Today, I was assigned to an afternoon shift at the station followed by a night patrol. I received a call in the evening from a lawyer concerning a divorce that Mi had filed.
She did not answer when I tried to call her, but her brother called to let me know that she was moving in with her.
Everything happened so quickly that I was unable to process it all.
"Suichi, it's patrol time."
"Huh"
"You're looking down today. Did something happen?"
"Haha, nothing serious, just a few family issues"
I left my table and went outside to do my patrol. The streets were dark and silent, but for some reason, it did not feel strange.
During my patrol, I came across some drunks and an elderly woman who had lost her way, but it was my duty to assist them, so I did.
It was four in the morning, just a few hours before my shift ended. I truly wanted some free time, so I was going around thinking I would not meet anyone at this hour, but then I saw someone in front of me.
I noticed a young, skinny man who had some facial bruises. Seeing him at this late hour made me feel uneasy, so I went up to talk to him.
"Hello, may I ask you what you are doing here at this late hour of the night?"
I looked at his face, which had no expression, as if he had been through a lot just like me, and for some reason, looking at his face made me want to hug him and ask him if everything was okay.
"Don't be afraid it's just you shouldn't walk this late."
"Don't be afrai~d it's just you sho~uldn't walk this late."
I saw that he was wearing a sandal intended for women, and because of the sandal's narrow stripes, his legs were bleeding. It felt like he had fled from his home.
"Can you show me your ID?"
"Can you show me you~ ID"
I felt terrible inside, possibly because seeing his miserable situation reminded me of my own problems.
"Son, did you run away from home?"
I tried to ask him why, but he did not say anything, possibly because he was scared.
"Sigh"
*Beep*
I considered telling him that 'running away is not an option', but deep down I knew that is exactly what I always did.
"Hello Suichi here, we have a runaway kid here, for some reason he's wearing ladies sandals"
"Haha, sandals really?"
"Sigh, Yes it also looks like he's mentally unstable."
I had no idea what his condition was, but I did not want to leave him alone, perhaps because I didn't wanted him to suffer alone like me.
"I'm bringing him in—Hmm?"
Just as I was telling him I was bringing him in, I heard footsteps approaching us and turned around.
I noticed a middle-aged man who appeared to be my same age. He had a smile on his face and seemed content, which made me feel even worse.
"Mister, are you alright?"
He was so drunked that it was affecting his walk, and then he fell on the ground.
*Thud*
"Is everything okay, Suichi?"
I was doing my best to keep my emotions in check, but when I saw that man was happy even after falling, it brought back memories of my first encounter with Mi. I lost control of my emotions, and my eyes became watery.
"Sniff, no! What is wrong with today? First, my 20-year-old daughter ran away with someone, then my wife filed for divorce, and now this."
I tried my hardest to stop crying because I knew it would not help, but it felt like someone was holding my heart tight.
*Beep*
"You have got it rough, bro. Let me buy you drinks once our shift is over."
Despite my teary eyes, I attempted to work as it was my working hour.
"Sniff, sir. Are you okay?"
"hyee ki sem. nm sek hashaus skep?"
My head was so clouded that I didn't understand what the person In front of me was saying.
"What, sir?"
As the man in front of me got up, I tried to wipe away my tears so as not to reveal my sad side to him.
*Sqwelp!*
He moved his hand and gave me punch on my stomach. I felt a little weird so looked down towards my stomach.
"What was that sound, Suichi?" Hey, Suichi?"
I believed that he had punched me, but in reality, his fingers had punctured my stomach.
"Bleh!"
Blood started coming out of my mouth and I fell on the ground.
Maybe because of my clouded mind it took me this much time to understand the one in front of me was a possessed.
"Suichi—"
*Crash*
"ku ku"
I tried to move my body away from the demon, but just as it was about to attack me, the skinny young man in front of me said something that caused the demon to stop.
"Este ya keku?"
"Hó"
"Yuiki se nanei?"
"Hó"
"Hahaha, mila no zwai ke."
I shifted my body in the direction of the wall and turned to face the young man who was using the forbidden language.
I had no idea what they were saying, but the middle-aged man who was possessed by a demon began laughing.
For some reason, my mind assumed this was the end because there was no one around us, and even if the others tried to get here, it would be too late.
"Niza seku ni yua"
"Huh, kai sye waqki swiaqui?"
The young man said something which made which changed the expression of the demons face.
I considered giving up and accepting my fate, but just as I was about to close my eyes, I saw faces of my family crying. I knew the damage to my stomach was lethal, but I pressed both of my hands against it to stop the bleeding.
"zukik quy"
When I heard the younger man say something, I turned my head in their direction and noticed that the demon moved his hand towards his neck.
My eyes began to close and my vision grew hazy.
"Si"
Maybe it was my poor vision, but as soon as I opened my eyes, I saw the middle-aged man's dark shadow had separated from him and was rising from the floor.
Just as I blinked the second time the middle-aged man disappeared from the surrounding.
The events that transpired before me terrified me so much that I lost all hope and my body shut down.
*Step*
The last thing I remembered was the footsteps of someone approaching me.
"Suichi!"
"Dad!"
I heard someone scream as I was attempting to open my eyes. I could not figure out why they were screaming so loudly.
"Suichi!"
When I opened my eyes, I noticed two women crying in front of me.