To see and ignore or choose not to see. Which of these actions is the worst? Which of these categories best defines you? Rest assured, you are not a monster, not yet; for there is still another level, those people who watch, even admire; And never intervene. They are clearly the worst kind.
Aki found himself once again facing his biggest obstacle, determined, this time he was going to fight. The tramp was getting closer and closer to him, a mischievous smile on his face, he reached out towards the bag when Aki also raised his to block him.
"You still haven't learned your lesson, it seems." The man stood up, scratching his nostrils before slapping Aki, unconsciously throwing him onto the bag, his head sticking out of the entrance to the alley when passersby began to flock again. No one cared, some even stepped over him like stepping over a pile of garbage.
Aki tried to get up. When he felt a crack in his ribs, a sharp pain running through his abdomen to his sternum. The man had just kicked him in the stomach. Aki was in so much pain that he wanted to be unconscious, to faint, so that the pain would go away...
'Surely not' he thought 'if I ever lose consciousness what could happen to my meal. I must defend it to the end'
The man hit him again, and again, and again before stopping.
'Damn if I hit him too much he might die. Notice he's not likely to make it through the night with all his injuries. I'll just take what's in his bag and get out of here'
Aki had become unrecognizable, his irises had disappeared from his eyeballs. Eyes open, He had finally lost consciousness; but wouldn't it be more appropriate to say that he was... dying?
The tramp squatted down, finally reaching out towards this much-desired prize...
When suddenly he screamed in pain, his left hand had just been literally crushed, by a hand no less, Aki's.
It happens that people who have suffered a powerful amnesic shock can remember fragments of their memories if they are exposed to strong emotions or a deplorable psychic state. This was the case during his nightmares but this was different, his mind, unable to bear his condition preferred to isolate itself, leaving full control of his body to his spinal cord, to the autonomic nervous system, skilled and trained from an early age like that of an experienced fighter, he had no trouble moving Aki's body freely.
'I'm in pain damn rhhh... I'm dreaming or he just crushed my arm. Where does he get such strength? Unless... Impossible...'
Totally scared the man wanted to reason with him, but his words sounded like in the vacuum of space, they couldn't reach him. He felt Aki's grip loosen on his hand, thinking that his plan had worked. Alas no. It was only to better take him by the neck, with his weak legs Aki managed to lift the tramp, pinning him against the wall
'You're one of them, aren't you? One of those Rho users? Let me go and I won't tell anyone what you did. 'I'm really in trouble, if he decides I can die in the blink of an eye, I have to do my best to let go'
For this man who saw his life flashing before his eyes, all pretexts were good to get released.
'If the army ever learns that you used the Rho on a defenseless civilian you're going to end up as a patty for ravagers.' When Aki revealed his empty gaze, he realized he was doomed, 'he's completely unconscious I'm screwed' tears began to cascade down his face, it was his end when in a last hope of being heard he screamed...
"Mercy..." Before passing out
Miraculously regaining consciousness, Aki stopped his grip at the last second, he saw his peculiar irises reflected in the empty eyes of the wretch, letting him slide to the ground, he backed up two steps to also lean his back against the wall, touching the precious bag with his hand, he had won collapsing once again, before falling deeply asleep
When he woke up it was already three o'clock in the afternoon, the man he had fought was no more, he had fled without asking for his remains leaving his big brown woolen coat as a pledge of good faith fearing perhaps to be pursued.
Seeing that the bag hadn't moved a hair Aki started to smile stupidly, wondering what he was going to fall on this time, still this sweet drink? Or something even better, he had faith in his lucky star again, believing again in the good of life; he opened it, tearing the packaging with his little fingers before discovering... that there was nothing. Nothing but a mountain of paperwork; he couldn't believe it, fleeing even deeper into the bag but still nothing. The sensation Aki was feeling at that moment was unparalleled, he had a lump in his throat, banging his head violently against the wall before biting his lips, tears pouring down his face in big drops.
"Nff. 'So that's why I risked my life? I think I've ruined my legs, and all for what? Huh? Why the hell?'"
He put his arm in front of his eyes to cry even more, wondering over and over again why this was happening to him, what had he done wrong?
When he had no more tears he finally saw the coat the man had left. Dragging his bruised body towards it before covering himself with it, a meager consolation you might say, but it was enough, enough for him to remember the words of that woman in his dreams, 'the lighthouse only taking on its meaning in the darkness' he still didn't want to believe it he was nothing like a lighthouse, he was rather the darkness, a living Amat of bad luck.
What kind of light could be interested in him?
He suddenly heard a voice approaching, shouting to be careful not to stray, it sounded familiar to him but it was different from all the ones he knew. Leaning over to see what it was, still teary-eyed Aki found himself face to face with a tuft, brown and curly, she plunged her eyes into his brown and full of life completely his opposite, it was a little girl; he was dumbfounded to see that finally someone had noticed him, certainly a quarter of someone but someone nonetheless. The little girl then took the opportunity to stuff her rainbow lollipop into his mouth before giving a big smile with all her incisors missing.
"I told you not to run Charlotte"
"Mam! Why the mister is crying."
"Hola hola, are you feeling okay, young man? What a pitiful state you're in!"
He could finally put a face to this beautiful voice, with long blond and curly hair. She approached, gently placing her hand on Aki's cheek, before telling him again
"Are you okay?"
His tears suddenly started to fall, he didn't know if it was the effect of this lollipop, the smile of this child, or simply this hand that was warmly extended to him, the only ones to have seen him, no the only ones to have decided to see him and have acted.
It was many months later that he finally found the answer to his question, it was neither the first, the second or the third option, there was a fourth one, the one he hadn't heard at that precise moment, this simple sentence that changed him until the end.
"Are you okay?"