Walking away from the group I felt a prickling sensation at the back of my neck as if someone is intently watching me. Looking back there is the same beggar with a lot of hair but a short stature.
His eyes are fixed on my small plastic bag where I had placed the sandwich Sam had given me.
Does this boy want to rob me? I must really look like a useless punk if a small child wants to take away all my things. Narrowing my eyes I see his expression is like that of a 'hungry' person.
Why would he...? Can this little guy see through the bag? Or is it the smell? "Hey, come here." I called him and in a matter of moments he is already in front of me. I looked behind him to mentally measure the distance he had just traveled in mere moments.
"Can you tell what's in the bag?" I ask. The boy nodded but he didn't look away from the plastic bag. Feeling like I am probably just underestimating the power of hunger and being too suspicious, I handed him the bag and turned to leave.
As soon as I turn a corner I heard a commotion from behind so I turn to check. It seems at some point the little beggar was surrounded by his companions. They took one look at the massive sandwich and wanted to eat it too. They were afraid of him a while ago but hunger makes animals of any of us.
What I see is not a scene of the little guy crying for his food but a small crowd sprawled on the ground as if they decided to take a nap making a circle around him.
Wide eyed I walked back and waited for him to finish eating. "What's your name?"
The boy didn't answer instead established that I have come close enough, he released a low growl full of warning. This surprised me. What the hell is this? Leave the home and find a pup? Turning around I decide to leave this place with my life still intact.
A few breath of time and I am already in a taxi to the hospital. I failed to notice the boy looking my direction with confusion. Most humans don't take his warning growl seriously at all.
What a joke, hearing an animalistic sound like that of course I will run as fast as possible. Not out of fear but because these creatures are usually in packs and I am not strong enough to take them on at the moment. "So unlucky."
I use the memories to find grandpa in the vip ward after buying a fee fruits in the small market downstairs. Grandpa likes custard yogurt, mushrooms soup with shredded pork strips.
I can't make it the way he likes it so I bout it from a restaurant. This bit of money was earned my me on a stranger's bed so it is okay to finish it before it loses value.
"Grandpa!" I rushed to hug the frail old man. Noticing my body shake with emotion grandpa is surprised.
"Little Mikel, don't despair your grandpa is very strong." He said to me but instead of feeling comfort, his words made me cry.
"Don't lie to Mikel, grandpa is dying!" What followed is a wailing sob making people sad just by listening to the sound.
"Sigh, I have already held on for all this time in immense pain Mikel. I miss your grandmother very much and I want to go see her." The old man relaxed in my arms and we stayed like that until I fell asleep.
"Why did you let me sleep? I brought you shredded pork strips with mushroom soup." I said finding myself sleeping in his lap and him reading a novel I had given him before.
"I know, I have already eaten it all." Grandpa said before going back to his novel.
"I don't understand why she doesn't send him to jail if he is responsible for her parent's death, why must she work in his company and seduce him at all? Who can keep a straight face in front of their parent's killer?" Grandpa asked with a serious expression, sighing and shaking his head.
"It's an abuse love novel." I said laughing at his bewilderment.
"You Mikel, don't associate with someone who treats you badly or have wronged in any way. People don't change and 'fall' in love with you to wash away what they have done." Grandpa said with a reproachful tone.
"Okay, I will only spend my days with those who appreciate me." I put my hand on the left of my shoulder and solemnly said.
"Good, good.. I don't want my only grandson to be wronged. Take this and use it however you want." He gave him a small box with a few photos and a bracelet. Green in color and jade of material.
"I had wanted to sell it even though I didn't want to so that I can give you a deposit for a better house. Or if you get a good job in the future I was going to give it to your wife. It was my wife's after all." Grandpa said with sadness in his eyes.
"No grandpa don't.." But he just shook his head.
"I can't take the pain anymore Mikel. Take the box and remember that you are not alone in the world. I love you, I couldn't possibly love you any more than I already do even if you were my own flesh and blood." He said crying. I have only seen grandpa cry a few times.
"I am sorry grandpa you had to work so hard just to feed and send me to school but I...I couldn't even enter a prestigious college."
"Nonsense. You are perfect. Don't you let anyone make you feel otherwise. I want you to be filled with love and laughter the second part of your life. Don't work too hard for money just do what you want to do. Mikel...I am sorry I have to go...." I had woken up and sat on the chair at some point. Grandpa died just like that? Weren't he supposed to die a day later?
The truth of the matter is that he had been holding on to see him one last time. In the last life I was called in at work but didn't see that call because of a busy day at work and missed it. I wonder what happened to this box full of grandpa's most cherished memories in the last life?
"Rest well grandpa. I hope you find peace and happiness." I started crying again. The nurse came in but it is already too late. That's it, the last person to show me affection is gone. Forever.. "Grandpa....wuwu.."
"He fell asleep. Such sadness. Do we wake him?" A nurse asked the doctor, but the doctor shook his head. The next day I took care of the cremation and the subsequent tombstone. Taking this opportunity to change grandma's tomb stone to be an identical high quality tombstone like that of my grandpa.
It has already been two days after grandfather's death and the funeral is now over. I had to go home to the place where his wife was buried.
Their tombstones had both their portraits. I seem to seem his angelic ghost holding on to his ghost wife waving at me good bye.
"Good bye grandpa and grandma. Have a good after life." I went to take the train back. There is no way I am staying in the village during the ghoul invasion. That is similar to begging for death.
Some cities will be abandoned but some will still be protected since they have several weapons and food processing facilities.
Taking out a cigarette I started smoking. Feeling the hot air travel into my lungs and out, leaving me with a dizzying feeling. With cloudy eyes I pulled my old phone only to see 21 texts and 12 missed calls.
Some are from the bar I didn't bother to show up to work these days and the rest are from my friends. Sam must have heard something about my grandpa's death and sent me a condolence message. Then there's April. I loved that girl and in the end she...
The last is from Lu Pei's secretary. With a sneer, I directly blocked the secretary. My bussy is no longer for sale. His money failed to keep my grandpa alive so it is useless.
Opening the old gate I entered my unsafe apartment building. Tomorrow I am moving into an up town apartment for 12 thousand yuan a month. Security will be safer there.
The room is very dark so I turned on the lights but screamed in shock when I saw a filthy body sleeping on the ground. Hearing me scream, the boy sprung up but fell down soon after. This beggar...
"What the hell are you doing in my house?" I shouted but he seems to be out cold. Checking his temperature he is burning up. A fever.
Instead of feeling sorry for him I coldly slapped his face "Hey, get up and get out of my home." I said gritting my teeth.
"If I had known that one sandwich would bring me so much trouble I would have eaten it in front of you." The boy didn't move but opened his eyes. I immediately took several steps back.
"Who the fuck are you?" I asked in alarm seeing those red piercing eyes. Why is a person of the two clans this far away from the barrier?
"Kai." He answered and fell unconscious again. The voice just now is hoarse as if he is hadn't spoken in a long time.
I can't have his scent here as a dead man. What if his people come and kill me just because? So I get medicine and luckily I have plenty of antibiotics and cold medicines for grandpa before.
Playing nanny as soon as I come back home.
.....