed. For a moment, he just stared, which made the silence more awkward.
"Ahem... Sorry if I scared you, young man." The old man noticed V's look and tried to apologize.
"Ah! Sir, I should be the one saying sorry. It was rude of me to stare at you. Ahem... Yes, sir, I'm actually just passing by," V said as he smiled and moved his arms around, flailing.
He looked dumb, and the old man, noticing his attempt to lighten the situation, smiled.
"There's no need to say sorry. Since you're not from here, why don't you just go home?" The old man closed his umbrella and took a seat beside him.
"Actually, I ran away from home because I don't feel like it's a good idea to freeload at my parents' house. There are five of us, and only my mom and dad work. The money they make is wasted on us," V said with a sad smile as he looked down.
"Actually, there's more to it than that. I have a sickness that needs constant medication, so the money that should be used for my siblings is used for me instead. Sometimes, when my parents fight, I falter and consider drastic measures like suicide, but only for a moment." V turned his head to the old man. The person in question didn't say anything and just looked at him with a smile.
Seemingly engrossed in listening to him, V took a deep breath and spoke.
"So I thought, why not try to find a job and rely on myself? I don't want to hear my parents' voices or their words about how useless I am. Of course, I know they only say that in a fit of anger, but still... I don't want to be useless, so I applied for jobs here and there until I found myself here."
"You have it tough, young man. Still, for you to come here and continue to move forward is commendable," the old man said and patted his shoulder.
Just then, the sound of a bus stopping made him turn his head. Noticing that the rain didn't seem like it was going to stop, V stood up.
He strode straight to the bus door, waiting for it to open and to allow others to exit safely, just in case.