Forgotten Soul

Chapter One: End of an Era

The morning wind cried out through the deserted apartment. Another lonely night had passed without warning. Sometimes the darkness was depressing with no one to understand the struggles I had been going through; other days it was comforting to be alone away from the outside world. I strongly disliked the outside world for what had happened. I wished to live in a perfect world even though I, Soren Cross, wasn't perfect. Hell, I was the farthest thing from perfect. This dingy building has been my home for 14 years now. I've been here since I was 10, my father being sent to hell with a few bullets in his skull, and my mother having died before I was born. I had a surrogate mother before her downfall with cancer. Sadly, I was an only child. On the other hand, I was grateful to be rid of any responsibility for a sibling from being abandoned at such a young age. It wasn't the life that I wanted but I got by. It rained a lot in the small town that I called home, so showering wasn't a problem. This building that I inhabited had a large hole in the roof in the bathroom. When the rain came down, I would shower. Simple. Money wasn't an option. What money I did have was from turning in old car parts and metal to the scrap yard. It was just enough to buy necessities. I mostly got my clothes from donation bags. No, I didn't go searching for things in large dumpsters or out of trashcans. People set bags out on the street for the clothing donation companies and I merely searched for shirts and pants.

It wasn't a bad place. I guess people knew that I lived there for no one questioned why I was in the house. It was falling apart slowly but until this place fell to the ground I would be here. My blue eyes were always dull, as was my blonde hair that touched my shoulders. I was sickly pale. When I looked in the mirror, I was thoroughly disgusted at the identical image of myself staring back at me with a depressed expression. I wanted to disappear.

After showering in the rain that was in the tub from last night, I got dressed. The plain black tank-top fit comfortable on my larger-than-most figure. I didn't understand why I wasn't bones from the empty diet that I lived with every day. I didn't eat much, but I was in a size 10 pants and a large shirt. I was embarrassed about my figure. I tugged the dark green jacket over my shoulders after pulling on the one pair of black jeans that I owned. I put on the black socks I found and washed a few days ago, followed by the decent looking boots I had found as well. I planned on looking for a job today. I didn't want to live like this anymore.

***

I walked into the small antique shop. It was fairly quiet and had a cozy atmosphere that made me feel warm inside. I had their help wanted flyer in my nervously-shaking hands. I stopped at the checkout counter and waited for someone to appear.

"Just a minute hon!" There was a kind older voice that called out from somewhere in the back of the quaint shop. I stood patiently, smiling to myself a little. The elderly woman wore a smile on her small face as she approached the counter. She was rather short which made me smile down at her softly. "Hi sugar, what can I help you with?" I spoke cautiously with a quiet voice I hadn't used in quite a while.

"Hi... I wanted to respond to your flyer..." I showed her the small and crinkled paper in my hands.

"Well isn't that just fantastic! We were beginning to think no one would be interested!" She smiled sweetly up at me. She had to be about four-eleven. I was on the tall side standing at five-eleven-and-a-half. "How soon can you start working?" I was automatically shell-shocked.

"R-right now! If needed... that is." I spoke calmly despite my inner excitement.

"Well how about that? Alex, come up here and meet our new employee!" She called out towards the back.

"New employee? Alright, alright, I'm comin'." A few moments later a thin woman walked in. Her dark brown hair flowed over her shoulders and down her back in loose curls. She looked up at me with a bright smile, her bright green eyes seeming to glow alongside her smile. She was stunning..