The Raven's Silhouette

Chapter 1 - Looking At The Past

As I was about to let go of the trash bag, something moved inside it, there was a huge rat that opened up a hole and got out from there. I quickly threw the trash in the garbage bin and ran to the house like a crazy man. Many people saw me scream, I was embarrassed. Then when I stopped running and walked normally, I tripped and the same people saw me again, I felt humiliated. I quickly got up and I was embarrassed more because there were napkins stuck on my butt, I quickly ran to the house while my tears were nearly dripping in my face. I am waiting for something terrific in life, what could possibly go wrong, right? I am Shandrick Dukeceed, a nineteen year old boy.

After I threw the trash out, Merick called me—'Where are you Shan?', I asked—'Why, do you need anything?', Merick's my best friend since we were young, he's always there for me and I'm always there for him too, we were like brothers, they said, it's cute. He was older than me for like a year, "Shan" was his nickname for me, I kind of hated it when he called me that for the first time but I get used to it now. 'Shan, where are you?!'—'Are you talking to yourself again?'— 'Stop that, I need help in the kitchen.', he said, he's caring and I always think that why doesn't he have a girlfriend, he's so loving and very kind, I just thought of that. We are studying Engineering here in the States. We were studying here because— 'Hey! Are you coming or not?' Merick asked, I got up from the floor in the balcony.

'What's for lunch?' I asked—'We'll have Mac and Cheese ' He replied. 'Wait, did you feed Mimi, my baby boo boo?'— I asked Merick, then I went to the bedroom in fear, it's noon, the hell, I hate myself, I went to my boo boo, hamster, yes I'm scared of rats, I don't know if the two are related, rats are disgusting, hamsters are cute, anyways, like my baby Mimi.

'Lunch is ready!' — Oh hell nah, I didn't even help Merick make the table, I fed Mimi and left the bedroom, Merick and I ate quietly. I talked to myself at the dinner table,
by the way, we have a house there in the States, nope, we didn't buy that, my mom and dad have the house, but they bought another house in Asia, in the Philippines, they live, sadly, she lives.

My dad died from a heart attack, he's a business man, he's business was growing and his partner was Merick's dad, Mr. Greec, their relationship as partners in the business was so tough that no one can ever tear apart, that's the reason also why me and Merick were so close, my mother was a housewife, mom was living in the Philippines even now, my father and Mr. Greec had an agreement that they will always give us money for food and personal use.

My father told me a story on how he and Mr. Greec met, he said that one time, he was so stressed at work and he left early, I was in my mother's tummy that time, he went to the lake to watch the sun sets and the pigeons that flew in the lake, then suddenly someone pat his shoulders, guess what, it was Mr. Greec, but he was not a successful business man yet, he was a man in the streets, Mr. Greec showed his family, Merick and his mother playing in the green grass, at that time, Mr. Greec was giving dad a handkerchief, my father was crying that time, and he told me that he's heart softened and my father asked Mr. Greec if my father can give him a wonderful life, and then that was the time that their relationship began.

We finished eating and Merick asked me if I wanted to go to the mall, I said yes and I washed the dishes before we left.