February 10, Monday, 2024
7:30 pm
Montmartre Paris
The city smelled of wet concrete, smoke, and garbage.
The sun was gone, leaving dim street light flickering on the crack concrete. Stray dogs barked and sniffed through pile of trash, children yelled somewhere in distance
**People murmured**
"Horn! Horn!"
Car engines roared and echoed through the streets.
Everything around him was too loud.
He crouched in a road, knees pulled his chest, arms wrapped tight. Long white hair fell over his face.
He didn't know who where he was.
He didn't know who he was.
He didn't know why he felt empty.
No fear.
No hope.
No thought.
Only hunger.
Only Cold.
Only the instinct to staying alive.
A man suddenly appeared nearby—with a rotten aura and heavy presence appeared. He spat to him
" Fucking old man "
The stranger man gsaw an old beggar beside to him and shoved him hard. The beggars coins spilled across the ground... Clinkingloudly.
" Oh I'm fuckin lucky man!" He laughed
"You fuckin rich, dumbass! "
"Please! No," The old beggar cried
" That for my son, he need it.. please"
" What fuck you!? Who cares about your son" he snapped
"I need this shit for my gambling thanks for this old hag! "
As he scooped the coins. Something caught his eyes.
" HUH?" He picked up one, squinting it
"You fuckin have this? Strange coin. This ain't even valuable "
He tossed it aside and beat the old man on the ground before he spitting on him. The beggar sobbed, and his eyes hollow.
The white haired man watch everything.
He just watched.
He ignored and didn't care..
The sliver coin rolled across the road, and stopped near to his face.
"Tick...tick..tick"
It's spun strangely
He glanced toward to old beggar. if he can see the coin. But the old man stood up and shuffle away and move to other side.
He's alone with it.
The coin felt .... alive.
He leaned closer and staring the coin with his empty eyes.
Suddenly, itchanged.
The head is formed into a human head—thief face.
He picked it up and flipped between his two fingers.
Sharp energy surged through him, crawling beneath his skin.
Time froze.
Cars stopped.
People stopped.
Even the air stood still.
He couldn't move–only watch.
A dark aura wrapped around him. Sinking into his body.
He felt hunger.
Not for food.
Not for warmth.
Something darker.
Something raw.
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MIDNIGHT
He now wore a dark robe and hat and silver hair spilled beneath it. Cover bandage most of his face while his eyes remained visible. Cold and hollow.
He watched the man gambling and waited for him in dark Alley.
In a dim alley, gambler laughed loudly, coins clinking in his hand.
The man noticed him and frowned
" The fuck bro? Are you cosplaying? Such a fucking cringe"
Looked to him up and down
" What the fuck bro! You look gay! "
His gaze dropped, greedy.
" HAND OVER YOUR MONEY, IF YOU WANNA STAY ALIVE"
He looked to thief and show no reaction
"Fuckin stubborn "
The knife flashed.
He stabbed him in his chest.
" ....What the fuck?"
Blood stained the robe–but the man didn't fall.
He looked to thief with his no emotion eyes.
No pain.
No scream.
The thief meet his eyes and froze
" WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU?!"
Fear hit him in all once. He turned and ran.
The Rain began to pour.
He ran fast to dark Alley and notice no one around.
He felt uneasy.
His intuition tell him to run faster.
His heartbeat thundered as he sprinted through the alley.
Shadow stretched unnaturally across the wall. Every instinct screamed danger but he had no idea what's coming.
"Somebody help me!!" he shouted, voice cracking.
" Help please..." he cried.
He's cornered and saw and grabbed a broken piece of wood. While the man flipped the coin. He take the opportunity and swung the wood toward to the tall man.
Strike landed to the shoulder then the face.
" YOU FUCKIN SHIT.. YOU FUCKIN SCARED ME... AND WHO'S THE WINNER NOW?! HAHAHAHAHHA"
He laughed, face twisted with satisfaction. He swung like a maniac killer.
He ran again
" What the fuck is that guy? " he gasped
Hope surged.
While running and he heard the coin sound,
" Tick"
" ....That coin?"
He didn't look back
A light appeared.
" What the fuck, fuck you God! "
Hope surged him as he ran toward it
He's happy while looking to the light area and then suddenly while he's running towards it.
A shadow moved faster. Something black and smoky coiled around him and
"SNATCH"
He saw it.
The man appeared before him–his face twisted terror.
He questioned him. With terrifying smile
" Who's the winner now? HAHAHAHHA"
The coin flashed.
He's crying while screamed as darkness sealed his mouth.
Pain exploded.
His vision turned to white.
His head are now inside the coin.
Blood made it shines brighter.
The silence followed.
The Rain continued to fall.
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DRIFTER POV:
[My Eyes are so hurt]
Pain stabbed through my head.
A memory surfaced.
I saw a woman wore in white dress. She Smiling at me.
A child eating and playing a wood bicycle with one wheel, he smiling at me and he look comfortable seeing me.
Tears streamed down to my face but I can't feel nothing.
" ARGHHHH..." I groaned
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MORNING 8:30 AM [ FEBRUARY 11]
Montmartre Paris street
An old man stared to a newspaper, while his hand is trembling.
" It's same cloth.." He whispered
He looked at me. Anger, sorrow, and exhaustion filling his eyes.
" Have you eaten?" he asked
" I saw you yesterday... I intentionally ignore so you won't get involved"
He said it while worrying looking at me
I stayed silent
" You might not can't speak" he said gently and handing me a food
" Here... My son passed away, this was his favorite, I will felt guilty if I just throw it."
I suddenly remember the child I saw a while ago in my memory.
" Your son..." I whispered
The man froze
" umm..? You can talk?"
" What's your son name?" I asked
" ohhh... I thought I'm just imagining "
He smiled sadly "Maquis. A bright child"
He turned away.
" Survive, young man, take care of yourself. In this world,no one will help you. Except yourself "
That's the last.... I saw the old man...
I took his son name
To carry his memory...
Now.
My name is Maquis....
[ The camera panning with bird eye view]
-------------------------------------------------------------------CHAPTER 2: THE LOST MEMORY