A Road To The Life I Want

Chapter 24 : The Man in The Mirror

I kept on walking. But, I felt very good. The cool breeze, it felt like, healing my wounds. I felt really strong. I don't know where I am going or what I am going to find. I think I have to go back to stealing. I wish any of my friends were here. I thought of going back to the orphanage. But first I don't know where I am. The road was long and it never ended. I sat under a tree near the road. The whole place looks different and I don't know what to do. I wish I could have been in the orphan with Vinoth and Camp. I abandoned them for some revenge that is not even true. I still can't understand, anything. I don't know, what happened to Mani. Everything puzzled in front of me. I think I need someone to talk. The road is very lonely. I have to wait until people come out of their beds. I don't have any shelter. I don't have the basic need of a human. It feels the whole world is different. I don't know how things happened. It feels like yesterday, I was with my family. Today I am in the streets, asking who I am. It has been a long walk and I didn't have my breakfast. I have to walk a little more until I find a shop. I stood up and started to walk again.

My dreams gave me answers. Answers that I could never figure out myself. But now, I don't have dreams, while I sleep. There are lots of questions that I wish I could find the answer. I found an abandoned factory, while I was walking. It looks like the same factory where I throw the ring. But I can't remember all the details. I really can't remember anything about the factory. But, there is only one way to find out, Jump in. I went near the factory. Climbed the wall and Jumped inside. The place was very dusty and all the things were rusty. It has just been two or three days. It should be here. At least I can find something to steal. I think it will fetch some money for food. The factory had few scraps. These scraps are no use to me. I wish I could find something valuable. The factory had 'Abandoned' written all over it. Why did they abandon the factory?

Something sparked my eyes. I went near the sparkle, the sparkle went off when the sun was clouded. The factory door was left open, and I saw the sparkle inside it. I went inside. The oozing sound of the wind was heavy. It was very dark inside. I heard some sound of metal being clashed. I felt someone walking at the back of me. The sunlight came back and I found a big man's shadow behind me. I started to walk and the shadow followed. I turned back and I couldn't find anyone. I felt someone speaking to me. I heard someone walking. I shouted "Who is it? Come out now!!!"

I heard a girl's voice shouting at me. I remained quiet. Suddenly I heard a scream. Oh God, I started to pray. I became very frightened. The sun came back and a big shadow was standing in front of me. I know someone was really standing, behind me. I quickly took the metal scrap that was on the floor and turned back. Again no one was there. It became dark again. I heard some voices, talking to me. I felt the whole place was moving. I know it's just a dream. It must be a dream. It's nothing. Fear has many faces and imagination is one of them. It's only my imagination. I am just imagining things. I heard someone running at the back of me. The sun is playing hide and seek with me. I saw shadows everywhere. The shadows, it must be mine. There is no one around me. I started to hear more noises.

I shouted, "Quite, I am not afraid of you." I am afraid, but I can't let these things play with me. Suddenly a spark again. I felt like someone standing beside me. Spreading its wing like an angel. I suddenly felt, there is nothing to fear. The Mind is the only thing that gets easily scared. I should take the long step. The spark became brighter and I went near it. I know it's nothing. I know it's only a dream. But it doesn't feel like a dream. I took the courage to get nearer. The sparkling light became very bright and I looked up. The spark was nothing. It was just a mirror. I looked at the mirror and there was a "MAN IN THE MIRROR!" There was a real man standing and looking at me. I started to run from there and I fell on the floor. There were rats everywhere and I could hear the noise.

I shouted, "LEAVE ME ALONE!!!" There is someone here and it is not a dream. I felt terrified. I have to reach the door. The door was going to close and the stream of light was decreasing. I started to run very fast and my heart started to beat vigorously. I felt I am going to die. As if death itself, is standing near me. I felt like someone trying to reach me. The shadow followed me and I couldn't even breathe. I reached the door and ran out of it. I quickly jumped out of the factory and I was breathing heavily. I looked up trying to relax. I saw a small girl crying. It appears that she has fallen down from the cycle. The dog was barking at her. The dog must have chased her. She was screaming and sobbing. So that's the scream, I heard in the factory. I chased the dog away and took the cycle. I lifted her up and gave her the cycle. She stopped crying and smiled at me. She took the cycle and started to ride it. She shouted, "THANKS, UNCLE!"

What is she saying? I looked at my hand. It was not small, it was big. What is happening? The man in the mirror was me. The shadow was mine. WHAT IS HAPPENING? It is driving me crazy. There is something wrong with me. How could it be me? How? I CAN'T UNDERSTAND.