Cold

Chapter 1: See You

CHAPTER 1: See You

Summer, July - Year 1995

It was raining so hard in Elven city, early in the morning. Everybody was busy preparing breakfast and themselves. Some were already going to their different jobs and the children were riding to school. Automobiles and taxi cabs were splashing water from the puddles everywhere on the streets. Nothing but the everyday lives of the city people on the late 20th century. There was this one bachelor, named Kieran Granberg, whose fate had changed after he met a gentleman near the apartment street.

“Ugh, I really hate this place,” I said, watching the busy streets from my little window in my apartment. “Same old, same old… people aren’t fun unlike back to my hometown.” I was grinding my teeth with a serious face. Then I put my right hand and wiped my face down to wake myself up.

“I need something fresh, something real.” I blew an air out then walked to the closet, chose a shamrock green polo shirt for the day and a typical blue jeans. After that, I scanned my mini kitchen and realized I had no coffee left.  I snapped the table and began to have a bad mood.

“Damnit,” I groaned.

While thinking what to do next, I saw my resume on the desk. I remembered that I was looking for a job. It’s been 3 days now that I stayed here waiting and spending for nothing.  I always checked the Bulletin placed in the hall of the City Post Office for vacancies. This was another day that I should check it out again. As soon as I was ready to go, I took a gaze on my resume, listening to the rhythmic sound of the bustling city under the rain.

My name's Kieran Granberg, 26 years old. I had brownish Ivy League hair and I looked younger than my age. It meant I am a pretty handsome bachelor. I stopped education after high school, my parents didn’t care at all, but I’m no lazy, I was just being myself. I could sing, I could sketch and paint well. I was fit enough to accept any job they could offer me. I had worked for the past few years of my life in a factory. I’ve been a Merchandiser there, Security Assistant, and I remembered I did some plumbing. I was bored of my job and my boss was more stupid than me. I wasn't arrogant or cocky, I just hated him. I made good friends though I lost their contacts on the way. I’m as good as the way I was. Nobody recognized it until they knew me.

“Bbrbrrbrmm! Toot-toot-toot,” A sound of a clumsy vehicle just came across outside the apartment. I caught the attention, so I hurriedly went down to check them out. I saw this gentleman holding a dark green umbrella. Hmm, I haven’t seen him before, I thought he was asking for some directions with the people passing by. Nobody seemed to help him, so it was my queue to approach him.

“Having a rainy day sir, huh?” I said gently while I clicked my own umbrella to open it up.

He had a briefcase in his left hand while holding a small paper, flipping it side by side, maybe he was thinking if he should ask me or not. He could barely look at my handsome face while I waited for him to respond. I looked at his car that was parked in front of the apartment street.

I was fascinated, seeing that the car was driven by this classy-clothed gentleman. His car was wooden, varnished but seemed a very old pick-up. There were wooden boxes completely sealed in its cargo bed. I wondered what’s in it until he finally looked at me and said—

“I’m looking for the city post office and someone said it was in this long street. I’m sorry if I parked my car here, I really don’t want to drive around splashing water. Jeez, this city has very deep puddles everywhere. Not like before…” he fussed and put his paper in the chest pocket of his dark-brown coat.

I chuckled, “What do you know? I was also on my way to the post office.” I tried to grab his briefcase to help him carry it, because he seemed uncomfortable holding it now.