Vein

Chapter 1

This is the best birthday I think I've ever had in recent years. I started the day off like any other, my alarm did not wake me up causing me to be late for the job I just landed two weeks at Fennly's bar. I rushed to work hoping my boss would continue to be understanding but deep down I knew he wouldn't, because you can only be kind for so long before you're taken advantage of. Which he had to feel I was doing because this was the third time this week I have been late. I got there two hours late, my suspicions of being fired were ended and confirmed, great start!

I walk out of the bar feeling ashamed and self loathing that I would be so stupid and this for the fourth time this week. I had been working here for two weeks until my unlucky streak caught back up to me. Looking back at my recent track record it only makes since that I would have lost this job too. About six months ago my family cut ties with me on the pretense that I can't keep a job, have no motivation, and I am a "bad" influence on my younger brother and sister. They forced me out of the house and told me to never come back so I ended up having a string of jobs and weird living arrangements. About a month of that later I met the perfect girl, her name was Jane. I moved in with her and we enjoyed each other for the only bright side I've had in those six months but about a month ago we broke up. She called me childish, incompetent, and selfish so I had to leave, where I ended up getting a job at Fennly's. That about sums up my recent activities which now that I look back are really depressing.

"Guess I'll go for a walk" I think to myself, I walk down the street from the bar in no particular direction. Just brooding to myself about what a failure I've become. As I keep going I realize that this is my first birthday alone and even better no one could care less, making me feel even worse.

I ended up walking for about two hours until I ended up at a unfamiliar park across town. "Think I'll take a seat over there" as I'm making my way to the bench I spot an old man shambling toward the bench about twenty feet from it obviously struggling. "Hey, need any help!?" I call out as I make my way to him, as I get closer I make out more of him. He's defiantly in his fifties maybe early sixties, with long snow white hair covering most of his face in a mess, he's in a very dirty and stained brown hoodie with Jeans in the same condition.
"Could you get me to that bench" he said in a gravelly, exhausted voice
"No problem" I say as I get his arm over my shoulder, I hoist him up a bit by getting a grip on his belt then we make our way to the bench. He was fairly easy to carry with me being six feet and 180 pounds, as we got about halfway there I spoke up
"I'm cole, what's your name?"
He didn't respond he was using all his strength to make it to this bench like it was the fountain of youth. When we made it I spotted a vending machine a ways across the park, I only had five dollars but decided I wouldn't need it anytime soon.
"I'll be right back" I said getting to my feet
He nodded in response
I bought a bag of chips, some pretzels, and two waters then made my way back to him. He was leaning back with his head to the sky looking much better now that he was seated, I noticed he had a rough beard and weathered face. I took a seat next to him letting my feet rest.
"Hey I got you some food and drink" I had spent all my money on the vending machine and would be devastated if he took nothing. He leaned forward and slumped his head down as if to snap out of sleeps grasp he turned to me and I handed him the water and presented the snacks wanting him to choose.
"Which would you prefer I take?" He asked sounding much better than when we first met
"I really love pretzels but you can have whichever you like"
"I will take the chips then, to leave you with the pretzels. Thank you for helping me"
"It was no big deal"
We sat in silently after that while we ate and drank, after about thirty minutes of sitting peacefully with him he broke the silence.
"My names Alexander" he said suddenly catching me off guard
"Nice to meet you" I said after regaining my composure, I was sure he didn't hear me earlier when I asked. He was shaper than he looked
"Sorry for not answering sooner but I was too winded"
"What got you so winded?" I asked mildly curious as I washed down my last pretzel with the rest of my water
"It's been a long journey for me, been walking three days"
"Three days!" Now he had my full attention
"Why did you walk for so long?"
"Started running at first then jogged and then you caught me walking, but I was hurrying because I have to be meet up with my friend"
"But why go on foot so far?"
He looked pained and didn't answer why, in the silence that followed my thoughts of being a failure to the world returned and I wanted to leave Alexander so he wouldn't be in my aura of self pity.
"Well I have to be somewhere as well" I lied "so I guess I'll see you around" I said as I got to my feet. But about halfway with getting up he grabbed my arm with surprising strength and speed despite his age and distance.
"What's up?" I asked confused
He looked at me intently with his unnatural eyes, I hadn't noticed before but they were a very pale yellow earlier but now the flared with a bright gold.
"You are headed down a tragic path, and I can't offer much in terms of compensation for your help today except some words of advice I heard a long time ago"
"Um ok" I said uncertain of his urgency
"It is always darkest before it dawns" was all he said then he released me and smiled as I left.

I left the park thinking of how his words matched what has happen to me all the way up until the dawn, nothing good has happened to me and with my current mindset nothing would. If anything his words made me feel worse because I felt like I was so unlucky that I couldn't even have this dawn. I unconsciously was drawn to an old hotel that has long been foreclosed and vandalized, I decided to head to the top and get a look at the city. The higher I went up the tower the lower my spirits went down, by the time I reached the top thoughts of suicide ran rampant through my head and I was angry. I reached the door to the roof while replaying the memory of my parents throwing me out and disowning me so I pushed the door very hard it slammed into the wall which was too much for its old rusted hinges to take so it fell of shortly after. I was tired and angry at myself by the time I got out the door, so I hurried to the railing then leaned over feeling very pissed at myself. After what felt like an eternity I conformed to jumping off so I got I'm the other side of the rail tethered only by my hands I leaned over the building staring twenty stories down. I gradually loosened my grip until I held nothing, arms spread I was in full acceptance for only a second then I realized my mistake far too late. I was toppling forward but my feet hadn't left the edge yet. I was almost off the edge when a hand grabbed the collar of my shirt.