It was easy to navigate my way home after getting out of the crazy sanatorium. I didn't have any money on me to allow me to get in a bus so I walked. It was late evening which translated that I was out for almost a day, when including the day I was in the hospital, the Shane Nostra from this timeline was dead for two days. Well, partially dead since his memories and body were still alive. I was amazed by the lights of the city, the buildings, the roads, the vehicles and no horses or wild beasts, people who walked around in a chaotic manner minding their own businesses. The city was organized in a disorganized way, no open feasts, no fighting competitions, no fire banners …no righteous sect or the demon force. It was just noise, sky scrapers, bright lights and people. I wondered what the powers that ruled the city looked like.
I lived with my mother in a large five storey building down town. The building was unfinished at the top and graffiti covered most parts of its walls both inside and outside. The building was just a couple of distance from the docks so the view wasn't that bad, only extra noisy since some people also lived in the corridors. Our apartment which was at the top most floor wasn't exactly a charming one but at least it was warm and it had a view of the sea. It had two rooms, one was my room which consisted of a thin mattress and a big stereo. The other was mom's which was also the kitchen and it was kind of our sitting room. Each floor shared a bathroom and a toilet, so infuriating. You could imagine the deeds that some people did inside there, mostly the drunks. Sometimes some decided on relieving themselves outside the building. But that was the best my mom could afford so beggars can't be choosers.
I climbed over the stairs towards our rentals. I flinched when a loud hip hop music blasted from one of the rooms. I also heard some couples arguing in another which was followed by dirty insults and curses. The air reeked of drugs, sweat and poverty…so depressing yet revitalizing.
I found my mom busy cooking while listening to a certain local radio station. She was so busy that she never even heard me enter the house. My heart was filled with mixed feelings when I saw her, more particularly when I saw a large hotpot beside her. She was going to pack food for me. I had never had a mother before in my previous life, having a caring and extra loving one like her made me feel like crying. I never even knew what having a mother felt like and now that I did, I was overwhelmed. I would do anything from now on to make her feel like the most special woman in the world. Her son was now a brutal demon lord.
"Mom," I called startling her "I'm back"
Her face was surprised at first before she smiled as she stood up.
"I was just preparing to come see you, did they release you already?" she asked hugging me
"Yeah, yeah…I was released" I smiled hugging her back.
She pulled away to study my expression and my attire. She smiled dotingly at me then pulled out a plastic chair for me. I almost forgot where I got my beautiful looks from.
"Shane dear, I know when you lie" she said "tell the truth, I won't get mad"
I slightly widened my eyes at her attentiveness.
"I may have released myself and…" I sat down "I'm not crazy" I hesitated before saying
Right at the moment, a radio reporter blurted from the radio
"In tonight's breaking news, a lot of patients from the Sanatorium of the insane have escaped from the facility. The escape was allegedly orchestrated by a teen patient who dosed four guards and beat the head nurse. The PCPD have assured people that they are rounding up the last of the hundred patients who hadn't gotten far since the incident was reported sooner. Investigations are ongoing on the teen's identity and why he escaped. In other news…"
I looked at my hands nervously. Get a grip on yourself demon lord, I thought to myself.
"He didn't beat up the head nurse" I blurted earning a scrutinizing gaze from my mother.
"That boy had some skills on him though, four guards? That's a feat" I shook my head
I took a portion of the packed food and started eating to avoid my mom's detective like gaze. After a few mouthfuls, I sighed then turned to my mother.
"I'm sorry I knocked them out and had the other crazies escape"
"You did it? You did it, Shane dear…" mom reproached
"They were holding me against my will, isn't that a crime or something? Furthermore, I missed you…"
"You can't just knock people out and escape government institutions" She scolded "the police are now looking for you"
"Relax mom, good luck to them if they ever find me" I smiled then continued eating "they will probably forget it after a few weeks "
"Are you okay?" mom asked seriously "did they hurt you?"
"I'm fine, you don't have to worry about it. They were going to but who am I? I'm Shane Nostra…"
"How…how did you manage that, I'm confused" mom squinted
"Want to hear the story?" I beamed sitting myself comfortably preparing to tell every last detail of my encounters. She loved my stories.
"Every tiny bit" mom smiled as she rested back on her seat and looked at me attentively.
And thus, for the better part of the night, we laughed as I recounted a very creative story to my mother. I would have gone on had my mom not fallen asleep when it was almost four o'clock in the morning. She was tired and she had to get up for her daily work. I smiled as I covered her with her blanket then retreated to my room.