Write to Rank 2023

The Other Seat

"Is this seat taken?"
It took a moment for my brain to function, and for me to then look at the elderly man stood at the opposite end of the bench. Taking in the man's tattered clothes, I realised that the guy was most likely homeless.
The seat he was referencing was probably the other seat on the bench. He of all people deserved to have a comfortable place to sit.
"Yeah dude, go ahead."
"Ah, thank you, thank you."
The homeless man sat down beside me. He sighed and took a look around the park. There weren't many other people. A couple throwing a ball for their dog. A small family having a picnic. That was it.
"You're a nice young lady. Not a lot of people would have let me sit here," the homeless man smiled.
"No problem," I grinned back.
There was a moment where there was just the almost silence again. A bird squawked above, a crow, maybe. I had a sip of my coffee, and went on my phone.
"You know, you look like my daughter did," the man noticed, "When she died, it broke me. That's how I ended up like... like this."
I put down my phone and looked at him, "That's terrible. I'm so sorry."
"It's fine..."
We locked eyes for a moment. The dog with the couple barked. The family at the picnic laughed about a joke.
I reached into my pockets, "Hang on, I'll see if I have any money to give you."
"No, no, giving me this seat was charitable enough," the man smiled again.
"No, I insist!"
"And I insist otherwise," the old man shrugged, "But you're very selfless."
I smiled weakly. I wanted to help him, but he wouldn't accept it... what could I do?
My thought train was interrupted when he added, "But you do look exactly like her. Same blonde hair. Same green eyes."
"That's a funny coincidence," I commented, but inside I just felt bad for reminding him of his dead daughter.
"You even have the same grin! A funny coincidence indeed," the homeless old man chuckled.
He let out a hearty laugh. The family laughed again as well. I squeezed my coffee slightly tighter.
"Methinks it was because my wife died," the man sighed. It was the same sigh he'd used when taking in the wilderness. It was oddly eerie...
I swallowed my mouthful of coffee quickly, "You know, I have an essay I need to write and I really need to get home. It was nice to meet you."
I picked up my handbag, and stared at the ground as I put my phone in my pocket and took another sip of coffee. I was aware that the area had become quiet.
"But, when my daughter found out I'd killed my wife, of course I had to kill her too."
I spat the coffee out all over the place.
"I'm sorry, what?"
But when I turned around, the old man was gone.