Short Stories

Kind

The man is sitting alone, on a park swing. Since he does not have a name, we shall just call him "the man." The residents of this small town have seen him for years, and they all believe that he is impossible. The young and the old both have memories of him, and they all say he hasn't aged a day. He hasn't spoken to anyone, mostly because nobody has spoken to him. Everyone in the town will walk past him without a word because they are too scared to speak, and he cannot. So he sits alone on the swing in the cold October weather, watching clouds gather around the sun. Sometimes if you watch closely you can see him mouthing words to himself, but nobody has ever heard what he says.

Although he does not speak, he moves quite frequently. You can see him walk around the park, down every street, past every shop. Even though he looks young and is tall, with a face that is kind yet sad, the people avoid him like the plague. Perhaps it's because his eyes seem older than he does. He doesn't complain about this, but if you watch closely you can see his expression sadden at the sight of a child or elder crossing the street to avoid him. This is how it's always been, as far back as anyone can remember.

Now, let us go back to the man, sitting on the lonely island of the park swing. You can hear the hinges creaking, and the quiet breath of someone long forgotten. And yet, something is about to change. A small girl, four or five perhaps, is walking towards him with a look that can only be described as pure determination. But the man assumes that she is focused on something behind him, so he does not look up. Only when she is standing right in front of him with her little arms crossed does he turn his face towards her.

And now, the miracle occurs. This wonderful little girl speaks to the man, the first one in all the ages he's been there. "Why do you sit alone all the time?" She said in a slightly demanding tone. The man stared at her and opened his mouth a little, but then she spoke again. "If you're lonely, then I'll sit with you." And then she sat in the swing next to him. He turned his head to look at her again. "Thank you." He whispered in his unused voice.

The little girl almost fell off of her swing in surprise. "My parents said you don't talk! How are you talking to me?" She said. The man looked at her and was silent for a while before speaking. "I think it's because you're kind."

So, uh... Thoughts?