"FIRE. SOMEONE CALL THE FIRE BRIGADE."
"FIRE. FIRE. RUN. EVERYONE GET OUT OF THE SHOP."
People were running, shouting from the bakery. But no one seems to notice that the 12-year-old boy is lying on the floor and his body was covering the toddler from the chaos.
People were stepping on him but no one even tried to help the semi-conscious boy and the small toddler who was wailing. When the boy tried to crawl outside with the toddler below him the large wooden plank fell on them and
.. ..... . . . . . . BLANK.........
The boy who was squirming in his sleep jerked up. He pants and tried gasping for air. He reaches the side table to grab a bottle, drinks water and takes a long deep trembling breath.
It was his every night routine for the past 10 years waking up trembling and shivering. Well, it was the only dream and image he is sighting since the time that nightmare happened.
He moved to the window and look at the sky. A lone tear escapes his eyes but he immediately wiped it before another threaten to fall.
He sighs and moves towards the cupboard that has neatly folded minimum clothes, caressed the cloth and picked up the smoothest one.
He fills the electric jug that boils the water and pours it into a mug and reached his kitchen cabinet. he pulls out the first jar which is of coffee and palms the beside area for the sugar sachet.
The coffee jar was empty still he poured a sugar sachet and drink it hoping to reduce hunger ignoring the pain in the upper stomach.
Dark glass, a stick and his brown leather backpack were the items he carried after locking his small flat that has one bed, cupboard, nightstand with lamp and drawer, one small window with a chair below, a gas stove with a kitchen cabinet, small photo frame in the wall, racks of books and the dustbin which consist lots of rolled paper.
He lives on the outskirts of the city so he needs to walk before people start bringing out their pets for the morning routine. His alarms rang up indicating it was 5 am. He was pushed by many people on the road who didn't even bother to say sorry but uttered some marvellous curse at him for coming in their way.
But he refuses to react cause it was usual and daily activities performed by people at him like a lion in the circus. The difference is the circus Lion is trained by the same person and watched by different people and gains applause after the torture but in his context, this society made him the way he is now and they aren't even watching and appreciating his effort and just pitying him at his condition so he hates SYMPATHY and PITY more than the dark world that summoned him.
That's why whenever he feels the pity and sympathy radiating toward him he ignores it or runs from there.
While maintaining his poker face he moves toward the old building passing lots of curious gazes. After walking for 1 hour again his phone alarm rings signaling it's been 6 am. It was ringing continuously and he huffed after taking out his phone from he back pocket.
He rushed his feet to speed and enter the building before collapsing on someone.
"I'm sorry. I didn't see you. I was running late and pushed you. I have a lot of pending tasks and need to reach out before my friend and her boyfriend go on vacation or should I say to practice their honeymoon. Once again sorry and please don't curse me. Even in your subconscious, mind or heart."
That person was panting and rambling. What was surprising is that someone was asking for forgiveness from him. After listening to her he could tell she was generous and innocent in how she talked. Yes her. He can tell she was in hurry by listening to her broken voice and the way she handle his stick.
He just smile and said, "It's amusing that you can see but don't bother to glance around but here I am wanting to catch a glimpse of everything except this darkness."
But that smile hid tons of pain which cannot be measured in any amount and identified by anyone. So when he sensed sympathy radiating towards him again he moved forwards but stop on his way after hearing his name.
" Xavier Ace Roberts"