The Artist's Shadow

Chapter 2

       ""Never let distractions and hurdles       stop you from your dreams..Either work around them or use them to gain momentum. ""

There was something about being on a train watching the world fly by that just seemed peaceful. The train flew by a large billboard that displayed a replica of the town while on top of it  the name was shown in huge block letters. Jaftha frowned and shrugged again as he read the number to the population. He could have sworn that when he had left,the number had been higher. Outside the window the town was buzzing,you could see the people rushing in and out of shops to avoid rush hour.

5 minutes later the train finally stopped and the doors opened as people started rushing out. Jaftha took his time gathering his things because he wanted to avoid the crowd that were trying to get out. He rolled his eyes as the conductor started asking for order and for the people to move in a straight line.

When the last people finally started filing out,Jaftha picked up his things and moved out with two others who had also deemed it safer to wait first. He made sure his earbuds were at their loudest before moving through the throng of people. Ignoring the looks he got,he moved out of the station looking for a cab, when he spotted one making it's way down the street he stuck out his hand and waited until he was sure the driver spotted him. The cab stopped infront of him and he got in while relying his address to the driver who started driving.

He leaned back into the seat looking out the window. Darten City wasn't a city, no one knew why it was called a city when it was nothing more than an average town. Everyone knew everyone there,the town had four schools, 1 primary, 2 high schools and 1 for both. It had a rich area and a poor area, the town was filled with history and a beautiful empty arena that was often used for competitions and parties. The town was known for it's coal, and bakery goods, the shops in the town produced. A bump on the road,drove him out of his head and he focused on a poorly done mural that was sprayed on the side of an alley,the mural read, Extinction of the Vipers.

The Vipers were a drug dealing gang,filled with eldery people, middle age and youngsters. It had been operating in the town for decades, and was the public' no 1 enemy. It wasn't the only gang in the town but it was the one that caused the most ruckus. The driver stopped outside his house and gave it one look before looking back at him.
"This it?" He asked voice filled with disdain , Jaftha used to this just nodded while taking out the cab fee and giving it to him. The driver grunted as he placed it in the holder,Jaftha rolled his eyes for the third time that day and got out. Just as he was about to shut the door,he heard the driver whisper under his breath murderers.
Jaftha watched the cab speed down the road and shook his head as he walked to the house. He pulled his key out of his pocket and opened the door,before going in.
"Dad?! Dad!Are you here?" He yelled as he stood under the stairs. When he didn't get a response he walked around his two story house and opened windows. The house wasn't big,but rather an average house with 3 bedrooms,2 bathrooms and an open plan kitchen. It was a house that get passed down through generation whenever the owner died. The house was technically his but Jaftha had plans of moving far away from Darten City when he graduated. He filled a glass with water and drank it while rummaging through the fridge, there were fresh stuff in the kitchen which probably meant his dad had been home while he had been away.

Inside his room,Jaftha opened the window and threw the contents of his bags onto his bed before putting some into the laundry bin and some into the closet. He opened his drawing book after he was done and looked at the things he had drawn during his weeks into New York. His phone pinged and he opened it,ignoring the rest of the messages and calls he had gotten since Thursday. He hadn't even bothered reading it because if all those people had texted and called him that much,it just meant that his father had either done something again or had gotten arrested for dealing. Knowing that his dad never stayed inside a cell for more than a day,he was not in the mood to get worked up again with worries. He would open the text after he spoke to his dad. He laughed as he read the message Bones had send and texted him back that he was already home and not to worry,no train went off its railing.