"My head hurts." A man groaned as the same sound reverberated in his head, a young girl calling out to him, but he remained silent and mortified, unable to respond.
"These damn migraines are only getting worse.", the words escaped from him, he had his head buried in his palms. Trying to get a hold of himself, he corrected his posture as he sat upright and gradually opened his eyelids.
As if his day couldn't get any worse, he observed a young man approaching his shop who looked no more than 20 as he rested his arms on the counter casually.
Great, another headache to be dealt with.
Ethan glanced at the shop owner, a tall individual with a brown complexion, who had an intimidating air about him, alongside a sharp gaze that made his annoyance conspicuous.
"Expecting a freebie? This isn't a charity, bud. Buy something or get out," the man remarked in a monotonous and stoic tone, as if it were routine for him.
"Well, I may not have a singular penny, but hey! Ya never know what I can do to help you.", Ethan said with a wry smile.
He didn't have the time nor patience to deal with this, "Alright." The man's tone grew more commanding and aggressive. "Are you planning to leave peacefully or with a black eye?"
Ethan grew tense as he lifted both of his hands and signaled for the shop owner to calm down.
"C'mon now, I do believe I have some info that could greatly help you. Maybe can even fix this damned shop of yours."
"How much longer do you intend to waste my time, kid?" He said as he stood up. Ethan twitched, he definitely did not intend to get knocked out in broad daylight.
Trying to play it off, he quickly shifted his focus somewhere else attempting to get a hold of himself.
"Do you not notice anything?" Ethan asked him, attempting to regain his composure. "Why is everyone avoiding this area. Why do you think that is? There aren't many shops around here, so why, just why wouldn't they come?".
Ethan put his hand on his chin pretending to think, all the while the shop owner grew furious interpreting Ethan's actions as nothing more an elaborate joke to poke fun at him.
Ethan turned in the other direction emphasizing his point with his exaggerated movement.
The man flared at Ethan's theatrics viewing him as nothing more than a mocking brat, but just as he was about to make a move, Ethan spoke up confidently.
"Now sir, why am I telling you this?" Ethan paused as he waited for an answer, but he was only met with the heavy silence between the both of them.
"Well, all I'm trying to tell you is that this wasn't the best place to settle up." Ethan requested the Shop owner to follow him, the man was apprehensive of the whole ordeal but decided to follow him regardless.
Ethan went around the shop to numerous small depressions in the ground, they were callously boarded up which allowed for water to easily seep into them.
"What now? Are you going to make up a crazy story and convince me to listen to you?"
"Unfortunately, that won't be needed."
Ethan bent down as he removed one of the worn boards to reveal the stagnant water, the water had a dark and murky color plagued with mosquito larvae, the ground was afflicted by numerous of these poorly boarded up depressions.
"So? What now? You're going to compensate me correctly, right?" The sardonic comment slipped out of Ethan's mouth.
"What the hell, this was the reason behind the gigantic swarms of mosquitoes?"
"See! Didn't I tell ya I could help you?"
"Calm down there kid, you only made the obvious more apparent."
He spoke as if he'd known about the ordeal all along. "But I can't let you owe me a favor for something this petty."
"Oh? So I'm getting paid just to be cautious? Really do think I'm being undervalued here! And besides owing a favor isn't going to kill you."
"That damn statement of yours just tells me how naive you are. Well, that is none of my matter, but I would advise you to not take these favors so light, they might as well come back to kill you."
The man's eyes turned towards the depressions. Soon enough, he sighed and scratching his head said, "I'm surprised, for the first time a lunatic has been helpful to me." He seemed frustrated but was internally relieved.
Ethan's mind raced to find something that would solidify his claim, but he couldn't think of anything. He could sway his hand in the water but that was surely unnecessary.
"I'll pay you extra."
Ethan stared at the man with a deadpan expression, "It's your fault if I get sick." He said as he plunged his hand into the shallow murky water, finding it to be surprisingly deeper than he had expected.
Back at the shop the owner laid down a small bag in front of Ethan, it was decently heavy and brimming with excitement he attempted to open it, but shop owner stopped him.
"Don't open it just yet. Some people here could be quite troublesome." His voice was now more reassuring; Ethan couldn't help but feel like he was being swindled but listened to his advice.
As Ethan turned away, he couldn't hide his amusement due to the weight of the bag. Even in such dire circumstances people are still willing to be generous, kindness truly is a wonderful thing, he thought to himself as he marched on forward, with a triumphant look on his face.
The sweltering heat of the sun beat down upon the heat, but Ethan's expressions remained adamant. His mind wondered at the thought of what the bag could hold, could it be a bag full of coins? Maybe some precious materials?
Unfortunately for him, his train of thoughts were halted when he bumped into someone, their shoulders colliding as he heard a groan, but his mind was focused elsewhere. Recovering from the impact his eyes were searching aimlessly for the bag and when he finally found it, he practically rushed towards it but he was too late as he witnessed someone else reach for it. To his surprise the hand that held the bag stood still.
He finally glanced at the face of the individual, an old man identifiable by the strands of white haired that plagued his head and the wrinkles that covered his face like the minute crevices in a road. The old man spoke up, "Careful there, young man, haste ruins the best of us.".
Ethan curtly fixed his posture as he asked, "Wait so you aren't gonna run away with the bag?"
"I have no reason to, besides why would I run away with a bag filled with garbage?". The man's calm voice greatly contrasted with his words and when they landed on Ethan's ears he couldn't help but express confusion, maybe the man envied Ethan and simply was gaslighting himself, that could've have been believable until the man handed the bag back to Ethan and suggested him to open it.
His confusion further intensified as he opened the bag to be met with a bunch of heavy stones.
The old man couldn't help with let out a little laugh, "It seems like you aren't accustomed to being robbed.".
"No, this has to be wrong, there's no way I just got scammed by a damn middle-aged man running a broken-down shop." Ethan was still processing his victory that was crumbling right in front of him. He bit his nail, "Shit".
Ethan's unease may have led him to make another callous decision but,
"Stop." Came the demand. "It is not worth it make a fool out of yourself, all out of fury.".
"What do you know? And I'm completely calm. I'm going to go and claim what I rightfully deserve." His words could not make up for his lack of self-control.
"What do you think you can do? It is foolish if you think Nicodemus would sincerely apologize and provide you with a handsome prize, if not then maybe grovel before you."
"Nicodemus? Why did you think you know who I'm talking about?" Ethan's anger was evident.
"I've known that muscular bare brain for quite some time and there is no other person that would transpire this instead of beating you to a pulp even when he is capable of it. I find his kindness of his to be the weakest part about him." The man answered, speaking his thoughts aloud.
"Beat me to a pulp..?", Ethan clicked his tongue and as he turned around, his face a mixture of anger and reluctance.
"Well then, I won't stop you, but you are obliged to answer one of my questions after I've told you what you deserved to hear." His voice taunted Ethan. He contemplated just walking away until he remembered the shop owner's or Nicodemus's own statement about favors, he stood there quietly containing himself.
Taking his silence as agreeing, the smile on the old man's face faded as he examined Ethan, until he finally asked,
"Say kid, who would you rather put your faith in? A bird engulfed in flames that believes in rebirth, or a petty dog that refuses to run?"
Ethan's eyelids fluttered in irritation and simple confusion. "Oh, my apologizes for asking such a strange question." And a moment later the smile on the man's face was back.
"I do plan on going now and if you ever wish to find me just come to the old clocktower at the edge of town. Oh, and the town isn't big, so you won't have my problem finding it."
"Thanks, but I'd rather do something worthwhile rather than wasting my time with a crusty old man who's already losing his shit."
"Wow, don't you have a sharp tongue? Don't worry, I'm sure I'll be meeting you again."
"I'd rather fall face first into a ditch then meet you again." maybe this was Ethan's way of saying goodbye as he walked away, cursing himself for ever trusting the Nicodemus's words.