Just My Luck (boyxboy)

Ch1. Sam

Sam's POV

I woke up coughing water out of my lungs as I rolled to my side. My vision blurred and my throat burned like it was on fire.

"You're alive!" A woman's voice said in surprise.

I looked over, still gasping for air as the water dripped from my hair. What happened? Where am I? Who is she?

The woman had graying silver hair and wrinkles around her baggy eyes with ragged clothes on and a shopping cart behind her, filled with cans and plastic bottles.

"What were you doing in that river, young man?" She asked with concern and confusion in her voice.

"I- I don't-," I tried so hard to remember as I closed my eyes and faced the ground, coughing again. Nothing came to me. "I don't remember," I told her.

"What's your name?"

"My name?" I opened my eyes wide. What's my name? I tried so hard to remember when finally it came to me. "Sam," I told her as a smile came over my lips. "It's Sam."

Yeah, Sam sounded right. I knew that was my name. I felt so proud of myself for at least remembering that much.

"Well Sam, you can just call me Old Grace. Are you from the city? Do you remember where you're from?"

I searched hard for a long time trying to remember but nothing came. I shook my head. "I- I can't remember," I said in failure. My eyes filled with tears as I tried to remember anything. A mom or dad? Did I have siblings? Did I live in the city or farther up the river? "I can't- I can't remember anything," I said as the tears started to fall from my eyes. How could I remember my name and how to talk without remembering anything else? It's like my life before waking up was a black hole and that's all I could see. Nothing.

"It's okay, child. Come with me for the night. Let's get you in for dry clothes and food in your belly. Oh, can't promise the food will be good but it will be warm my dear," she said softly and helped me up to my feet and rubbed my back as I started to freak out on the inside.

My legs were a little wobbly still but she helped me as best as she could. I took a look back at the river, hoping maybe something would come to me.

The rain was a steady and calm downpour but the river looked as if it was fighting to reach over the floor wall. It moved so fast and wild in rage. I could see an older man looking down the river but when he turned around he had a look of horror on his face. I looked down wondering how I even survived a minute in there without getting ripped apart or having a single broken bone in my body.

———

5 years later

I walked into Oakland park in the downtown area and sat down on the bench to scope out the area. It wasn't crowded yet but I knew it would be filled with people soon enough. I got word there was supposed to be some big-time singer here starting at nightfall.

My memory never did come back from that night 5 years ago but Old Grace was kind enough to take me in. She taught me how to defend myself, get food plus how and when to save it for the winter months, how to sleep light, and most importantly how to steal and pick a pocket to survive.

Sadly she passed away 3 winters ago. We had a bad snowstorm that lasted days and it was the coldest I've ever seen out here on the streets. Unfortunately, she fell ill and couldn't make it to see spring.

But that's what I'm doing here, using what she showed me. Big crowds and something distracting everybody's eyes. It was a perfect opportunity to make the extra money I'd need for food and a new blanket. The one I had at my tent was torn up pretty bad and smelled even worse. Getting kinda hard to sleep with.