His doorbell rang as he combed his silvery hairs down to his temples. Looking excited, the person he expected all day had come and on time. The sky illuminated the dusky glow with the setting sun. His heart thumped. It was like a dream. He slapped his cheeks to get out of it, but was glad to see it was real.
Ryan walked confidently to the door. This time was different. They had no feud, no disagreement, and they were just going to reconcile officially with whatever dispute they had before. The memory lane of the day he confessed came down to him. The face, he remembered, the stone face insulting his feelings. But it was a long ago.
He should not dwell on that painful past and accept this present like a god sent gift. His steps staggered near the door. He took a deep breath and opened the door, his face delighted to think he was meeting him.
But the moment he opened the door, his eyes found a strange man peeking at him, a man in his forties, a face
“We apologize for what happened. Stan Welsh, reportedly, was sighted in the other area and we fastened security there, but never thought it could be a trap.” Said a bulky police officer in his tidy uniform. Owen and Jim stood on either side of him, listening to him carefully. Jim furrowed his eyebrows to hear him being a murderer. “Stan was on run for several months from the mental facility. At first they hushed up the case, but later they admitted their negligence and were punished for that. He had been hiding with one of his friend whom he later killed by stabbing with a sharp piece of glass. And he dumped his body in the river after it decomposed. Neighbors complained about smell, but he scared them off.” The officer sighed to see Jim’s widened eyes, while Owen looked miserable. Jim saw Amy behind the officer, running towards them when the officer asked for his leave. He nodded, and Amy joined them. “How is he?” “Doctor said. He’s fine. Just lost too much blood and when we found
He was running away in the middle of the night, trying to escape his hellish reality. In that dark forest, he clutched his bag to his chest. Far away there was a small light glancing at him, leading the way to the end of the jungle. He couldn’t see clearly that far clearly as he lost his glasses while running. A gleam of light shone in front of his eyes, making him desperate to reach that beam of light like a mayfly. He sped up, hoping to end his sufferings, checking around to see if anyone’s there, tumbling over a puddle, spraining his left ankle. He couldn’t let a sound off his mouth. Withstanding the pain, he kept on leaping around that sprained ankle. Eventually, he saw that beam of light up close. It was the street light of the road where the forest ends. He panted, drooping on the ground, sweat and dirt dripping all over his face. He left a long sigh, murmuring, “I reached the end! Now no one can find me.” Though it wasn’t the end of his escape, he took
As soon as the alarm rang in the morning, right beside his ear, Ryan’s eyes shot opened, but still drowsy, he was too lazy to get up. He cuddled inside his blanket. With still half-closed eyes, he looked at the ground. There wasn’t Darius. He sat up right away to see his friend wasn’t there, but a small note on the side table beside the bed, “I’m off to school, have your breakfast, it’s in the kitchen.” Looking at the clock, he saw it’s already 8 am. Getting up, he folded the blanket neatly to place it flat on the bed. Last night, they had a feud, which resulted in Darius sleeping on the ground. Ryan brought two cups of hot cocoa milk to his friend on the balcony. He was leaning forward, munching on a chocolate bar to ease himself, when Ryan came behind him. He was too excited to be in contact with Ryan, who was out of touch for almost 2 years, and to his wonderful luck
In their small basement apartment, Ryan leaned against the wall, staring out the window. It was raining outside nonstop for two days. They had only one bedroom, where he sat, seeing the droplets coming down both outside and inside from the ceiling. It was usual for him to stay hidden when his father lost it, as his mother told him he stayed put, locked from the inside. No one can hear their mother screaming and begging, but he had to withstand those screams, to live another day. He can imagine how his father was beating her mother, but a fifteen year scrawny boy can’t beat him, even if he tries. To save him, her mother sacrificed herself every day. And like a coward, he just heard her screaming and crying. He was still in the first year of high school, dropped out months ago. His family couldn’t afford to send him there. His father wasn’t like this to begin with. But after losing his job, he somehow became crazy, drinking all day, spending
Their date ended with a sweet strawberry flavored ice cream when Ryan snapped a photo of his friend, endeavoring his ice cream in his own world. Darius didn’t notice him sneaking around taking his candid photos. ‘Sometimes he can be really cute,’ Ryan smiled, looking at his picture on his phone when a notification popped up, a reminder of his appointment in the car washing center. “Hey, Darius,” he called up from behind as Darius walked ahead of him the moment he checked his phone, “It’s time for the car washing shop appointment…” “Oh, let’s go then,” Darius ate the last bite of his ice cream, when Ryan suddenly came in front of him, rubbing the corner of his lips, to clean the cream left on his lips. His heart thumped louder than it normally beat, breathing heavily as he was about to say something when Ryan said, “Oh, clumsy you,” he smiled, making his heart melt, but he can’t express it. Ryan understood his friend’s awkward fa
Luke tended the coffee cup to pour a delighted fountain of cream, swirling the milk stream to make a beautiful design, teaching his new employee his first lesson on cappuccino. Ryan followed everything like Luke did, but somehow it looked like a plain coffee with a white bulge floating in the middle. As he chuckled, Ryan turned red, shame flushed over his cheeks, “There, there, don’t be ashamed, it’s your first time. Let me teach more practically.” He poured another cup of coffee, pushing it to him, “Here, make another one, but…” When Ryan picked up the cream to make it again, Luke went behind him to grab his right hand tenderly, other hand on his shoulder, teaching him exactly how to swirl it to make a perfect cappuccino. This time he smiled, not on his employee’s failure but a fruitful success. Both of them smiling, Luke advised him to make another one when someone scoffed behind them. “Uhmm, uhmm,” a girl came in wear
Ryan tried to find something to get out of their grasp. These two skinny girls have super strength to hold down a guy. Stella came nearer, hiding her hand in her bag, trying to pull something out. She sat right in front of him, a foot away. “You are way too confident. Look ‘new face’, I know him more than you do, so beware, heh. You won’t be laughing…” she pulled out a white paper cutter. Its shining blade reflected Ryan’s trembling face. She never wanted to hurt him, but just to scare him off won’t hurt them. She never expected the reaction she got from this boy. Putting the cutter right in front of him, she swung the blade to land on his face, lightly rubbing it against his pale cheeks, she tried to scare him, “What if I cut your beautiful face, what will you say then,” she smirked as she saw the horror in his eyes. “…” Ryan remained silent, not responding to anything. His eyes shuddered. He felt his whole bod
“Sorry, I’m extremely sorry, ma’am,” Ryan apologized, bending over to bow again and again.“Do you think your apology can mend my car? Call your manager right at this moment!” a middle-aged woman glared her eyes out, waving her chiffon gown, her face twisted like a pretzel, she shouted at Ryan who was shivering at her yell. He shook as she stomped her feet in anger, declaring, “You’ll lose your job, just let your boss come, heh,” she folded her arms, scanning up and down this poor employee.Her expression twisted the more time passed by. He noticed her walking in a circle, waiting for his boss. Her elegant face was as fair as milk, with a small beauty mark on the corner of her lower lip. Stressed out, Ryan thought he should do all those pending works, already knowing his faith, he was sure he had to leave this job.The moment he turned around to go back to washing the tires, that woman stood up, throwing the chair with her gown, making Ryan flinch, she shouted, “O Ash