O — (#1) That man was right.

“Don’t worry my dear, you have the forrest running through your vein.”

Mrs Isla

“Don’t worry my dear, you have the forrest running through your vein.”

I then pull my palm from the hand of this lovely palm reader. Despite her lovely weird-hippie look, she actually smells really lovely. And, what I love the most is, her lovely misterious low-whispering voice reading my palm like telling a lovely bed time stories.

I guess everything about her is lovely.

“thank you.” she said, smiling after I gave her fee for that palm reading, which I do not even understand.

Despite, the fact none of her words make sense, that closing statement was really interesting. And, it absolutely worth a post.

I then rush to the coffee house where I initially went for. It’s only tens meters away from the palm reading lady place. I didn’t focus on my walk for I was trying to remember each word the lady said about my future. I think, I bump into quite a few people. When I got there, I pick my favorite spot which perfectly centered between the bar, the window, and the tv.

Barely settled, Reina the waitress came to take my order.

“Ready to order, bie?”

“Yes, macchiato. warm.”

“okay.”

I alway love that waitress, pretty. In fact, too pretty. We’ve been a very good friends. She is probably one of a few reasons I came to this coffee house a lot.

I then open my laptop, runs some startup apps for this kind of situation “Psd, Todoist, word and chrome.” Minutes later, I already lost in my writing.

“You don’t want to write that.”

A middle age man, with baldy-grey-hair, suddenly sit accross of me. I don’t know him.

“Excuse me?” I said.

“You don’t want to write that. I understand a boy like yourself can’t help it when given such words that could easily drown you down on imagination. But, that is just half of the story. You don’t want to write an unfinished story, do you?”

“wh-how do you know what I’m writing?”

“I don’t, but I guessed. And from your response, I’m right. ”

“here’s your cup, bie.” I was too confused and lil’ angry with this stranger across me I didn’t realize Reina was there.

“A-ah! You don’t want that.” said the man getting more anoyying after reina left us both.

“Who the hell are you? and stop telling me what I want and what I dont want!”

“You don’t want that because that is not what you order, it’s the opposite of the cup you order. You hate that one. Try it.”

I oppened the cup, and he is right. The yellowish-black color, it’s caribenho. I hate it.

“Reina is having problems. Quite a lot, actually. Financially, academically, and even his boyfriend is being an ass. She’s not at all capable in self-control and focus, let alone deliver the right coffee. But, it’s you, you’ll forgive her, I know.” He gave me a wink, “I’ll have that, if you won’t.”

I then realize there’s something different with Reina, today. Her smile was bitter.

I didn’t response. I just stare at him. and he stares back.

“That thing you are writing, is actually dangerous. Especially for you. That lovely Mrs Isla shouldn’t have told you that story.”

He took the cup. I watched him as he sips the coffee and makes humming voices. I didn’t say a word for the next few minutes, I just watch him observe everything around him. When he realized I was actually watching him, he looked at me back and smiled. and said no word.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but can I have this table, alone?” I finally said, starting to think this old man is crazy.

“No.”

“Oh I’m sorry, here’s what I meant. I meant to be rude and I want to have this table, alone.”

“Absolutely, no.”

Out of control, I hit the table. Not hard enough to break it, but hard enough to be heard by everyone.

“We are leaving anyway, so…” he then finally said, moment later.

“What do you mean we are leaving?”

“Yes! it’s 14.35, let’s go.”

He then close my laptop, and took it, leaving the coffee house.

“HEY! Stop!”

I then forcefully reach out to my laptop, but strangely, it did little nothing. He then turn to me.

“Take your bag, and follow me. I paid the cup. We cannot be late.”

“NO! I don’t fucking know you, give me my laptop.”

“Here.” He then throw a thick book on me, which I had not seen anywhere on him before, “You’ve been wanting that, right? that’s yours but follow me.”

It’s the original version of Marcus Aurelius’s Handbook of The Emperor. The one with original translation. Yes, I’ve been wanting this, but how does he know?

“I’m not taking this book, now, give me my laptop back!”

He stare at me for a moment, and finally took my book and trade it up with my laptop.

“There is someone out there who needs help, our help. It’s a boy at same age as you. A good boy. I can stay here a little bit longer with you, trying to explain things you probably wouldn’t understand except if you see for your self, but I, no, We, got no time. He might die ” He wait for my response, desperate he then turns away.

I go back to my table, realize that everybody had been watching the scene. I gave a little smile, and sit anyway.

I can’t stop thinking about that man, though. How does he knows so much? I then browse my social media, searching for the one that give indication that i want that Marcus Aurelius writing, and I can’t find any. I want it, but no one else knows I wanted it.

And who needs help? Who needs my help?

Hours later, it was sundown and getting dark. The Coffee House atmosphere changes. The only light on it was from the orange light of the sun coming through the window. I packed my things up.

“Can I take this cup, bie?”

“Sure.” She then took the cup, and clean the table. “Hey, Reina…”

“Yeah?”

“Whatever your problems are, I hope you are okay.”

“How do you…” A little surprised, she then smiled, “Thank you, bie, that means a lot.”

And that’s it. I realize two things at that moment. First, I care about Reina, truly. Second, that man, whoever he is and however he knows, was right.

I got out, still confused. My phone beeped, so I pull it out of my pocket and checked it. Suddenly, I feel the cold thin metal on my neck. Not a needle, but, like a coin. When I turned around, this big black guy holding the metal onto my neck with his huge hand.

It’s no longer cold, its warm. Then hot. Then extremely hot. I try to push him, but it’s too late. I’m loosing my energy. I try to scream but I can’t. Suddenly, it’s all dark.