The next day, the sun slowly peeked over the eastern horizon, casting its golden rays through the clouds and spilling warmth onto the city below.
The night's symphony of tires hissing on wet asphalt was interrupted by the sharp honk of a taxi,a sound that tasted of exhaust fumes and bitter impatience. The stale air of the previous night, heavy with industrial cleaner, began to yield to the distant, mouthwatering aroma of bacon wafting from all-day diners.
*********
In the entertainment district, where neon lights once blazed with life, silence now reigned supreme.
The vibrant nightlife had dimmed alongside the fading stars, leaving behind closed bars and shuttered restaurants,waiting for dusk to breathe life back into their doors.
The streets were littered with remnants of last night's revelry: crumpled bottles and scattered trash told tales of wild parties long past.
Neon signs flickered weakly as if reluctant to let go of their glory days. A faint echo of music lingered in the air like a ghostly reminder of laughter and celebration.
BANG!
Suddenly, one bar door swung open violently as a burly bouncer hurled a shadowy figure onto the sidewalk like yesterday's refuse. The figure crashed into a pile of overflowing bins, sending garbage tumbling down like confetti at a forgotten party.
A woman in a revealing dress leaned against the doorway, sipping from her glass. "Poor guy," she remarked with mock sympathy. "You stripped him clean; he's got nothing left."
The bouncer chuckled darkly as his hand wandered toward her waist. "Don't play innocent; you were pouring drinks down his throat all night."
With a dismissive shrug, she glanced at the motionless figure sprawled on the ground. "He was drowning in sorrows,some sad story about his girlfriend and a dead-end job. Honestly? It was depressing."
"Feeling sorry for him?" he teased.
She snorted derisively. "Why would I? The world is full of hopeless cases,he's just another one."
With that, they went back inside, slamming the door shut behind them and leaving only echoes of muffled music and stale beer in their wake.
Silence enveloped the area once more except for occasional moans from within and distant honks from passing cars. As Damien lay still on the ground, it seemed time had frozen around him.
After ten agonizing minutes, he finally stirred.
Damien blinked awake; his vision swam in confusion as he struggled to make sense of his surroundings.
Cold air escaped his lips in ragged breaths as he coughed violently, pushing away debris that clung to him like unwanted memories. His fingers brushed against something slimy on his head. A used condom.
Amongst it all was an unexpected find,a used condom perched atop his head, a grim reminder that twisted his heart painfully.
The moment he spotted the condom,an invisible hand twisted his heart. Painful memories surged back, a tidal wave that left him trembling, his eyes rimmed with red.
"Damn it!" A low growl escaped his lips as he flung the condom away. He was utterly devastated. After several agonizing minutes, he finally managed to rise from the ground.
His body shook uncontrollably; standing straight was nearly impossible.
He looked disheveled, his hair a tangled mess with bits of trash caught in it, and his once respectable suit now appeared ancient, reminiscent of something straight out of the '80s.
He was smeared with all kinds of grime and exuded a nauseating stench that could turn stomachs from yards away,a mix of cheap alcohol and refuse. In that moment, he felt more wretched than any homeless person; even they seemed to carry more dignity than he did.
As he stumbled out of the bar, each step felt like a battle against an invisible weight pressing down on him. A pounding headache throbbed at his temples like a relentless drumbeat.
His hunched figure painted a picture of despair as he moved forward into the world.
People instinctively avoided him; a ten-meter radius around him became an unspoken "no-go zone."
Disgusted glances were cast in his direction as whispers filled the air. Parents shielded their children's eyes from what they deemed a grotesque sight.
One woman leaned down to her son and pointed at Damien, saying in hushed tones, "This is what happens when you don't study hard in school. You'll end up like this pathetic creature with no future."
The child stared wide-eyed at Damien's trembling form before nodding vigorously like a chick pecking for food. "Don't worry, Mama! I'll study hard so I won't end up like that!"
"That's my boy!" she beamed proudly while ruffling her son's hair before giving Damien one last scornful look and walking away.
Damien heard every word. Head bowed low, bangs obscuring most of his face except for his thin-lipped grimace and tear-streaked cheeks,silent proof of his pain,he froze momentarily. Was he crying? A bitter chuckle escaped cracked lips as he realized how long it had been since tears had touched his face.
Suddenly, a loud scream shattered the silence: "Help! Somebody help me!"
Startled back to reality, Damien lifted his head to see familiar streets leading to his apartment ahead of him.
Panic gripped him as he scanned for the source of distress,a young woman stood nearby, no older than 30 but radiantly beautiful despite her fear-stricken expression; tears streamed down her cheeks in desperation.
All around her, a small crowd had gathered, phones in hand, their cameras pointed toward the top of the adjacent building as if capturing something extraordinary. But what they were witnessing was anything but ordinary.
Damien turned to see what had captivated their attention, and in an instant, clarity washed over him like a cold splash of water. He became acutely aware of his surroundings.
"Is that… a baby?!" he exclaimed, his heart racing. There on the third-floor balcony hung a child,just three or four years old,clinging desperately to the railing, her tiny legs kicking wildly as she cried out for help.
"What are these people thinking?" Damien thought in disbelief. "A child is in danger, and all they can do is record it?"
The young mother's frantic cries echoed through the air, yet the crowd remained frozen,some recording with their phones, others dialing 911, while many wore expressions of concern but did nothing.
Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the tension: "She's falling!"
Panic rippled through the crowd as gasps filled the air; some even repositioned themselves for a better view of this unfolding tragedy.
"What a bunch of hypocrites!" Damien cursed under his breath.
For a split second,Damien looked at the falling child and thought, what's the point? Let the miserable world have another one. But his body was already moving, a raw animal instinct he still didn't know he possessed launching himself forward before his mind could object.
The baby was now just moments from impact. Other bystanders sprang into action too; perhaps they were stirred by guilt or empathy but Damien's desperation fueled him faster than anyone else.
In one final burst of energy, he dove forward just as gravity threatened to claim its prize. With sheer determination and adrenaline coursing through his veins, he caught the child just before she hit the ground.
As he landed heavily on his back with the baby cradled safely in his arms, pain shot through him like lightning.
His bones protested under the weight of impact; still dazed from both physical strain and emotional turmoil, he managed to look down at her tear-streaked face and smiled softly.
"Hey there," he whispered gently when suddenly...
"Watch out!" A voice screamed from above.
Confusion morphed into horror as Damien looked up just in time to see a massive flower pot plummeting toward him.
"Fuck me!"
BANG!
The pot smashed onto his face with brutal force. Blood streamed down from his head flowed out of his head,painting the pavement red.
"Somebody call an ambulance!" The crowd erupted into chaos,faces pale with shock,as they scrambled away from danger. The mother rushed over to snatch her child from Damien's arms before retreating in fear.
"Call for help! Now!" shouted a young man nearby at the terrified mother who stood frozen in place.
The young mother finally snapped back to reality, her face full of fear as she stammered, "W...wh...what do you want me to do? I never asked him to save my child."
The young man stood there, utterly stunned, his mind racing yet completely paralyzed by the weight of her words.
Damien, who everyone thought was dead, still had a flicker of his consciousness lingered on.
So he heard the mother's desperate admission, it felt like his heart shattered into a million pieces. All the beliefs and hopes he'd clung to turned to ashes in an instant.
"Fuck You!" That was the thought that spiraled through Damien's mind as his life force began to fade away.
And just like that Damien Cole,a name that would soon be forgotten,was one of the most tormented souls this world had ever known.
And what's truly ironic? Not a single person would remember him or his courageous act of bravery. Not even that potbellied uncle of his.