Post by Ivan on Mar 27, 2016 17:49:01 GMT
“It hurts…” Ivan trembled as he curled up in the alleyway, his body quivering and hurting as his stomach rumbled. The pain that he was feeling was not the strain in his arms, his legs, or even the void in his stomach. No it was his head. Ivan’s head stung and throbbed. He had tried once more, as he always did after a span of time, to look out into the world around him. It was getting a bit easier each time that was a fact but even so; it still hurt. The flooding of sensory information into his skull made him uncomfortable and it threw off his mind. Then after that, he felt a throbbing pain just behind his eyes themselves. He didn’t understand why it hurt, but it did and the pain lasted longer than other pains did.
And so, after trying to be courageous for the ninety-seventh time, Ivan now curled up just inside of an alley he had been able to reach. The alley gave him shelter from the streets full of people and gave him space. Unable to see and move around on his own, Ivan required assistance through the world. Though, he had none. Without a nurse to hold his hand or Sister Anna to guide him with her voice, Ivan was essentially crippled. He could walk a few paces by himself maybe and was able to hold onto the walls, but if he bumped into someone or walked into a stall then he would be stuck. It was the downside to his blindness, but something he no longer cried over. But he did not sit there and do nothing.
Ivan remained in the alleyway for hours, listening. He listened to the sounds of the crowd beyond the edges of the building and pictured the street in his mind. He gave himself estimated distances between where he was, where the closest stalls were, and where some other entrances to buildings were all through listening to conversation and timing. If someone walked by the alley, it took them six steps before the buildings distorted their voice. Six steps was about two to three meters of distance depending on the person and their build; shorter people took longer, taller people took shorter. There was a fisherman set up across the street who was about sixteen meters from the edge of the buildings to the left. An armorer was on the same side of the street and the same distance from the alley but was instead to the right. Directly beside the entrance to the alley was the entrance to the store Ivan sat against. Based on the smell, it was an alchemy seller. The scents of strange fumes burned Ivan’s nose a little. The building across from him was a bakery, and the smell of sweets were making his stomach hurt. The man inside was mean though. Ivan had already tried to buy some bread and was thrown out for knocking over a table with some cakes. Of course, he had to pay for them but the baker did not let Ivan take them.
On the other side of the alley was a set of two restaurants side by side with an inn and a small general store across from them. The restaurant on the left was a busy pub, while the one on the right was for breakfast only; it was the afternoon now so Ivan had missed his chance. The innkeeper across the street was out so no one mended the front except for a pair of guard dogs, and the general store did not have any food. It was a place that sold basic combat items, potions, and survival supplies. There was some food that the man sold, but it all required cooking. Something Ivan could never do.
“I should try the pub…” Ivan considered getting up and trying to go into the rowdy bar, even with the risk of being hit or laughed at, but he remained still. It was not the people he feared. No it was the waitress. If he was placed with a woman who did not care to help him, he would be stuck in a corner and forgotten about. Then if he tried to leave, he knew he would find himself in an awkward situation. There would not be enough time for him to memorize his escape route either, which would make things worse. Such places made him feel like a sitting duck.
Ivan ended up sitting in that alley for quite a bit of time before the pain in his stomach compelled him to move. He argued with himself over entering the pub but as the day went on and the clock ticked on his display, time was not going to wait for him. Ivan frowned and squeezed his knees into his chest. He wanted to go home. Ivan knew that only another set of pills waited for him, but that cold room was better than this place. At least there he had Sergei…
Click… Clack… Click… Clack… A faint sound entered the other end of the alley. Ivan froze and his hands tensed up on his pants. Someone was coming. Ivan knew he was probably visible, but was he out of the way? They wouldn’t kick him would they? He started to shake at the thought of him taking up the entire alleyway and slowly, Ivan tried to ease himself back against the building behind him as best he could. The footsteps steadily were becoming louder and louder and Ivan’s shaking became worse. The alley was a long stretch and the person was coming slowly. Their feet were a rhythm though. Evenly spaced, heel to toe, and balance perfect. There were no scuffings of heels or stubbings of toes and there was no change in their breathing. Always steady, always practiced… always on edge. Ivan could feel their presence. It was heavy and scary. It was nothing like Sergei’s and reminded him of Dr. Jenner.
But there was no way Dr. Jenner was here, and those footsteps were not his. Dr. Jenner walked too heavily and his heels dug into the floor too stiffly. These were light and the feet glided from one to the other. This person was not a doctor. This person was someone much worse. Ivan trembled at the thought and hoped that they kept walking passed him. Though as the feet approached, there was a very slight delay; he had been noticed. Ivan swallowed a knot in his neck and pulled his knees and feet in as close as he could to himself. His arms trembled and his muscles ached as he tried to curl up into himself. The footsteps kept coming until… they stopped. They stopped right in front of him and Ivan could feel the person looming over him.
The person didn’t move after that. They just stood there and Ivan could feel their eyes. They were watching him, staring at him. Ivan didn’t dare look back and kept his forehead dug into his knees. His hands started to sweat and Ivan felt his mouth become dry. What did they want? Were they even looking at him? He wanted them to leave, to just keep walking. Ivan wanted to become invisible, he wanted to just disappear and fade into the alleyway again. Why… don’t you… JUST LEA--?!
“Oi.” The voice was ragged, but soft. Alluring. Ivan jumped a little as he knew he was being talked to by whoever this was. Ivan squeezed his pants and his lips pressed together. He wanted to cry.
“Sitting here won’t save you.” The man spoke in a raw, unforgiving tone but it was a tone that hid nothing. The man addressed Ivan with no emotion and had not even touched him, but Ivan felt as if he was being suffocated. The man was right; this would not save Ivan but what choice did he have? His eyes hurt whenever he tried to see and he was not comfortable with the world. Ivan didn’t know how long he had been here in this world, but all he knew was that this place was not the place for him.
Though, after his few words the man was silent. For a time, Ivan simply felt the two looming eyes dig into the back of his head. They were heavy, judgmental eyes. The man was probably wondering why Ivan even existed or why the kid had even tried this “game” if he wasn’t going to play. Ivan had not joined this “game” to play it. He had joined it to get his eyes back. That was all he wanted! So why was it so difficult? Why, now that he could see, was he unable to use them?! WHY?! Ivan argued with himself and created excuses for quite some time, and in that time he lost the presence of the man. Ivan had not heard him leave, but he was not there anymore. It was as if he had just faded away.
“Not going to talk?” The voice made Ivan jump again and suddenly, the overwhelming figure in front of him returned. There was some rustling followed by a heavy thud. Ivan felt the body move from in front of him to his right and the sounds of the street became slightly blocked. He had sat down?
“What is your name, kid?” Name? Why did that matter? Why did he care who Ivan was…? He was a stranger and Ivan could tell he had better things to do. This man had strength and power, a strength to carry the world and a power to hold it without complaining. But, there was a gentleness to the words. The tone was still rough but Ivan knew he wasn’t there to do harm.
“I… I am Ivan.” Ivan’s lips parted almost without his own permission and the man beside him shuffled a little. Ivan clenched his jaw and squeezed his mouth shut. He never wanted to talk again now. Why had he spoken up anyways? The man didn’t even respond to it!
“You don’t like this world, Ivan?” The man spoke in a softer tone now and Ivan could hear him moving. A blade was unsheathed and something materialized. Then, Ivan heard the steady rhythm of something being cut.
“I do not like it… but I do not hate it.” Ivan spoke without noticing again, but this time he didn’t bother stopping himself. This man was not here to hurt him, so he did not play the victim. Instead he spoke what he felt. Ivan did not like this world, no he did not. This world had taken him from Sergei and away from Sister Anna. It had taken him from the place he called home and had left him alone. But, he did not hate it. This world had also given him a gift that no doctor could ever give him; his eyes. He may not have been able to use them properly, but this world had given him something the other world never did.
“Because of your eyes?” The words made Ivan jump again. He sat up and turned his head to face the man he assumed was sitting beside him. Based on the direction of his voice, Ivan also tilted his head back. This man, he was perceptive.
“I have seen you around here a few times, Ivan. I watched you earlier too. I have seen you hug these walls and sit in dark spaces away from others. I have seen you try to open your eyes a few times, only to cover them back up and hide away again.” Something moist and cold bumped into Ivan’s left hand. The man nudged it into Ivan’s fingers and told him that it was food and to eat it. Ivan did so immediately and stuff the object into his mouth; it was a chunk of an apple. The soft texture of the fruit, the moistness of its juices, and its sweet taste caused his stomach to groan. It reminded Ivan that he was starving.
“Is there something you want from me?” Ivan whispered the question without thinking, again, and he noticed that the man stopped. The presence vanished again and Ivan frowned. He regretted his question and turned his head back towards his knees. Though before his forehead touched them and before Ivan could wheel himself back into his own little box, the man placed a hand on his head.
“No, but there is something I want you to do for me.” The hand lingered on Ivan’s head and the child remained still. There was a soft rustling at the other end of the alleyway and the sound of fire approached. The new being breathing deeply and steadily, just like the man but its footsteps were much different. There were four, and they were light taps rather than clicks or clacks. The new being approached just as silently as the man and once it was close, Ivan could feel a heat to his left. There was a noise and then the heat faded, but the tapping continued until something soft brushed against Ivan’s hands. Fur?
“My little friend here is going to take you somewhere and when you get there, you’re going to ask for someone. Okay? Her name is Veronica and you tell her that an old friend sent you. She’ll understand.” After he finished, the man lifted his hand. There was some scuffling and Ivan turned his head towards the noise. His right hand instinctively reached out; he knew the man was leaving but he was the first one who had stopped, the first one who had said anything to Ivan. Ivan wanted him to stay… just a little longer. That was when his hand was touched by something warm and soft; a paw. Ivan frowned and followed the paw back to something warm and fluffy. There was a low growl and Ivan sighed. He began to pet the little creature; a puppy based on the shape of it.
The puppy trotted up to Ivan’s side and placed his paws on the boy’s side, climbing up onto his shoulder. Ivan smiled a little as the pup made himself comfortable and tickled the creature beneath its chin. It was so warm, this puppy. He wondered why the other man had such a little creature. The man was hard and seemed to be quite cold, yet this warm and furry ball of heat was happily trotting behind him. How odd.
“Looks like you’re my guide then, aren’t you?” Ivan said softly. The pup yelped lightly in response and licked his cheek a few times, its moist tongue lapping at him. Ivan smiled and wiped off his cheek as he stood up. The puppy adjusted itself on his shoulder, its little paws kicking a little as it moved on him. Then, Ivan began to follow the building out towards the alley. Though Ivan did have one problem he needed to smooth out; directions.
“Um… how will I know where to go?” Ivan’s voice trembled a little and he turned his head to look at the pup. The creature huffed and tapped his paws lightly on Ivan’s chest.
“Right means right, left means left?” The pup barked and Ivan nodded. He asked a few more questions of the pup, all where answered in the form of paw taps until they had a comfortable way of communication. It seemed to Ivan like the creature was comfortable with the language, and then he remembered the creature was a friend of the other man. The man had probably taught the pup to at least understand some words, key words, but that wasn’t any of Ivan’s business.
“Here we go…” Ivan took in a deep breath and squeezed his hands into fists. The pup on his shoulders breathed steadily and Ivan felt it place its tail against his neck. The warm fur coaxed Ivan forward until finally, he felt the warmth of the sun strike his face.
And so, after trying to be courageous for the ninety-seventh time, Ivan now curled up just inside of an alley he had been able to reach. The alley gave him shelter from the streets full of people and gave him space. Unable to see and move around on his own, Ivan required assistance through the world. Though, he had none. Without a nurse to hold his hand or Sister Anna to guide him with her voice, Ivan was essentially crippled. He could walk a few paces by himself maybe and was able to hold onto the walls, but if he bumped into someone or walked into a stall then he would be stuck. It was the downside to his blindness, but something he no longer cried over. But he did not sit there and do nothing.
Ivan remained in the alleyway for hours, listening. He listened to the sounds of the crowd beyond the edges of the building and pictured the street in his mind. He gave himself estimated distances between where he was, where the closest stalls were, and where some other entrances to buildings were all through listening to conversation and timing. If someone walked by the alley, it took them six steps before the buildings distorted their voice. Six steps was about two to three meters of distance depending on the person and their build; shorter people took longer, taller people took shorter. There was a fisherman set up across the street who was about sixteen meters from the edge of the buildings to the left. An armorer was on the same side of the street and the same distance from the alley but was instead to the right. Directly beside the entrance to the alley was the entrance to the store Ivan sat against. Based on the smell, it was an alchemy seller. The scents of strange fumes burned Ivan’s nose a little. The building across from him was a bakery, and the smell of sweets were making his stomach hurt. The man inside was mean though. Ivan had already tried to buy some bread and was thrown out for knocking over a table with some cakes. Of course, he had to pay for them but the baker did not let Ivan take them.
On the other side of the alley was a set of two restaurants side by side with an inn and a small general store across from them. The restaurant on the left was a busy pub, while the one on the right was for breakfast only; it was the afternoon now so Ivan had missed his chance. The innkeeper across the street was out so no one mended the front except for a pair of guard dogs, and the general store did not have any food. It was a place that sold basic combat items, potions, and survival supplies. There was some food that the man sold, but it all required cooking. Something Ivan could never do.
“I should try the pub…” Ivan considered getting up and trying to go into the rowdy bar, even with the risk of being hit or laughed at, but he remained still. It was not the people he feared. No it was the waitress. If he was placed with a woman who did not care to help him, he would be stuck in a corner and forgotten about. Then if he tried to leave, he knew he would find himself in an awkward situation. There would not be enough time for him to memorize his escape route either, which would make things worse. Such places made him feel like a sitting duck.
Ivan ended up sitting in that alley for quite a bit of time before the pain in his stomach compelled him to move. He argued with himself over entering the pub but as the day went on and the clock ticked on his display, time was not going to wait for him. Ivan frowned and squeezed his knees into his chest. He wanted to go home. Ivan knew that only another set of pills waited for him, but that cold room was better than this place. At least there he had Sergei…
Click… Clack… Click… Clack… A faint sound entered the other end of the alley. Ivan froze and his hands tensed up on his pants. Someone was coming. Ivan knew he was probably visible, but was he out of the way? They wouldn’t kick him would they? He started to shake at the thought of him taking up the entire alleyway and slowly, Ivan tried to ease himself back against the building behind him as best he could. The footsteps steadily were becoming louder and louder and Ivan’s shaking became worse. The alley was a long stretch and the person was coming slowly. Their feet were a rhythm though. Evenly spaced, heel to toe, and balance perfect. There were no scuffings of heels or stubbings of toes and there was no change in their breathing. Always steady, always practiced… always on edge. Ivan could feel their presence. It was heavy and scary. It was nothing like Sergei’s and reminded him of Dr. Jenner.
But there was no way Dr. Jenner was here, and those footsteps were not his. Dr. Jenner walked too heavily and his heels dug into the floor too stiffly. These were light and the feet glided from one to the other. This person was not a doctor. This person was someone much worse. Ivan trembled at the thought and hoped that they kept walking passed him. Though as the feet approached, there was a very slight delay; he had been noticed. Ivan swallowed a knot in his neck and pulled his knees and feet in as close as he could to himself. His arms trembled and his muscles ached as he tried to curl up into himself. The footsteps kept coming until… they stopped. They stopped right in front of him and Ivan could feel the person looming over him.
The person didn’t move after that. They just stood there and Ivan could feel their eyes. They were watching him, staring at him. Ivan didn’t dare look back and kept his forehead dug into his knees. His hands started to sweat and Ivan felt his mouth become dry. What did they want? Were they even looking at him? He wanted them to leave, to just keep walking. Ivan wanted to become invisible, he wanted to just disappear and fade into the alleyway again. Why… don’t you… JUST LEA--?!
“Oi.” The voice was ragged, but soft. Alluring. Ivan jumped a little as he knew he was being talked to by whoever this was. Ivan squeezed his pants and his lips pressed together. He wanted to cry.
“Sitting here won’t save you.” The man spoke in a raw, unforgiving tone but it was a tone that hid nothing. The man addressed Ivan with no emotion and had not even touched him, but Ivan felt as if he was being suffocated. The man was right; this would not save Ivan but what choice did he have? His eyes hurt whenever he tried to see and he was not comfortable with the world. Ivan didn’t know how long he had been here in this world, but all he knew was that this place was not the place for him.
Though, after his few words the man was silent. For a time, Ivan simply felt the two looming eyes dig into the back of his head. They were heavy, judgmental eyes. The man was probably wondering why Ivan even existed or why the kid had even tried this “game” if he wasn’t going to play. Ivan had not joined this “game” to play it. He had joined it to get his eyes back. That was all he wanted! So why was it so difficult? Why, now that he could see, was he unable to use them?! WHY?! Ivan argued with himself and created excuses for quite some time, and in that time he lost the presence of the man. Ivan had not heard him leave, but he was not there anymore. It was as if he had just faded away.
“Not going to talk?” The voice made Ivan jump again and suddenly, the overwhelming figure in front of him returned. There was some rustling followed by a heavy thud. Ivan felt the body move from in front of him to his right and the sounds of the street became slightly blocked. He had sat down?
“What is your name, kid?” Name? Why did that matter? Why did he care who Ivan was…? He was a stranger and Ivan could tell he had better things to do. This man had strength and power, a strength to carry the world and a power to hold it without complaining. But, there was a gentleness to the words. The tone was still rough but Ivan knew he wasn’t there to do harm.
“I… I am Ivan.” Ivan’s lips parted almost without his own permission and the man beside him shuffled a little. Ivan clenched his jaw and squeezed his mouth shut. He never wanted to talk again now. Why had he spoken up anyways? The man didn’t even respond to it!
“You don’t like this world, Ivan?” The man spoke in a softer tone now and Ivan could hear him moving. A blade was unsheathed and something materialized. Then, Ivan heard the steady rhythm of something being cut.
“I do not like it… but I do not hate it.” Ivan spoke without noticing again, but this time he didn’t bother stopping himself. This man was not here to hurt him, so he did not play the victim. Instead he spoke what he felt. Ivan did not like this world, no he did not. This world had taken him from Sergei and away from Sister Anna. It had taken him from the place he called home and had left him alone. But, he did not hate it. This world had also given him a gift that no doctor could ever give him; his eyes. He may not have been able to use them properly, but this world had given him something the other world never did.
“Because of your eyes?” The words made Ivan jump again. He sat up and turned his head to face the man he assumed was sitting beside him. Based on the direction of his voice, Ivan also tilted his head back. This man, he was perceptive.
“I have seen you around here a few times, Ivan. I watched you earlier too. I have seen you hug these walls and sit in dark spaces away from others. I have seen you try to open your eyes a few times, only to cover them back up and hide away again.” Something moist and cold bumped into Ivan’s left hand. The man nudged it into Ivan’s fingers and told him that it was food and to eat it. Ivan did so immediately and stuff the object into his mouth; it was a chunk of an apple. The soft texture of the fruit, the moistness of its juices, and its sweet taste caused his stomach to groan. It reminded Ivan that he was starving.
“Is there something you want from me?” Ivan whispered the question without thinking, again, and he noticed that the man stopped. The presence vanished again and Ivan frowned. He regretted his question and turned his head back towards his knees. Though before his forehead touched them and before Ivan could wheel himself back into his own little box, the man placed a hand on his head.
“No, but there is something I want you to do for me.” The hand lingered on Ivan’s head and the child remained still. There was a soft rustling at the other end of the alleyway and the sound of fire approached. The new being breathing deeply and steadily, just like the man but its footsteps were much different. There were four, and they were light taps rather than clicks or clacks. The new being approached just as silently as the man and once it was close, Ivan could feel a heat to his left. There was a noise and then the heat faded, but the tapping continued until something soft brushed against Ivan’s hands. Fur?
“My little friend here is going to take you somewhere and when you get there, you’re going to ask for someone. Okay? Her name is Veronica and you tell her that an old friend sent you. She’ll understand.” After he finished, the man lifted his hand. There was some scuffling and Ivan turned his head towards the noise. His right hand instinctively reached out; he knew the man was leaving but he was the first one who had stopped, the first one who had said anything to Ivan. Ivan wanted him to stay… just a little longer. That was when his hand was touched by something warm and soft; a paw. Ivan frowned and followed the paw back to something warm and fluffy. There was a low growl and Ivan sighed. He began to pet the little creature; a puppy based on the shape of it.
The puppy trotted up to Ivan’s side and placed his paws on the boy’s side, climbing up onto his shoulder. Ivan smiled a little as the pup made himself comfortable and tickled the creature beneath its chin. It was so warm, this puppy. He wondered why the other man had such a little creature. The man was hard and seemed to be quite cold, yet this warm and furry ball of heat was happily trotting behind him. How odd.
“Looks like you’re my guide then, aren’t you?” Ivan said softly. The pup yelped lightly in response and licked his cheek a few times, its moist tongue lapping at him. Ivan smiled and wiped off his cheek as he stood up. The puppy adjusted itself on his shoulder, its little paws kicking a little as it moved on him. Then, Ivan began to follow the building out towards the alley. Though Ivan did have one problem he needed to smooth out; directions.
“Um… how will I know where to go?” Ivan’s voice trembled a little and he turned his head to look at the pup. The creature huffed and tapped his paws lightly on Ivan’s chest.
“Right means right, left means left?” The pup barked and Ivan nodded. He asked a few more questions of the pup, all where answered in the form of paw taps until they had a comfortable way of communication. It seemed to Ivan like the creature was comfortable with the language, and then he remembered the creature was a friend of the other man. The man had probably taught the pup to at least understand some words, key words, but that wasn’t any of Ivan’s business.
“Here we go…” Ivan took in a deep breath and squeezed his hands into fists. The pup on his shoulders breathed steadily and Ivan felt it place its tail against his neck. The warm fur coaxed Ivan forward until finally, he felt the warmth of the sun strike his face.
Word Count: 2,672