1

"Learn to be a good person and never come back here."

Eddie's body was gently patted by a prison guard as he stepped out of the place where he had been for the past three years. Eddie's light brown eyes gazed far ahead where the pathway lay.

"Well, this is it, what I've been waiting for finally arrives. I can't wait to go back home and sell it immediately, I have to leave this town," murmured Eddie.

His skinny body and beard-covered face made Eddie look quite shabby, even the white shirt he wore looked yellowed from wear.

The sound of coins given by Eddie's fellow inmate for his fare home accompanied his steps toward the front gate of the prison. Eddie's heart raced as the gate was opened; he still felt like this was all just a dream.

Three long years in prison for a mistake he never committed left Eddie devoid of hope to carry on with life. Everything that happened from three years ago, the night when he was apprehended by the police after aiding his friend Frank, now plays vividly in his mind. The weight of those memories must be immense for Eddie. 

"Hey, what are you waiting for? Are you going out or staying here?" One of the prison guards noticed Eddie lost in thought at the gate.

Eddie swallowed his saliva and nodded slowly, he stepped back and jogged a bit to cross the pedestrian crossing not far from his position. The honking horns and passing vehicles created a unique atmosphere around Eddie; he paused his steps and gazed at the streets.

"It's so strange to see all this; usually, I only hear shouts and anger. Freedom really means something significant."

Eddie continued walking, this time he seemed to run towards a bus that was stopping at the nearby bus stop. He exerted all his energy to get a seat on the bus, and luckily his efforts paid off.

The forty-five-minute journey he took to get to the area he lived in brought a slightly brighter look to Eddie's face when the bus stopped at the front bus stop.

"Here we go," muttered Eddie, clenching his fists. Eddie walked towards a small street behind the bus stop.

As he got closer to his house, Eddie's heart beat faster. He wondered what had happened to his house that he had left for three years.

"It's going to be really hard for me to--."

Eddie's sentence halted as he stared at a two-story white house where Eddie's house should have been.

"What?" Eddie looked confused; he looked around. "No, I'm not mistaken. This is my house's address; nothing has changed, but where's my house?"

Eddie's curiosity grew, he immediately approached the house and knocked on the door to speak to the person who lived there. Eddie glanced across his house, looking at a large pastel-colored house with a "For Sale" sign on the front.

"Frank... how are you?" he murmured.

"Hello?" The voice from the open door made Eddie turn his attention back. A middle-aged woman looked at Eddie questioningly. "Can I help you?"

"Um, I just want to ask. If I may know, who owns this house?"

"I own this house. What's the matter?" the woman asked somewhat cynically.

"Well, then, maybe my question should be more specific. How did you build your house here? This is my land, and my house used to be here. I've been gone for three years, and when I come back, this house is already standing. I didn't receive any information about the construction of this house."

The woman smiled wryly and shook her head. "I don't know what you mean exactly, whether you're a criminal or a scammer, but just remember, in this house, there's my brother and my son, who is a police officer. I assure you, you'll regret it if you intend to commit a crime. You've got the wrong house, and you'd better leave."

The door was about to close, but Eddie immediately held onto the door leaf and said, "No, really, I don't mean any harm! I just want to know how you built a house on my land? You've destroyed my house, Ma'am."

"I bought this house from Mr. Frank, my brother's friend, so you better stop your cheap tricks and leave before I actually call my brother and son to arrest you!"

Eddie looked stunned, the name Frank he had just mentioned turned out to be something real now. Eddie swallowed his saliva, he looked at the woman with a pleading look, then left the house.

Eddie's steps looked shaky, he lost hope for starting a new life after his release from prison.

"What else do I have to do now? Fuck!" Eddie kicked a small stone in front of him. His once calm mind was now very noisy, Eddie lost direction.

He continued walking against the scorching sun until he finally stopped in front of a minimarket in the pedestrian area not far from his complex. Eddie entered the minimarket and immediately made his way to the section for toilet cleaners.

His hands quickly grabbed five bottles of toilet cleaner and took them to the cashier.

"It seems like your toilet is so dirty that it needs so much cleaner," remarked the cashier.

Eddie just looked at him with a flat expression and handed over the paper money and a few coins according to the displayed amount, then took the toilet cleaner out.

Eddie's eyes sharply scanned the surroundings. "Where should I down all this? Ah, maybe in the small park across there."

Eddie was about to step out of the minimarket when a woman wearing a black skirt and a black cropped top with a denim jacket approached him.

"Hey, you're Eddie, right?"

The cute woman had blonde hair with hazel eyes; she stared at Eddie from head to toe, making Eddie slightly uneasy.

"Yeah, who are you? As far as I remember, I have no business with anyone in this town."

"Well, if you say so, I shouldn't have bothered chasing you from the prison all the way here. If it weren't for important matters, I wouldn't have done it. Do you know? Today is my nail care day but I had to be on time to chase after you who ended up leaving earlier! Huh! By the way, I'm Jennifer, I'm Jehemian's daughter, and we are siblings." Jennifer extended her hand to Eddie with a sardonic smile.

Eddie raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly. "Lady, I don't know what you mean. But, I don't know you or the man named Jehemian you mentioned. Today is already hot enough to make my blood boil, you'd better go back to your activities, or at least find clothes that can cover up your almost popping out chest. It's very distracting."

Jennifer gasped while covering her body. "What the hell are you talking about! You're so gross! I don't care what you're insinuating, I just need you to come with me to take care of some business!"

Jennifer forcibly grabbed Eddie's hand. Instantly, this caused Eddie to unconsciously jerk his hand roughly, causing Jennifer to lose her balance and fall.

"Argh!" Jennifer winced in pain. She dusted off the part of her skirt that got dirty and pointed towards Eddie who immediately ran towards the street. "Shit! Crazy man! Why do I have to get the task of picking him up! I might just use my beautiful nails to scratch his face if he still doesn't follow what I say! Just watch it, Eddie!"