A WINTER OF CHANGE[Complete]

15

The town was busy, people walked up and down ignoring the man who was sitting on the bench. He watched the world pass him by. Benjamin had tried to find a place to stay for the night but everywhere was full. That’s why he was sitting on the bench, the snow falling on him while he rubbed his hands together. Honestly, he didn’t see this coming. It was unexpected but it was his reality. One night and morning of bliss led to this consuming pain. A pain that was slouching inside of his veins like it was alive.

He shook his head and focused on the shop in front of him. When that failed to soothe his wounds, he let the pain do what it wanted. It was all going to fade with time. He didn’t know if it was a lie or not but he believed it was going to happen.

“Mr. Weathers?” Mrs. Thomas called, Benjamin’s head whirled in her direction. The woman was smiling warmly at him. If she wanted something from him again then this was the wrong time.

“Are you okay? You look like you’re in pain,” the woman observed her smile fading.

“I’m okay,” he lied. Mrs. Thomas sat down next to him.

“You know you can talk to me,” she said. Benjamin thought she was being fake like everyone else.

“There’s nothing to talk about,” he wanted her gone and when he opened his mouth to tell her to go, she beat him to it.

“Are you going somewhere?” She questioned him once she saw the bag sitting near his foot. He thought about her question for a while. The whole town was going to know what happened and he wasn’t in the mood of telling anyone what happened himself. That was the job of the queen of gossip, she was going to tell everyone who wanted to listen.

“I need a place to stay,” he said. It surprised him that he was able to say it and deep down he knew he was testing her. Will she extend the same hand of kindness towards him as he has done? Benjamin waited for her to reply for a while. He shifted his body to look at her, he wouldn’t be all that surprised if he saw that she was gone.

“I thought you had a cabin,” she mused.

“Not anymore,” he said.

“Did something happen, Benjamin?”

“Are you going to help or not?”

“Of course, I will. Come,” Mrs. Thomas climbed to her feet. Benjamin inclined his head to look at her. Clearly he had heard her wrong. She really was going to help him? It really surprised him that she was.

He followed her to her house. When she opened the door sounds could be heard from what he thought was the living room. Mrs. Thomas carried Benjamin’s bag somewhere in the house while she showed him how to get to the living room. Mr. Thomas was sitting on the couch laughing his heart out. He didn’t even notice the man standing in the room.

Not wanting to interrupt him, Mr. Weathers sat down and observed the man for a while.

“Oh!” Mr. Thomas said, getting up from the chair, fear gleaming in his eyes. Benjamin thought this could be a nice little scene for his novel.

“What are you doing here?” He asked once he got a good look at him. His face relaxed once he made sure there was no threat at all. He sat down, his eyes never leaving Benjamin’s.

“I came to seek shelter,” Benjamin said. He did give everything not to talk to the man but well he was sitting in his living room and planning to spend the rest of the night there too.

“Who let you in?”

“Your wife,” the man narrowed his eyes and turned away. He did not laugh again for the rest of the night. Benjamin only hoped Mrs. Thomas wasn’t in trouble, her husband looked like that man who liked control, in everything. But a certain part of him didn’t care what happened to Mrs. Thomas and he knew that if he continued feeding that part it was going to grow and turn him into a monster.

“This was my son’s room, he’s not with us anymore,” the woman explained. Benjamin looked around. It was nice and warm and also big. And he didn’t ask Mrs. Thomas to clarify what she meant about her son. Was he dead or did he left in pursuit of his dreams? He thanked her and she left.

It didn’t take him long to fall asleep. He just hoped Melanie was alright. Knowing that father of hers he was unleashing hell upon her. Once the morning rolled around, he woke up, took a shower and watched in amazement as Mrs. Thomas gushed over him.

Her husband was more than horrified, he was quiet during breakfast. Mr. Weathers was more than happy when time came to leave the house. He said goodbye to both of them even though one chose not to reply. There was only one bus he was aware of that was going to take him to the city near their small town. As the bus left he looked back at the place he called home and his heart yearned for the woman he was leaving behind.