I realized I only got home when I hit my face on the closed door to my apartment. I was so disconnected from reality that I didn't even register how I got up from the table I left the cafe and walked all the way back.
Sometimes this kind of thoughtfulness happens to me, but most of the time this is similar to a system hang. I just then suddenly lose touch with reality and mostly then stare at one point without hearing any external stimuli. This happens to me even when someone says something to me. Usually, in these situations, I automatically come back to myself and the real world after a while, but I never remember what happened during the suspension except that I didn't move. At least I think I haven't moved. I always have a black hole in my mind from periods like this.
I took the keys to the apartment out of my jacket and when I was about to enter I heard some screams, thuds and I guess... a sobbing?
I frowned in surprise and reflection. Maybe I didn't live here long, and recently I was almost gone, but I thinking I would have realized if I had heard similar noises before. Especially since when I heard them, domestic violence immediately came to my mind. Or maybe not ... Maybe I was so immersed in recent events that my mind choked out other stimuli... I don't know anymore, I can't be sure of anything at the moment...
… But what else could this noise be, if not violence?
Eh, people ... They won't let anyone else sit down and focus on feeling sorry for their fate and mind. There must always be something going on.
I sighed like a true purebred martyr and made my way slowly up the stairs to the upper higher floor from which, it seemed to me heard the noise.
Stupid, oh my stupid curiosity.
The higher I was, the sobs were louder, but oddly enough, I didn't hear any other voices and I could only sense one person, and for violence, I think it takes two people right? Or maybe something has changed and one person is enough?
This is weird.
Shaking my head at my thoughtlessness and rather harmful over-curiosity, I finally got to the source of the noise.
When I got there I surprised and stood in a place not far from the boy... or a man? I'm not sure how old this being was, barely alike a human.
This human-like creature sat huddled in a corner on the floor, macabrely thin and small, or at least in this position he looked small, wrapping her hands around his legs which were pressed against the rest of his body.
Most of this creature's appearance was hidden under very long and tangled hair, the color of which I couldn't tell through the dirt that was on them. I only managed to see scars on the being's body and a few wounds, some bleeding and others freshly sealed. Through the dirt and dried blood on the being's body, the color of its skin couldn't be seen.
Cautiously, I walked closer to the huddled figure, who must have sensed me, for the sobs had stopped and he moved slightly. Unusual eyes looked at me, the irises of which were almost pure white with a slightly pink color. Extraordinary, they could be beautiful if it weren't for the enormous pain, sadness, and terror mixed with the fascinating strangely sick, or insane determination emerging from them.
I decided not to get further closer to this human-like creature, so as not to scare him. After a while, I slowly crouched down to be on a similar visual level with him.
- Hey - I tossed quietly, carefully watching the being. He didn't answer me which didn't surprise me particularly. Undeterred by this, I decided to say what I had in mind.
- I guess you need some safe place to wash up and get a good night's sleep, huh? It's stupid and I don't know why I'm doing it and offer it to you, but if you want you can stay at my house. You don't have to say anything, you don't have to do anything. I'm tired and I don't have the strength for all of this today - In the last sentence, I waved my hand around to emphasize what I mean by saying 'all'.
- So what? You're coming with me or you're staying here?
The being looked at me closely, studying my face and eyes, then gently nodded its head in agreement. I don't know what he saw in me, but he decided to trust me. It was unusual and strange in a way. For a moment I wondered whether I should shake the hand and help him get up, but I concluded that my gesture wouldn't be appreciated.
I got up and slowly walked downstairs to my apartment. Behind me, I heard the being move and follow me. When I opened the door and let him into my apartment, I turned and again locked the door. I did this for security and because I felt so much calmer when the door was locked on the key.
- I always do this, lock the door at night. Don't worry about it, I leave the key in the lock, so you can leave at any moment, but don't move anything from my apartment. I know you won't do it and no, I don't know how I know it, but I feel so. I just prefer to warn you that if I were to be wrong about my gut feeling regarding you, it would be a very bad idea to take my stuff away.
Saying this, I turned on the lights in the apartment, and then from the wardrobe in the bedroom I took one of my black long blouses, some relatively new linen pants, and a fresh towel.
With all this collected inventory, I headed towards the bathroom. Being there, I put everything on the counter next to the sink, adding to that the underwear, a new toothbrush, and a new hairbrush. For a moment I stood there thoughtfully until I finally found that I don't think I forgot anything.
Hm... Yes, I think I have everything.
I may seem like a good compassionate person, but that's all I just did it was done for my own purely selfish reasons. I took care now of this being that currently barely looks like a human, not because of some illusory feeling like compassion but for myself. I always liked to take home injured or abandoned animals and care for them. Then when I do it I feel somehow different, better. Now I did it because thanks to that I could focus on him, on this being, and I didn't have to think about anything else. Everything went out of my mind, all thoughts seemed to go away, there was nothing in my head at last. I liked the feeling, this peace, and emptiness.
When I once again made sure that everything was ready, I returned to the being that was waiting for me patiently at the entrance to the apartment. With strange politeness for me, I decided not to look at this human-like creature until he was washed and it doesn't start to look more human, so I still didn't even know how tall he was.
- Follow me, I'll take you to the bathroom. Everything is ready prepared there. When you finish washing your body and hair, you will find the first aid kit in the last drawer under the sink. In the meantime, when you wash, I will prepare you a place to sleep on the couch. We'll talk tomorrow, right after prepared the couch for you, I'm going to go to sleep.
I finished my monologue and led the being to the bathroom, at the last moment, as I was leaving and closing the door behind me, I remembered something that I had not yet told him about which was important for me.
- You mustn't break two rules, otherwise I'll throw you out right away. And it's not through the door I'm going to throw you out but through the balcony. First, you mustn't even touch or look at my coffee or energy drinks, and secondly, you mustn't wake me up. That's it for now, have fun untangling your hair. Bye Bye.
Okay, probably now I already have said everything that needed to be said. Or at least I think so.
I threw two blankets on the couch if he would be too cold under one and a medium-sized pillow, then went to my room. I closed the bedroom door behind me, which I usually didn't, and turned off the light. Without even undressing before I threw myself on the bed. After a very short while, I slept listening to the silent rush of water coming from the bathroom.
I should also tell him to was acting quietly, I thought, and drifted off to sleep.