"Good evening. I am back from school, hungry as ever. Is there anything I can find to eat, for now, mom? It has been a tiring day, so many assignments had to be completed before leaving school today. It makes me wonder if we are students or machines burdened by so much work in our teenage years when I'm supposed to be outside playing and enjoying my school life...but here I am so annoyed right now.
The hunger is not doing any favour to my mind, enough of my whining. Let me grab something to eat, there must be something to eat in the fridge that would satisfy my hunger for now before dinner."
"Good evening Anon, it must have been difficult at school, huh? Well, all you can do is accept this life until you finish your schooling. It won't be easy, but you can learn and gain an adequate amount of knowledge, which would help you establish a promising career, and if you stay focused, you may achieve something great.
So, you mus..." mom was abruptly interrupted by Anon before she could complete what she was going to say.
"And what if I am not interested in knowledge, success, and career? What if I want my life to be simple? I wish times were simpler, like the stone age period where survival of the fittest existed? Well, it was not the simplest of an era to live in as it was difficult in terms of survival and there was no technology, to begin with."
"At least, it was not the same usual thing every day, going to the same school and meeting the same people every day. Doing the same assignments over and over and studying and working hard for something I never loved in the first place. Freedom existed during the stone age era; it must have felt amazing to live a life that one desires and loves to live every day while having the freedom to choose whatever one must want to do on a daily basis in order to survive. I came across the term human rights in my class today."
"Human rights? I don't think that exists because I don't even have my fundamental human right to choose what I want to do; everyone must follow the same system, and every kid must go through the same thing as I do; some may love it, but a majority of them don't even want to be there. What success will I enjoy? When there is no happiness doing all this. I don't mean to be rude, I'm sorry, but I'm tired... of all this, mom."
"Well, I think you are not in your right mind, Anon, so I suggest you head to the kitchen and look into the fridge you'll find something to eat. Don't eat much, or you won't be able to eat your dinner."
"Thank you, mom, and I apologize if I came across as rude to you. Although you need to understand that there may be a million things that I may not be grateful for in this life, but you are on top of everything I am thankful for in my life. Now I shall grab whatever I find to eat, be right back."
"Of course, Anon, there has not been a single day that I have not felt loved by you. I know how teenage and school life is hard on students these days, and you don't have to worry; I am not hurt, and it's a sign of a good relationship, isn't it? Sharing all the things we feel at the moment rather than hide them.
This way, our relationship stays authentic, and it should be this way. You shouldn't be afraid of telling me how you feel because if you never tell me, I'll never understand you. You are a great son, and I'm blessed to have you."
"Thank you, mom."
Anon heads towards the kitchen to grab something to satisfy his hunger before dinner and came across someone waiting in the kitchen. A minute later, mom heard Anon call out her name from the kitchen, "Mom, you never told me that there were guests at home. Did you offer them something to eat, or should I go out and get something to eat for them?"
Mom replied to Anon from another room, "Guests? What do you mean there is no one home!! Did they arrive here right now?"
"He says he has been here since half an hour and is the owner of this house, so he came to visit this place to see how much has changed."
"If that is the case, Anon, can you please go and get some ramen from the shop downtown."
"I will go right away to buy the ramen, Mom, and please make sure to give him company."
Mom walked towards the kitchen, and upon entering the kitchen, she yelled Anon's name to call him back, "ANON NOT AGAIN, you and your pranks always seem to work on me. I don't see anyone here, hahaha... At this point, I don't know whether I should be annoyed or laugh at how you play your pranks with so much confidence. I thought I had been making someone wait for over thirty minutes."
"What do you mean you can't see him? He's right in front of me...."
Anon thought his tired mind was playing tricks over him and ignored the situation but he was shocked when the guest had something to say,
"I was not waiting for your mother. It was you who I was waiting for, Anon."
"All your efforts are useless your mother can't see me, I am the owner of this house. I told you that so we could talk about something important to me, but then you chose to call your mother before I could complete what I would say. If you inform your mother about my presence, she will have to face the consequences of your decisions."
"Play along and tell her it was a prank, and your family might live to see another day if you do not, then I'm sorry. You choose what you want for now. I will wait here and watch you decide."
"Ha-Ha, Mom, it was a prank. I was kidding and trying to make things normal between a serious conversation a few minutes ago. After all, I was rude and had to make up for it." A clueless yet frightened Anon quickly made a decision assuming that he's probably tired and his mind is playing tricks over his weary body and mind.
"Anon, if you want, you can take a break from school tomorrow and stay at home. It may help you refresh your mind and bring back the motivation to do things normally."
"I think that's a great idea, mom; I appreciate the thought, and I will stay home tomorrow. For now, I'm going to my room to take some rest. If I fall asleep, please wake me up for dinner. Thank you."
Anon Vermillion is a 16-year-old boy who just moved into a new house in a new city from a village couple of months ago, a village where he stayed all his life. The reason they moved out was to provide Anon with an excellent education to help him have a better career, and more opportunities would turn up for him in a city than it would in a village.
A change was inevitable as the Vermillion family always looked forward and worried about the future of their only child, as he was their only child, and it made Anon feel the pressure as well. Anon was quite lonely in his school because he was an introvert. Although excellent in studies and education, he thoroughly despised all of the education systems. The only reason he kept going on and on was, he loved his family and wanted to repay them for all the things his parents had sacrificed for him to get here.
Vermillion family was a high middle class earning family; a move into the city from the village was only possible because of Anon's dad, as he worked in a bank. Dad requested a transfer to the city's bank, so their family were transferred into the city', and dad was working under the same bank but a different branch in the town.
Anon went back into his room to eat the snacks he grabbed from the kitchen whilst being followed by the guest, a guest seen only by Anon. Anon thought it was probably an illusion or his imagination playing tricks due to his fatigue, but the same man appeared right before him while he started eating his snacks in his room.
"Can you please explain what is going on? I think I'm dreaming; I surely am dreaming." Anon pinches himself to see whether he is dreaming or not. "It doesn't feel like a dream after that... What do you mean by only I can see you? Who are you? And why did you threaten to harm my family? Why am I the only one who can see you? Are you the owner of his house? What do you want from me?"