The Cost Of a Penny

Magic Realism

 "Homeless and in need for anything" read the sign being held by an old man alongside the busy streets of Dubai.

"Wow look at that," I whispered to my mother.

"Yeah poor guy here give him this," She responded as she handed me a spare coins. I handed him the money.

With a grateful face he took the money and said, "Thank you." I felt weird when I handed them to him. He was really dirty and gross. I didn't even want to respond because of how nasty he looked. Those people should really pay attention to their hygiene more.

As we entered the food market we went directly to the fruit section.

"Dillon put some oranges in a bag for me please." My mom commanded me.

"Sure thing mom!"

I simply grabbed the first couple of oranges without really paying attention to what I grabbed. I was paying a bit more attention to the people there. There were people well dressed, with good hygiene. My type of people. I'm kind of a clean freak when it comes to having to interacting with someone else.

As we headed back home we saw that same old man in the same corner, but this time counting some coins that he had in his hand. The way home was a pretty long ride but it was fine I was alright with it because I was able to think of how I was going to connect my nerves to a little invention of mine. I was building a robotic hand at home that would mimic the movements I did with my hand.

That happened a year ago. Alot has changed. On a positive note I found out a way to completely connect my whole body to a robot. That's right, I could have a robot next to me at all times that will mimic my every single movement. On another note it's been about 3 months that I've lived with my grandma. I still miss my parents. Sometimes I didn't know if it was my fault for not being able to do something about it. But my arguing parents combined with the front end of a Lamborghini was inevitable. Slowly I've adjusted to coming home to my grandma everyday after school, but it's not the same. Most of the day I just spend it in the garage working on my robot.

"Dillon would you mind cleaning the house today, I'm not feeling well" my grandma pleaded.

"Sure grandma you go get some rest, I'll take care of it," I said softly.

The rest of the day I spent cleaning until about 12 o'clock. Before I went to bed I took a quick check on my grandma to make sure she was alright. She seemed in a deep sleep so there was no need to wake her.

The next morning I woke up to see my grandma still asleep and went to wake her. She didn't respond. She wasn't breathing anymore and her body was cold. The red and blue lights of the ambulance driving away stuck in my head. How could this happen to me. It's as if the world hated me. Everything in my world was parting from me. Everything I knew as a child was gone now.

I went days... weeks crying every night. The slits on my wrist kept getting deeper. One year later my life tangled on a string. The only thing that I cared about were my inventions. Each day I learned more. Soon I began using these for greater purposes. Getting some easy cash. Yeah stealing cars isn't the most consistent job but hey who cares right I mean I just need some of that money. Plus with all my inventions no police on this earth can stop me. Stealing cars and selling them is the easiest way to make profit.

One day while on a quick job I remember seeing a girl. She seemed lost. We were both on the top of a rooftop. Hundreds of floors into the air.

"Who are you" I asked. I think I surprised her a bit given the fact that she immediately pulled out a gun from her black jacket.

"Who are you?" She returned. As she was holding her gun at me I noticed her hand. She had some sort of armor on it.

"You made that yourself?" I asked while giving a hint that I was talking about her arm.

"Does it matter?"

"Sorry I'm just really interested in stuff like that"

"Well yeah I made it myself" She responded "You're not going to arrest me, are you?"

"Of course not, in fact we might be here for the same thing"

"What's your name?" I asked.

"My name's Olive and yours is?"

"Dillon"

"Cool"

After that she turned the other way and I didn't see her again for a long time.

That happened about 3 years ago. I write this now mainly because this was a time in my life in which I learned the most. I knew what it felt to lose something so close to you. I lost everything 3 years ago, but my heart got filled with her words. It sprung like a dying rabbit able to run again.

"Hey Dillon you should go to sleep honey it's kinda late."

"I'm coming dear."

"Dillon"

"Yes?"

"I love you"

"I love you too Olive"