Home…We are finally home.
Through a long walk back to New York City and taking the taxi, night has set in now from our long journey from the forest to this city. Nonetheless, I am glad that I was able to return to the haven of civilization.
Although the trip was a long and exhausting one, it was a nice change from the usual routine. Now, it was back to business as normal for me and the others.
“You can drop me off here, Skoll.” I said as we stand outside our front house.
He grunted before dropping me off from his back.
Causing me to safely landing down on the sidewalk with my regained strength, I then released out a tired sigh of breath. My legs felt a little weak as they wobbled a little, if they were made of rubber. Nevertheless, it wasn’t too much to handle and we had been quite the day.
“Adam, are you okay?” Eve approached next to me, concern in her eyes. She must have noticed that something was wrong. Although, it is not like she hasn’t seen me be a mess before.
Still, it is comforting to for her to share the burdens with someone and have me understand and sympathize with her about it. My lips curved into a smile, “I am okay now, I’m able to walk with my strength,” I assured. “Besides, don’t worry; I’ll recover soon enough.”
After saying this, I gave myself a few moments to catch my breath and gather my thoughts before facing the rest of my companions.
Looking at me with their worried expression; even Skoll, despite his constant stoic and uncaring display, I know that he is starting to consider me like a friend. Perhaps it is because he has been with me for longer than he expected-having grown accustomed to companionship.
I closed my eyes, still smiling. Grateful to having the people I can trust and depend on whenever I need the most. If I cannot depend on myself anymore, then these new family of mine will be the ones to hold onto.
“Uh, lad? Why are your eyes closed?” Clover’s confused tone rang out from his spot.
Opening my eyes, “nothing, it is just that I am grateful to have you three with me,” I replied with a genuine smile. We had a long and tiring trek back to the city; it was only natural to feel a bit worn.
“Come on, let’s head inside,” I walked in the front door of my house as the trio complied. Once inside, the warmth of the air welcomed us. The scent of home was enough to calm our tired bodies.
“Woho! I’m glad we are home!” The leprechaun wasted no time in jumping onto nearby available couch. Skoll was heading to the kitchen before being stopped by Eve herself, calling him.”Thank you for helping us. “
Although it was hard to difficult to see his face when he wasn’t bothered to turnaround, we saw a glimpse of genuine smile at her gratitude, “it is no bother,” Skoll left with his vague, parting words.
Notwithstanding the sudden change in attitude towards the silent and aloof werewolf, the mood was light now light from the reunion of bonding and the knowledge that we are not completely lost. Not yet anyway.
A small comfort that can be used to keep fighting. Although it may not seem like much; it is the only thing that could give us hope in these dark times.
I really need to have a cigar in my mouth right about now.
Checking my pockets, expecting anymore of them but to my disappointment, there was none. It appears that when Clover used his magic to conjure the same clothes that I wore, he forgot to include my lighter and pack of cigars altogether.
Not his fault though, the Irish leprechaun was more concerned about providing me with clothes than leaving me nude and suffering from hypothermia.
And I am thankful for that.”Eve, I am going to a gas station,” I called out to her, gaining Eve’s attention.
She responded the way I expected it to be, “okay, I’ll come with-” I interrupted her with a quick reply. A sigh escaped my lips before saying, “Eve, don’t worry about me, I promise,” which made her look away from me for a moment.
“Be safe, Adam…” Eve then went towards a nearby as her voice eventually faded off after moving out of my hearing range.
Rotating around to the entrance, I calmly open the door and then closed it; locking the deadbolt to secure the house. Walking outside into the freezing cold night, there was no sign of anyone or anything around except the thick blanket of snow covering everything around.
The only sound was the howling wind that blew from the north like a demonic spirit.
Aside from losing my cigars and lighter; I still had my key to the house which is a plus. I really should be grateful to this ‘story’ of mine making my life easier.
My shoes crunched through the snowy sidewalk after leaving my porch. From every step, I felt the crunch beneath my feet, reminding myself of the world around me. Even if the world was a frozen wasteland, there are signs everywhere of life.
People and animals are still present regardless of the state in this world. We all live through whatever life throws us. There are no excuses for not trying to survive. If we can walk—we can fight.
That is the philosophy of the world, and it was the reason the world will never die. The world continues to move forward and never gives in like everyone else.
I can now feel my legs becoming less wobbly and weaker from this peaceful, walking routine and exercise I am doing. The feeling of exhaustion is slowly subsiding as the blood flows back to the muscles; allowing me to keep going on.
It feels as though this life of mine is welcoming me back home.
Taking a few deep breaths and paying more attention to the quiet surroundings around me, I began to realize with all the shit I have been through-I forgot one important detail that is effortlessly to forget in times like these.
Life is still worth living for.
The faint sounds of families from their houses, howls of calm and cold winds, including the sounds of a few vehicles passing by in the road; I could hear them all. All these noises are proof that the world is not frozen and is, in fact, alive and wonderful.
I stopped, giggling like a child that found their favored present. Looking up in the beautiful, starry night sky with its diamond-like stars, it was breathtaking. It was as if the heavens were telling me that it is okay to be alive. That there is something beyond this world, something that is bigger than our minds could ever imagine.
And I smiled; knowing that the world is not completely gone yet. With the world, there is hope. Hope that someday, the world will be revived from the ashes of the past. A new world, a better world where everyone can enjoy a happy, prosperous life if we all worked hard enough.
Continuing my calming and peaceful walk; I finally reached the gas station in this neighborhood of this city. The bright lights from the street lamps illuminated the dark shadows of the streets, illuminating the white snowflakes that fell from the cold air.
The store appeared to be big and quaint, with the front entrance made of colored brick and a large window, which was covered in a thick layer of ice. A single sign was posted above the door, and it was a faded and tattered picture of a smiling face with a pair of eyes closed, and a cigarette hanging out.
This is my place to buy them.
Entering, there are a few people wondering about; looking and buying whatever item they find fancy. For me, I just want to get a lighter and a pack of cigarettes to smoke.
Aside from the usual customers, there are a few homeless people wandering inside, asking if anyone is willing to give them a hot meal. They are wearing old, worn-out clothes, with their faces pale and gaunt.Ignoring their presence, I grabbed a random pack of cigar and lighter before heading to the occupied desk with my stuff in hand.
“Welcome sir,” the cashier politely greeted as I gave him my necessities, placing it on the counter, “a pack of cigar and lighter? That would be eighty dollars please.”
Reaching in my pockets, my face turned pale when I could not find it. Losing the two before mentioned items was one thing, but my credit card?! Shit, I am completely unable to pay for it.
“Sir, do you need a moment? Or if there is another form of payment that you could provide?” the cashier asked in a professional tone.
Sorry man, but I really like these items.
Putting some subliminal and hypnotic words, I said “payment? I really don’t think I need to pay anything here. Remember the saying; the customer is always right. Please, just let me go, and be on your merry way.” And with a smile, the cashier did as instructed and allowed me to leave.
Leaving the building with a light step, satisfied of having the stuff I want without paying a penny. Now, the only problem was finding a safe spot to rest and enjoy the beautiful scenery around me.
I looked around for a suitable location as I headed back home. After walking a bit, the sight of a crying dog in the alley caught my attention.
Usually, I would just leave and return to my business. However, the sight of a crying puppy who could be injured makes my heart ache from the thought of it. When it comes to people, strangers especially; I don’t give two cents about them.
But animals? That is a different story to me. If possible, I will do everything in my power to help and rescue them—even though there are many times when there was no point and benefit in doing so.
As I entered the shady alley to find the source of the crying puppy, my face went into hysteria from what scene is playing in front of my eyes. There are two little girls, kicking and verbally abusing the poor puppy while the third girl wearing a black hoodie who was crying from the entire ordeal.
The crying girl appeared to be hurt and beaten to some degree, unable to do anything as she was forced to watch her dog yelping in pain from the kicks and punches.
Gritting my teeth in anger, I approach them and alert my presence; “the hell are you two doing?” I coldly shouted as the three of them stopped and stared at me with wide-eyed surprise.
The two girls appears to be in middle school, probably in their sixth year, too young for these children to engage these horrendous acts. Although, I give zero shits about them.
“What do you want, creep?!” One of the two girls yelled angrily at being disturbed. She had short, straight hair, dark brown eyes that were glaring and hostile towards me, not bothering to conceal the hostility and annoyance in her voice.
Sighing, I pulled out a cigar and light it up; puffing out the smoke as it hit their faces. They both started coughing and gagging, much to my amusement.
While the crying girl with black hoodie stared me at me with hope in her eyes, as if expecting a hero to appear and save the day like in a movie.
Unfortunately for her, heroes are a myth. There is only a jerk with a bad attitude. A person who doesn’t care and is only here to satisfy his own needs.
“Do you have any reason to attack a innocent person with their puppy who was mindfully going on their daily lives?” I ask the two brats, completely annoyed and dissatisfied with them.
The other brat with blue eyes and blonde hair was looking straight; clearly not caring about what she will say, “so what? Mind your business! We can bully whoever we want and Samantha’s dog is just a damn mutt anyway,” the blue-eyed girl said, snorting with disdain.
It appears that Samantha is the name of the girl with the black hoodie. Her tears are proof of how painful it is to witness such an unacceptable act from another classmate and bully to the helpless animal that is tied down in the ground.
And I hate seeing this kid sobbing in distress; she reminds me of my past self—child that had to endure a similar treatment because of a tragedy that occurred in their environment. It is a feeling that is hard for anyone to understand, but it is something that is difficult to forget.
“You know,” puffing another smoke with my cigar, “I am Samantha’s brother, right?” I glanced at the black hoodie, hoping to get my message so we can play along.
This was the part where the bullies usually back off, “yeah, so what about it? You are going to beat us up?” One of them dared to challenge me, but I don’t really care. If they want to fight, let them; there are a substantial amount of ways for them to lose and gain experience, like learning the value of life.
Besides, I have the urge to punch the shit out of them.
As expected, the two girls were too full of bravado to back down. Instead of backing away from the confrontation, they decided to provoke the hell out of me.
“You don’t scare us!” The dark brown eyes taunted, while the blond-haired one stepped forward. “We’ll kick the crap out of you, asshole.” She was now standing only five feet from me, daringly staring into my face,”what are you going to do, huh, tough guy?”
Punching their gremlin faces is to easy, mind as well just threaten them and let these goblins run like cockroaches, “I will report this to your school, parents and everything you know. Neither of you don’t want that, right?”
After saying that, they immediately flee from the scene and ran back home; probably because of fear. They didn’t want to be reported and punished.
Samantha then picked up her injured but still alive puppy, “thank you sir, I really do not have anything else to say than thank you,” Then, the little dog barked, as a sign of appreciation in her hands.
Nodding with a smile, I leave her with encouraging words, “don’t let these people throw your life around like a toy. Remember to live life to the fullest, kid,” with those final words, I left; leaving her thoughts of new-found strength.
