"Haaah… what time is it now, I wonder?"
I muttered in a low voice, while staring at the computer screen in front of me, as I stretched out my hand searching for my mobile phone, before finally finding it. I frowned a little as I looked at the black screen… then threw it aside without care.
"Cheap junk… why do I forget every time to charge it?
All of this falls on the shoulders of this nonsense that I read, damn it!" I said that in a loud voice, while I was trying with difficulty to resist the urge to smash the lousy computer.
Even though I knew very well that if I smashed it… I would not be able to buy a new one.
So I resisted that urge. A bad thing… is better than nothing. As for the nonsense that I was reading, it was just nonsense written by a lazy author.
And how did I know that? The matter is extremely simple.
All I had to do… was read this stupid title:
[ Heroes are males… and heroines are girls ]
Every time I read this title, I felt an immediate urge to hit myself.
"How did I read this novel in the first place, damn it?
Was I not in my full mind during that period?" I sighed slowly, "I think I should go to a mental hospital… just to make sure of the safety of my mind."
"But… why am I still continuing to read it until this moment? Ah… I think the reason is simple. Because it was free."
This was one of the reasons that pushed me to continue reading. As for the other reason, it was that the computer had frozen on that damned page, and I could no longer change the screen. For every time I restarted it… that same novel would appear in front of me.
Even when I forced myself to take some of my savings — which I had gathered with great difficulty — and went to repair it, they said to me with complete coldness:
"You have to give it up… it can no longer be repaired.
It has died."
After that I asked them to return my money, but what did they say?
"If something enters the pocket… it stays in the pocket."
They robbed me in broad daylight. At that moment I began to think that I had indeed been cursed.
First: the computer broke down.
Second: I was robbed.
And third — worst of all — I found myself drowning in countless debts.
I sighed bitterly.
"A father abandons his son… and when he dies, I bear his debts. What a truly fair life."
I closed my eyes for a moment, and imagined him there… that drunkard. Laughing in hell with his friends, raising his glass and saying:
"Look at my son… I have made his life miserable. Am I not the best father?"
I exhaled slowly. "Ah… what is this now?"
"Fsatanyon, do not go! I know that I am a vile and despicable devil, but I love you from the depths of my miserable heart.
I will do anything for you, I will bring down the sky beneath your feet, and I will make the world a kingdom for you. For all that I seek… is one goal: to touch your blessed feet. I do not understand, nor do I know what to say… for the flames have ignited my heart!"
"…"
I stared in disbelief at what I had read, inserted my finger into my ear, just to make sure it was still working. And after a moment of silence…
"Hahaha… stupid." I shook my head. "Was I not reading when the two main characters were fighting, so how did I suddenly reach this scene? It must be a printing error… yes, it must be so."
But even so… I could not believe it was just an editing mistake, because this happened every time. And every time I pointed it out to the writer to correct the matter, he would respond to me with the same sentence:
"It is a hint… you must understand the essence of writing,
and taste its depth."
I could no longer endure this nonsense any longer.
So I began to type quickly on the keyboard.
[ Nox ] Hey writer… what is this, damn it?
Please, do not utter empty talk about "deep hints."
I am about to lose my mind here.
[ Fish Head ] My dear reader, I will give you a simple hint this time only, since you are the only reader after all. Fsatanyon is said for loyalty, and the devil is said for betrayal, and flames are said for determination.
And when these symbols come together… they form a deeper meaning. "To wake up from the dream." This is all I can say now. Farewell… the next chapter will be released after two hours.
"Oh my God… I might kill myself. It is over, I will stop reading this story before I lose what remains of my mind."
I stood up from the chair with difficulty, then stretched a little to loosen the stiffness of my body. I had been sitting like this for two hours, most likely. I extended my hand toward the light switch and pressed it, but the light did not work. I tried once again…
and fortunately, it worked this time.
I looked around the room.
Trash everywhere, and since I am lazy… I did not bother myself with cleaning it, nor did I want that in the first place.
I headed to the bathroom, and it was so narrow that one person could barely stand inside it.
I washed my face a little, then returned to the room, and headed toward the bed. I threw myself onto it in exhaustion, and began staring at the worn-out ceiling.
"The dog life that I live… is not bad, and not good either. But at least… I can practice my own hobbies, without anyone caring about me."
— Knock… knock… knock —
I raised my head slowly, and looked toward the door that was being knocked on violently. I frowned a little, and got up from the bed after I had been about to sleep.
I approached the door, and looked through the small opening.
At that moment… I saw who was outside. There were two policemen, one of them tall in stature it seemed,
and the other fat in body.
"Who is there?"
"Police… open the door."
"Police at this time? What is happening, I wonder…"
I muttered that while opening the door slowly.
The two policemen looked at me for a moment, then the fat man said in a formal tone:
"Nothing important… just a routine procedure. We are investigating the death of someone."
"Death?" My eyes widened automatically, "Who would that be?
And what is my relation to him? And do not tell me that my mother has died as well… I have truly grown tired of this. I have enough debts as it is."
The two policemen exchanged a quick glance, then the tall policeman stepped a little closer to me.
"No, no… it is not like that. The matter concerns Mr. Al-Mutrifn. He died two weeks ago."
"Al-Mutrifn? Who is this?"
The fat policeman stared at my face for a moment, then headed toward the window and opened it.
"The weather is hot here… Al-Mutrifn is the man you went to two weeks ago to repair the computer."
"Ah… and what is my relation to that?"
I said that while heading toward the kitchen slowly, but I did not raise my eyes from them.
"Can you tell us… what happened between you two? The owner of the nearby shop said that you left there very angry. Can you explain that?"
"Ah…" I placed my finger on my temple, and closed my eyes trying to remember. "According to what I last remember… he could not repair the computer, so I left angry. That is all I remember. That happened two weeks ago."
"Hmm… so that is how it is." The fat policeman paused for a moment,
"You do not know Mr. Al-Harfn, or Clara? Both of them disappeared a week ago, and you were seen in their shop before each one of them disappeared. What is the reason for all these coincidences, I wonder?"
I frowned tightly.
"All of this is because of the bad luck that has been accompanying me recently…
But wait— why do I feel as if you are trying to accuse me like this?
I did not kill anyone."
The two policemen looked at me with a strange look, and stepped back a small step. The tall policeman said slowly:
"When did we say it was a murder? We only said that they disappeared, and we did not mention the reason."
At that moment… I realized that I had made a mistake.
A grave mistake. Without hesitation, I pulled the knife that I was hiding behind my back, and threw it toward the tall policeman.
— Shak! —
The knife struck his foot directly. He screamed in pain, and fell onto one knee. At the same moment, I rushed toward the fat policeman, and delivered a powerful punch to his face.
— Boom! —
His body staggered backward. I pulled out his pistol quickly, and pointed it toward him.
— Boom! —
The bullet struck his foot as well, so he fell to the ground while screaming. I turned toward the tall policeman, who was trying to grab his weapon with a trembling hand.
I approached him with calm steps, and then raised my leg…
and delivered a crushing kick to his face.
— Crash —
His head slammed against the ground forcefully, while a heavy silence filled the room. I stood between them, looking at their bodies stretched on the floor.
Then… a wide smile formed on my face.
"Do you want to know what happened to them?"
"I killed them all… hahaha. But I am not the one who really did that. They brought it upon themselves. I did not do anything, believe me you two policemen. I will not kill you,
I will only make you unable to walk for some time, so… send my greetings to them in hell."
The two policemen were looking at me with clear fear, while I moved closer to the fat one, who was crawling slowly toward the window. I raised the pistol, and pointed it toward him.
— Boom —
I felt something piercing my chest.
"Ah… what happened?"
The last words came out of my mouth with difficulty.
I felt something piercing my chest, while I stared at the bullet that had settled in my chest.
I raised my head with difficulty, and saw the shadow of a person standing on the roof of the opposite building, holding a rifle and pointing its muzzle toward me.
A sniper.
I fell to the ground, and blood flowed from my mouth slowly.
At that moment… I understood. These are my final moments.
Strangely, I did not feel anything. No pain… and no fear. Only emptiness.
The darkness began to increase slowly, swallowing everything around me.
Until… the last spark in my eyes went out.
I died.