Writing Prompt challenge

the forgotten hero

Ethan sighed when he stepped out of the train and the hot rays of sunshine hit his face before putting his cap on, trying to escape the dreading weather at least a little bit. It wasn’t the type of warmth that one would enjoy. It was just plain hot and muggy making the whole body feel sticky and somewhat gross. Ethan really looked forward to get home, grab a bottle of water alongside some nice cool ice cream and just relax. He knew he technically had to review his classes and get some other stuff done but he just couldn’t find the motivation which was partly the fault of the damn weather as well.
Ethan walked down the street, it was only a few blocks to his apartment which he really was thankful for at the moment. He looked at the Ice cream shop at the sidewalks and stopped for a moment, considering if he should buy an ice cream here or get home and get something out of his freezer to save money but ended up deciding that he should just get home.
Then he caught a movement in the corner of his eye and turned to check what it was only to see a boy heading straight towards him. Ethan tried so move out of the way since the boy had his head buried in his phone but didn’t completely manage so the boy shoved his shoulder. When the boy didn’t even apologized but just walked away after giving him a slight glare Ethan huffed out, then he noticed the Nametag written above the boys head, ‘Asshole’. Well, it indeed fit him quite well.
Ethan just sighed before continuing his way home, looking at a sweet couple walking past him. He gave them a sad smile, knowing way too well that the male of those two would end up being dumbed or in a lot of pain as the girl carried the title ‘Cheater’ above their head.
Ethan had gotten used to those random titles at this point, being somewhat thankful about this weird ability he got. He sometimes still questioned why he had it but didn’t want to tell anyone about it since the day he asked his dad why his mom was carrying the title ‘Paedophile’ above her head which did not end the best way. His father asked him how he could say something like that, even though Ethan didn’t even know what that word meant in the first place at that time and when his mom heard of it she started panicking, asking how he found out. It ended in his parents’ divorce and a long legal possessing about who was allowed to keep him. Obviously, his dad did and he even prohibited his mom to ever see him again.
Besides that one incident however, the ability had proven itself useful for example when a boy approached him, trying to befriend him. But with being labeled ‘Toxic’, Ethan really didn’t feel like befriending him in the slightest and turned him down rather quickly.
He turned a corner, only two more streets to go and he could finally get out of the sweat soaked clothes and cool down on the sofa that was practically placed right under the air conditioner. Walking past the street he spotted an old lady huddled in the shadows of one of the houses. It was obvious that she was homeless judging by her ragged and dirty clothing and the oily hair indicating that she hadn’t showered in a while. Usually Ethan would’ve just walked past. Most of those homeless that he saw sitting somewhere begging for money were scam anyways and it honestly disgusted him. People titled as ‘Rich kid’ or ‘Liar’ begging for money from mostly old folks or children with kind hearts who most likely were actually struggling with money problems or had no sense of the value of it just made him want to throw up.
But this woman. She was different. Her title was different and it honestly interested Ethan how she had gotten it in the first place and what it meant. For a short moment Ethan stopped in his tracks and bit his lower lip, not sure how he was supposed to approach her and indirectly ask about how she had gotten that title that she carried over her head. His lips pulled up in a smile when an idea came up and Ethan turned back to the street he came from and speed walked towards the bakery he had passed a few minutes ago.
He walked in, the small bell on the door rang and Ethan immediately sighed in content when he noticed that the bakery had an air conditioner. He made his way over to the cash register, glad that no one was standing in cue so that it was his turn right away.
“What can I get for you, Sir?” the cashier asked, giving him a sweet smile and he smiled back. The girl was carrying the title “creative mind” and it made him chuckle. She would eventually learn that this wasn’t the right job for her.
“I would like to have a bun-“ Ethan said, then glanced at the cooler with various soft drinks and water bottles inside- “ and a still water please.” The worker nodded, then turned around, a paper bag already in her hand before grabbing one bun and dropped it in it. She rolled up the top of the bag before placing it on the counter and heading towards the Beverage cooler, picking up one bottle with water. Then she headed back and placed it next to the paper bag with the bun.
“Is that everything?” she asked and Ethan nodded, then pulled out his wallet.
“That would make 4.80$ Sir”, she said and he handed her the cash, then grabbed the bag and the water bottle.
“Thanks, have a nice day,” he said towards the girl, then left the shop and he sighed as the heat overtook his body yet again. Ethan made his way back to the homeless woman, hoping she hadn’t run off in the few minutes he had gotten her food and something to drink.
When he spotted her he breathed out shortly, trying to gain some more confidence, then made his way over to her and gave her a smile.
“Hey”, he said awkwardly, the confidence he had tried to build immediately faltering again and she looked up at him. He held out the bun and the fresh water and she took them, then gave him a sweet smile.
“Thank you young man. This really means a lot to me,” she answered, still looking up at him. Ethan really didn’t know how to start the conversation or how to ask about the title so he awkwardly scratched the back of his neck but before he could say something the woman already raised her voice again.
“Is there something I can help you with?” she asked and he looked right in her eyes. Her slightly tilted head and the still remaining sweet smile gave away that she really was earnest but it just sounded so off coming from a homeless like her. She was the poor one, the one in need after all.
“No, I just though you would maybe want some company?” he asked, not sure if it was the right way to approach but he honestly couldn’t think of anything else in the heat of the moment. Or of the day to be honest.
“Don’t worry about me, It’s hot, go home,” she said softly and Ethan felt the urge to nod and get away of the hot air surrounding him but his curiosity kept him in place. He shook his head slightly before letting himself sink down the wall next to her.
“It’s fine”, he said watching a man walk past who didn’t even spare them a glace, too caught up in securing the papers in the folder he was holding while reading them. ‘Workaholic’ was the label that the guy was carrying over his head and Ethan couldn’t help but chuckle. Some of those stupid titles really complimented the looks of a person whilst sometimes- he looked besides him at the woman, carrying the title ‘ the forgotten hero’- it didn’t at all.
“My name is Ethan. Am I allowed to know your name as well?” he asked the woman, trying to build up some sort of conversation. He felt like he should treat her with respect and address to her formally, given that the name indicated she used to be someone important to the world.
“My name is Audrey. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said, then broke the bun in half and offered one of them to Ethan. He just slightly tilts his head in confusion before slowly reaching out and taking the offered half.
“It tastes better when shared,” Audrey explained, then took the first bite and Ethan chuckled. He looked at the bun in his hand, a small smile finding it’s way on his face before he took a small bite as well.
“It’s quite unusual for people to talk to me, let alone even offer to accompany me. Most people that actually stop by give me some money and then walk past, not giving me any kind of further attention than that and usually people at your age don’t even spare me a glance,” she mumbled and Ethan sighed, only now noticing that actual homeless people must be rather lonely most of the time. He felt bad for her.
“That’s why I would like to thank you for what you are doing right now”, she went on and Ethan knew he should’ve smiled and said it was no big deal but he didn’t do it out of kindness. He did it for his own selfish reasons so he just nodded and they feel back into silence, both of them slowly eating their half of the bun.
“Is it okay for me to ask how you became homeless?” he asked carefully after he had finished it, not sure how else he was supposed to find out about the womas past but he had to somehow at least say something. Though it left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth. He didn’t like asking such a question since it seemed like a rather sensitive topic to address but Audrey only gave him a sad smile.
“It’s hard for me to live knowing of a war no one else can remember. Knowing that all those families that lost someone those days will never know the true reason their parent, child or partner died,” she mumbled but Ethan was still able to hear it and he gulped.
“A war no one can remember?” he asked and Audrey averted her eyes, looking at her hands that fiddled with the cap of the water bottle.
“Yeah, the forgotten war. That’s how I call it. No one can remember it though since they decided it was better that way. And they were correct”, she said and Ethan halted for a moment.
“Who are they?” he asked , watching the woman shake her head.
“It doesn’t matter. It’s better if no one remembers. I just wished they would’ve been able to take my memories as well”, Audrey said, then looked at Ethan before raising her voice again, “How old are you?”
“21, why?” Ethan asked, slightly confused but she only nod, then leaned her head on the wall.
“You must have been only two at that time. The time when that horrifying technology was developed. People lost control over their actions. They were forced to do things they didn’t want to do by one of the most scary and terrifying emotions that there is. Fear. Fear that ended up leading to anger, paranoia. I wish nothing of that would’ve ever happened in the first place. Back then there was a test that they developed where one could test how strong their mind is. If it would be able to withstand whatever the technology did to you. Everyone had to take that test and those who were strong enough were called in as soldiers. I was one of them.” She looked to the ground, her shoulders dropping in resignation and Ethan could see tears brimming in her eyes, threatening to roll down her cheeks any second.
“In fact, I was the strongest one of all those 11 people that were deemed to be capable. I was able to get a hold of that thing but-“ a sob escaped her lips- “they all died. None of them was strong enough to withstand the technologies effect after all. They all killed each other” The last sentence only came out as a mere whisper and Ethan gulped. His whole body was tense at this point and he didn’t know what to do or say. Was he supposed to hug her or was that too much? Should he just place a hand on her shoulder or simply say something comforting? But what was he supposed to say to such a story anyways?
“I’m sorry”, he choked out but Audrey only shook her head while wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand.
“Don’t say that, this wasn’t your fault after all,” she said and gave him a sad smile yet again. How could she still smile at all after all she had been thorough? After all she had seen and experienced?
“How-“ he stopped again and took a moment to think about what exactly he wanted to ask- “How could everyone forget something like that? Why everyone but you?”
“The technology I secured was used to delete everyone’s memories of those dreadful weeks. I’m no scientist so I can’t explain you how exactly it worked but they somehow used the fear and panic so that the brain would automatically forget since it was too traumatic. But my mind was yet again too strong to be controlled so I ended up being the only one who remembered. They told me to destroy it afterwards since their memories would be deleted as well and so I did”, she averted her eyes and bought them back to the bottle in her hands. Ethan felt somewhat sick. He didn’t know what to think. On one side remembering such events and those feelings the technology caused surely wasn’t nice and good for the mind but at the thought of someone else deciding to just delete your memories of the past few weeks made a shiver run down his spine.
But he couldn’t remember anything of when he was still two years old anyways so it didn’t make a big difference for him. He just felt sorry. Sorry for those who lost someone and didn’t understand why they died and sorry for the woman sitting beside him that she had to carry the weight of those lost weeks filled with angst all alone on her own shoulders.
“I’m thankful that you stayed to listen to my story. I know it sounds crazy, you don’t have to believe me”, Audrey said, twirling the bottle around in her hands. How could he not believe her? She was’ the forgotten Hero’ after all.