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Chapter 3 - LIFE AFTER JAIL

25 years later

Steve was moved to the "Gladiator schools" which is a

juvenile jail in California until he was 18. After he turned 18, he

was then transferred to the "Harris county jail" in Texas. Life in

Prison gave him time to reconcile himself and made Steve into a

whole new person. Steve regretted his actions and decided to

never be violent ever again. He reads books like "Beyond good

and evil" by Nietzsche and started to be at peace with himself

and his surroundings. 25 years had passed and he's 38 right

now. Steve was finally released from Prison.

Being a convicted felon, Steve, despite trying to move on

and get his life together, didn't know how to approach it. Steve

wasn't allowed to work in any places as people recognized him

from his past crimes and he was rejected in almost every job.

Finally Steve got a job at a grocery store in the outskirts of Texas,

where many didn't recognize Steve, nor did they care who he

was. Steve started to earn for himself and tried to live a decent

life, but his past had always haunted him and he never came to

terms with his past trauma and his regretful actions that killed

four innocent people, apart from his parents. He didn't have a

place to live for a few months and slept wherever he got a place,

until one day the owner of the shop gave him a room in his

house.

AT THE GROCERY STORE:

2 years later

One day the owner had gone out to catch lunch for

himself, and Steve took over the shop until then. One fine

Sunday afternoon, a blonde woman walked through the store

and her fragrance caught the attention of Steve. They talked

pretty casually and when Martha (the woman) was about to

leave, Steve took his shot. He asked her out for drinks if she's

interested. Martha wasn't impressed or anything; but out of

politeness she agreed to meet him in the store at 8.

AT THE BAR:

Martha : Hi! Nice to meet you. I'm Martha.

Steve : Howdy, Martha. I'm A.J. Steve Marshall. Women call me

Sweet Stevey.

Martha: (giggles) Ok "Stevey", tell me about yourself and what

brought you down to the countryside coz your accent doesn't

sound from here.

(Steve then decides at that moment, to not tell about his past

and try to move on. He knows down deep inside, he is making a

mistake by not being honest with her. But out of fear of rejection

and the only opportunity for him to make things better, he

decides to tell his story without the incident happening.)

Steve : Well! Long story short. I was raised in California and

worked at a grocery shop which my father owned. We didn't

make much but we did enough to survive. My dad and mom

died when I was young and I was sent to an orphanage. One

event leading to another, I got to Texas with a friend of mine

who owns a grocery store here. I'm staying with him and

working under him. My life isn't that interesting, but I'm

contempt with what I do and what I have. Much about me;

What's your story?

Martha : (sips her beer) Hey atleast you lived a happy life unlike

many and you're lucky for that. And about me, I never got to

meet my dad either. He died when I was two and I have been

raised by my single mom ever since. She passed away a year ago

and things are pretty rough.

Steve : Oh I'm sorry for your loss.

Martha : Oh please don't be. I am healing and trying to move on.