A Fallen Soul

A boy walked out of a small city grocery store carrying a crinkled paper bag in one arm. The other swung loosely, which jangled because of what looked like a bangle and broken chains that hung much too large on his wrists. At first glance, one might say he was about age 17, and was dressed in baggy blue jeans and a bright red sweatshirt sporting the saying ‘Sod off’. He walked with somewhat of a rhythmic step but that was mostly because of the head phones that blared loudly for all to hear stuck over his ears. The breeze caught his oddly bright blonde hair that flowed to his waist in a long wispy pony tail as his blue gray eyes shifted lazily toward a man sitting on the side of the street, holding up a sign asking for donations. He stopped before the man, tapping his foot to the music, and ruffled around in his paper bag. He then extracted a glazed doughnut that he held out for the homeless man to take as a cold fall breeze caught his hair once more.

The man grinned widely, showing his toothless gums and accepted the offering, "Thanks, Tynan."

The boy simply answered by walking off waving as he went. The young boy ran across the street, dodging cars on the busy road and stopped before a tall building with a large oak tree that stood in front. He sighed slightly and walked up the sidewalk path that led up to the apartment building. As soon as he reached the gated doors of the building and pushed them open, a cruel woman short in stature was there to greet him: a scowl frowning in every one of her wrinkles. She looked as though she had just stumbled out of bed that afternoon, for she had a hair net with curlers and a lovely nightgown laced in large pink flowers.

"Tynan!" She said harshly her voice much like the lash of a whip. "I want my rent and I want it now! You’re way over due and I have been asking for it for months! So, hand it over!" She said pointing sharply to her out stretched palm while gritting her teeth.

Tynan blinked at her for a moment before slipping off his headphones, "Hmmm? Did you say something?"

"TYNAN!" She screeched, "RENT! NOW!"

"Oh! right, right! Calm down, you old bat!" He stuck his hand within the paper bag again groping for some unknown item.

Her hawk like eyes glared at him sharply but she jumped in surprise as he pulled out a carton of cigarettes.

He grinned mischievously at her reaction and dangled the box before her. She bit her lip and then grabbed the carton, hiding it within the folds of her flowery pajamas. "What ever would you do without me?" He said, grinning.

"Go to hell." She said as she walked off down the hallways to collect the other "squatters’" as she put it, rent.

"See you there!" He called after her, heading for the stairs.

***

The sound of a cell phone jingle playing "Jingle Bells" mixed with the crisp autumn air. "Damn... And I just got on break too..." Jalen muttered and pulled the phone from his pants pocket. "I HATE this song... Why does headquarters regulate this stuff? It’s not even winter yet..." He flipped the phone open and held it to his ear. "Yeah... What?" He half listened to the person on the other line as he watched people walk by, busy with their own affairs. "Yeah... Uh huh... I got it... Sure. Kid’s name is Tynan... Got a last name?" Jalen stood from the park bench on which he was sitting and started to walk down the path, carrying his suit jacket over one shoulder. "Fitzpatrick? What kind of name is that? ...Right, right. I got it." He closed the phone and put it back in the pocket of his pinstriped slacks. With a sigh, he left the park and headed toward the heart of the city.

The image is copyright CGNetwork, and the brushes are copyrighted to VBrush. The rest is copyright to me =) Be nice and keep the credit on.. go on =)