Lay a row of heads lined up sitting down all facing forward in podium for an upcoming
announcement. Center stage all spotlights onto an emerging figure tall, old and dressed in fine
black other than the gray receding hair on the top of this head. It's the principal announcing to all
of us big announcements with face a stern serious tone. A voice emerges from the principal,
"students you all know why you're here. This will be your last day, in fact your last 5 minutes of
school. After this you will all go out and seek your future carriers here or elsewhere.
Nevertheless, I bid you all fare well for your future and good luck." Students? These prison
jumpsuits change that fact. The black shiny shoes, black pants, a white and black stripped top
and a black jacket with numbers. We all looked and even behaved like prisoners. Innocent
students near the staff and crooks near others. A school uniform and identification that were
students and residents of our little island of what we call home, Malvera of the year 1922. Once
the principal's speech ended the doors swung wide open and the students all headed forward the
doors in a wave of black sea body and multi-colored hair. Eventually, I emerged outside and
although it's the same old area of the sea, birds and familiar landscape I feel different and a
question lying in my mind, "what now?"
Excuse myself for not introducing myself. My name is Aaron Ryan. I'm 18 years old
finished with school and now finished with school awaiting what comes next. I hear the wooden
floor docks thump louder and louder into my direction. I pan my eyes to the source of the sound
and I see a familiar face. Male, blonde average height along with the prison uniform, running
towards my direction with a smile head on. It's my friend Isaac Mitchell. That run comes to a
stop as we both face each other with the heavy panting of Isaac as he begins to speak to me.
"School is over, guess you can say were free now. Any big plans today?" I begin to reply, "Just
the usual, we've got just out of this school. I need to relax a bit." Me and Isaac usually stroll by
the city of Malvera, then the outskirts of the island. It may sound like nothing but it's all in taking
the liberty of enjoying the free time we have and have a talk of anything coming up.
We enter the main city entrance and hit with the rapid mass amount of talking of men and
women talking about signing up as a doctor, cop etc. Even outside of Malvera to someplace else
like the United States. With this encounter Isaac speaks about this, " So you got any big plans for
the future?" I reply with a no. "Erm, you sure? It seems many other people got their plans ready
and your just there with no plan? Isaac informs. " Well I just don't know what I want to do.
Nothing interests me." I explain to Isaac. Isaac then steps into my direction stopping me and
stares right into my eyes as he begins to speak. "Well that's what we'll do today. We will look for
a career for you so you have a prominent future." I bring my voice into this, "listen I appreciate
what you want to do but it's not necessary. We can just relax for today and I'll focus on my future
on my own." Isaac keeps on insisting, "Oh, I'm sure you want to get that burden of you
eventually. So, let's do it today, I want to help you out with this." I eventually get pressured to do
what Isaac wanted, shouldn't be too bad. We begin with walking along the city looking at stores
and business that might interest me.
The first sight begins with a large man balding with a giant smirk eminent across his face.
Gizmo was his name. His attire of business slacks just explains his job here in Malvera. "Hey
you kids, interested in anything remember Gizmo has it. Oh, wait you're not kids anymore. May
I introduce you to the special menu?" This Gizmo guy is a slippery one. He dresses in business
attire with stain and torn around his suit and pants. Gizmo sells the most random things such as
alcohol, clothing and other misc. Besides his assortment of items to sell Gizmo likes to swindle
his way of a price. Overcharging poor customers for something they can get cheaper elsewhere.
An odd one, but it keeps him afloat even if it's not for the greater good. "Listen here Gizmo we're
not here to spend anything in your cheap booze." I reply. Gizmo's eyes are wide open then settles
down as he begins to reply, "Well your no use to me. Scram or else you'll hold the line of actual
customers making wise spending choices." We and Isaac leave. "Working for Gizmo is defiantly
a no. If we both can't stand each other than no use in working alongside him." I exclaim to Isaac.
As we continue our journey Isaac points to our right and says, "Look it's the clinic owned by
Miss Carrie. She's a nice person and won't scold you every minute." I decide on going inside as
Miss Carrie is a nice person and who knows maybe being a doctor or something is my hidden
talent. As we both enter the clinic as we both get greeted my Miss Carrie. "Good evening you
two, anything bothering you lately?" "Well Aaron here is wondering if he can apply here?" Isaac
speaks for me as I stand there silent just awaiting a response from Miss Carrie. "Well you see
depends on what Aaron wants does he want to be representative, assistant, stock support..." All
these roles just come smacking my face with no time to properly understand. Eventually, Miss
Carrie stops this large information, "So what are you interested in?" Questions Miss Carrie. I
respond, "This seems too much what's the simplest job you've got?" Miss Carrie suggests stock
management but list of requirements for that job. "This is the bare bones of task here anything
higher needs more heavy requirements." She hands me the requirements for stock managements
I need a license for boating a near 24/7 stock check solo unless I have someone along with me.
This is something I had to wrap my head around either I bite the bullet and take this head on
along with getting what seems my life to this clinic or I go forward and look for something else.
"This seems all too much for myself. I think I'll pass" I decline to Miss Carrie. "Well that's a
shame, that offer is always on the table I'll be here when you need me." Miss Carrie ends it along
with goodbyes as Isaac and I give back a farewell too.
Me and Isaac proceed to walk in the city waiting for our next encounter. Our stop occurs
in an alley; a large one at that. A large huddle of people in a large circle chanting. That is until
the crowd divides onto the walls as a man falls to the floor dressed in white and red boxing attire
with another man standing over him in blue and white boxing attire. This was a fight club, of
course it's all in who wins a fight in boxing with one of the fighters being knocked on the ground
for more than three seconds, the winnings go to the one standing. The crowd goes from the usual
city folk to the business workers all throwing in money betting on who will win. This time the
bet is going on blue and white boxer, evident with the chanting on the crowd. This all comes to
an end when a cop comes by with a loud whistle carrying along that sound directly into the
crowd. "Alright fights over. Best if you all get out of here, unless you want me to get involved."
Warnes the cop. Now these fights aren't legal. These 'meetings' usually go in locations where
cops aren't in the area, from the alley, inside buildings, and even below the docks. It's just this
time a cop took the time to investigate a herd of people and their loud chants. This warning
causes the crowd to fluster around to get out of this fight club as quick as possible. That is until
the cop faces towards me and Isaac, "now don't you two got something better to do instead of
hanging around the wrong crowd, unless you enjoy seeing others getting beaten and losing that
cash of yours?" I reply to the cop, "I'm not a big fan of getting spit and blood splattered on me,
especially my own." Isaac cuts in the conversation, "besides we aren't getting in fights, it's just
Aaron here is looking for a job." A chuckle comes from the cop, "well hanging in the streets
certainly isn't the best place. In fact, why not join the force you can be a deputy, not too much of
a big task." This offer seems interesting; however, the police here don't have the best reputation
here. Names such as "corrupt pig" are spread around a lot, partially due to cops being blunter
during their job. I personally don't have a problem in cops but I certainly don't want to be called
a pig by the public, with just the sight of me and my uniform. I decline the offer from the cop
like the others I've declined from. The cop concludes the conversation, "well if you change your
mind, you can always stop by the station and sign up, nothing wrong helping your city."
I was getting hungry, my loud growl of my stomach gave that away to Isaac, so we both
decide to go somewhere to eat. The closest place nearby was a bar made of hard wood and iron,
having an old west appeal, except the giant lighted letters spelling out the bar name, "Bill's
Mania Bar." Me and Isaac head inside the bar to see if they offer some food besides booze. Upon
heading inside groups of men and women are all either drinking, flirting one another, or starting
fights. My main attention was to head to the bartender for some food, so Isaac and I head
towards the bartender. We get quickly welcomed with a smile and a greeting, "welcome
gentlemen to Bill's Mania Bar, owned by yours truly, so what can I get you two?" Bills greeting
and charisma gave off a good vibe in the bar, despite the people inside the bar. "Me and my
friend here are wondering if you got food here." I respond to Bill. "Well we got some food
alright, hold on I'll get you two the menu." Bill responded as he goes in the back rack of the
alcohol cabinet to get the menus. All the while two other people are arguing, something about
touching someone's women. "Ay, listen here I don't appreciate that behavior around me, so best
if you walk away from this." The first man speaks: large bloated man with his right hand in his
pocket while his left hand pointing to another the man he's arguing with a muscular man in a
coat, he response to the first man. "Back off, I didn't do anything to you and your women. And I
can stay in this bar as long as I want, and as many times as I can." Shouting between the two
goes on until the large man pulls out a knife. Without hesitation the large man lunges toward the
muscular man. A dance between the two occur until they get near me and Isaac's location. Isaac
and I decide to move out of the location until the muscular man bumps in front of Isaac. All the
while the large man leaps into the muscular man however as soon as the muscular man evaded
from the large man, he had cut Isaac inside on his right forearm, and the loud shot of a shotgun
comes from Bill's direction. "Hey, this here is a bar not a fighting rings. Go outside and get
yourselves killed all you like, just don't do it in here!" Bill shouts against the two with a shotgun
in his arms. This causes the whole bar to freeze dead silent. The large and muscular men leave
the bar either to continue the fight or end the situation there. Bill looking at Isaac's wound gets a
first aid kit, asking to get Isaac's arm to get on the table with his forearm being exposed with his
sleeve rolled up. Bill quickly patches Isaac's wounds and cleans up the mess of blood spilled on
the table. "Now I'm no doctor but that should hold fine or at least it looks like it. But apologies
fellas for you getting involved in someone else's business. Consider your meal of choice on the
house." Bill then hands us the menus. I choose the cooked fish with water, Isaac chooses the
steak with wine to drink. The meal was quite good, although Isaac chose more of a fancier
option, I say mine was just as good. We thank Bill for patching up Isaac's arm and the free meal
and head off with farewells.
Generally, nearing the end of the day Isaac and I go down from the docks towards the
beach in a spot right under the docks ending platform. This is our spot where we hang out until
the end of the day. We sit down on some crates to relax from the day. I see Isaac is still clinging
on his cut being worried. This shouldn't be a problem Bill patched him up back in the bar. That's
until the bandages loosen, drips of blood splatter over the yellow sand. I quickly think of
something to help him, I tear of a chunk of my shirt. I get to Isaac ripping off the arm of his
uniform to cover his wound then I proceed to cover the wound, tying the cloth tightly just
enough that I can't tighten it any further. My heart racing fast was now calming down with heavy
deep pants. I look at Isaac he touches his cut arm and thanks me along with a smile. Bandages
would've been best for the job but the bleeding stopped for now. This day we had-this day was
something. From, being finished with school and rushing myself to look for a job couldn't be
more deranged. The day was getting darker so I begin to speak on Isaac on calling this a day.
"Well now it's over. We can call it a day and do something else together in the next day." Isaac
speaks up with a concerned tone. "You see I'm gone for the next day. I signed up for the navy
and I'll be going of cost and eventually to another country. So that leaves me gone from Malvera
and you somewhere else working... or so I hoped." This response hit me that the fact all this
walking all this stopping to building to building wasn't all for some regular day of our adventures
but rather a helping hand from a dear friend of mine, my dear friend. The fact that my best friend
will be gone and I'll be laying here in this island like a fish stuck in its pond unaware of where to
travel left me empty, alone. I was shocked by this as if an eel hit me in the heart and needed to
respond to this news, "Oh, well thanks for helping out. My apologies for wasting your time with
my lack of enthusiasm, this must've wasted your time to get ready for your big day." I examined
Isaac's face I can see that he was being uneasy of my situation but his sympathy was shown with
his words, "Listen, it's all fine I was glad to help. I'm sorry for breaking out this news so sudden
but I needed to tell you about this. You need to find your future for your sake. I don't even know
what will happen to you if you just stay out in the city for far too long." A sigh comes out of
Isaac, this leaves me immobile with now words to think, especially no words to speak. I reliantly
decide to crack out a crude joke, "Well if all else fails I might consider working at a bar shooting
my gun and shouting to thugs." As I eye straight across Isaac's direction he smiled. This starts
with a laugh from both of his mellowing out the situation all with a no harms done joke, even if
Isaac was harmed at that bar. It goes a bit quiet, then Isaac begins his goodbyes and so do I, we
both face our backs as we both walk to our homes. I won't be able to see my friend again for who
knows how long. Even throughout he still had the decency to help me out, that struck me with
pleasant and uneasy feeling of gratitude for having a friend being dear to me being there for me
and me paying him back with lack of reward, I felt guilty of this crime between our friendship.
The morning begins; however, I still lay in bed thinking of yesterday. I lay immobile in
my bed with my mind racing with thoughts and questions, "what now? What's there to do now in
this state I'm in?" I get interrupted with a hard knock on the door; going once, twice and three
times until a I see a letter slip inside on top of my door mat through the creek of my door. I
muster up the energy to get up from bed and examine the letter. The front of the letter reads, "To
Aaron Ryan, from Isaac Mitchell." I look around my room for something sharp to open the letter,
reaching in drawers for a knife. I find a small sharp knife and without hesitation I quickly open
the letter and begin reading. "This letter is a farewell from me Aaron. Leading from our younger
years of friendship to now adulthood I can say that we had an excellent friendship.
Unfortunately, that came to an end since graduation as I have already chosen my career for the
future. I apologies for leaving you out but I need to do my own things for my future. As such as
yourself. I hoped you found that career you wanted but it seems your still unware with your
future. Nevertheless, this is a goodbye and thank you for being a friend to me a best friend and I
hope you find what you want to do in the future for your sake." After reading this I remained
seated on my bed once reading this letter to now spacing out in front of this letter. This letter hit
me hard and reminded me from last night, only adding to the situation that Isaac is gone. Time
passes as I then continue to face away from the letter get up from my bed to go outside. I look to
my left and right, seeing the familiar home like aesthetic of the city, I decide to go to the spot
Isaac and I once hung out in the beach right along under the docks. I sit on a crate with only the
sounds of the beach waves, seagulls flying and screeching by, besides those sounds being present
it still feels empty. Looking down I see Isaac's torn school uniform from the arm; laying in the
beach with only the torn edge flowing freely from the wind. This reminds me of Isaac and that
letter. It's now or never, I can choose to stare the ocean blue for my life time or decide to get off
ship and find something that I can settle on, and well just do something. Putting my mind and
body to the test I detach myself from the crate I once sat upon, to then continue upstairs onto the
docks, to proceed on searching. In the city I walk the same routine eyeing the business stores
from every building. With closer inspection I see a building empty right down to the core with
the only thing in sight, "Sale: by owner. Contact owner inside. Price $ 1,200." This was a small
store being sold for this price and it's right there awaiting on my sight. I take action to head
inside to speak with the owner on purchasing the building. Without hesitation I request the
building to be sold to me, the owner gives off the usual rights and billing and asks for the
payment. I pay off every cent that I have with me, just enough for the asking price. A shake of
hands between me and the owner occurs as now he leaves me to reside in my establishment. This
was a task too heavy for my hands to follow but now I have taken the risk not to satisfy those in
the big house, schools, business owners in the city, but for my personal satisfaction. I'm not
taking a road that people want me to take but rather the road I want to walk on. As long as that
road gives me a sense of passion and dedication to reach the end of that road and discover my
fate, then by all means I've found my calling.