The Gods Among Us

Chapter 6: A Life Story

A:

"Thank you for helping me find my way out," I say, embracing the sunlight as I exit the public library. "This is a very big building."

"You never been here," Alieen says. "Really? It's not exactly the Golden Gate Bridge but the library is still kind of famous. How long have you lived here?"

"I do not live in the city. I lived in that gas station you and your friend stumbled upon."

"You lived there?"

"Yes. That gas station is my home. I have lived there for a little over two years."

"Uhh, well, I lived in San Francisco for most of my life. I know the city very well."

"I am glad. As I stated before, I do not live here so I do not know the city very well. Nor do I want to. I prefer to keep to myself."

"If you prefer to keep to yourself," Alieen starts, leaning ahead of me while we walk. "Then why did you seek me out?"

"Because as I stated before, there is something really special about you."

"And you want to know why," Alieen says, finishing my sentence. "Well, I'm sorry to tell you this, but I don't know what is it you're after. I mean, as far as I know, there isn't really anything too special about me. I grew up in San Francisco, California. I'm an only child. Currently, I'm living with three of my closest friends. We all work part-time jobs to pay for the rent and food."

"That is it," I ask. "That is all. Nothing special you might have forgotten."

"No," Alieen says, "I'm afraid not. Like I said before, there isn't really anything too special about me."

"If there is nothing special about you, then why could I not read your mind?"

"Read my mind, wait, what? You tried to read my mind?"

"Yes. As you may have figured out, I am bad at social interaction. Hence, why I prefer to read people's minds instead of talking to them."

"So when you were reading my mind, what did you learn?"

"Nothing. For some unknown reason, I could not read your mind. In fact, the reason I fell in front of your friend's car is only that I tried to read your mind."

"What are you talking about?"

"When I tried to read your mind, I received a headache."

"When you tried to read my mind, you received a headache?"

"Yes. In the past two years since I woke up, I--"

"Wait, what do you by since you woke up? What are you talking about?"

"Well, I guess I might as well tell you."

I look around for a little bit and see a nearby bench under a tree. Nudging my head toward the bench, Alieen nods her head and follows after me. The two of us sitting down, I start to tell Alieen my story.

"Do you remember what I told you about the gas station?"

"Yeah. You told me less than a minute ago. You told me you've been living in the gas station for a little over two years."

"Well, shortly before that, I had just woken up in an alleyway."

I slowly explain to Alieen everything that happened to me over the last two years. I talked about waking up in the alleyway and the headache. I mentioned how Peter and Chris tried to rob me and how I fought back.

"Oh my god," Alieen says, holding her hands over her mouth.

"Do not worry," I say, shaking my hand. "I did not end them. I simply knocked them out. I did, however, picked their pockets and got away with seven dollars and 86 cents.