The Man Everyone Abandoned

The Son of a Murderer

The bus finally reached Ashvale District just as the morning sun started to peek through the dark storm clouds. Compared to the fancy area Elias just left, this place looked very old and forgotten. The roads had big cracks in them, and the tall apartment buildings looked like they might tip over at any second. People were already busy on the sidewalks, setting up small stalls to sell things or fixing rusty cars by the side of the road.

The driver pulled the brake and the bus came to a noisy stop.

"Last stop!"

Everyone else started getting off the bus, but Elias stayed in his seat for a little longer because he had nowhere to go. He didn't have any family or friends left, and he definitely didn't have a home anymore. All he had were a million questions that he couldn't answer.

"Hey!" the driver called out. "You planning to live on my bus?"

Elias tried to smile, even though he felt sad inside.

"No... I'm leaving."

He stepped out onto the sidewalk where the air smelled like wet ground and fresh food. People were rushing past him, and he hoped they wouldn't look at him. I need to stay hidden, he thought to himself.

The fewer people who notice me, the better. He touched the necklace hidden under his shirt and started walking down the busy street.

Soon, his stomach started to make loud noises because he hadn't eaten since yesterday. He saw an old woman across the street selling meat pies and tea from a wooden cart.

Elias reached into his pocket and found only a few messy bills. He wasn't sure if he should spend his last bit of money now, but his stomach hurt so much that he decided he had to eat something.

"One meat pie, please."

The woman gave him a kind look.

"Rough night?"

Elias nodded slowly.

"You could say that."

She handed him the warm food.

"Eat while it's hot."

"Thank you."

Just as Elias was about to take a bite, a TV in a shop window nearby started showing the news. He saw a picture of David Kane, his father, and he froze in place.

The news reporter was talking about the terrible things David Kane had done. The woman at the cart sighed and said he was a bad man, and other people nearby started whispering about how he had stolen millions of dollars.

"...Authorities continue their investigation into the shocking crimes committed by financial consultant David Kane."

The woman beside him sighed.

"What a terrible man."

Another customer shook his head.

"I heard he murdered his own business partners."

"They say he stole millions."

"No," another man interrupted. "The news this morning says the amount is over a hundred million."

"They're still finding evidence."

Elias looked down at the ground and felt like the world was telling lies about his dad. The story on the TV was getting bigger and scarier every minute.

Then the reporter said the police were looking for David’s son, Elias, and his own picture appeared on the screen. Elias felt his heart stop as the people around him began to judge him just because of who his father was.

"Police have confirmed that David Kane's only son remains missing. Citizens are urged to report any information regarding Elias Kane to the nearest authorities."

"So that's the boy."

"He looks innocent."

"Looks deceive people."

"Like father, like son."

Those words really hurt. The old woman looked at the screen and said it was a shame, then mentioned that she would change her name if she had a father like that. Elias felt so upset that he couldn't even eat anymore. He put the pie back on the cart and walked away quickly before anyone saw him crying.

"I... I'm not hungry anymore."

The woman frowned.

"But you already paid."

"You can keep it."

He walked through the town for an hour, and every single TV and radio was telling the same story about his dad being a criminal. Nobody was on his dad's side.

Elias remembered his father saying that people would try to make him look like a monster, and he realized his dad was right. It felt like these powerful people were trying to delete the truth about his father's life.

By the middle of the day, Elias was so tired that his legs hurt. His clothes were still wet and he was very hungry, so he sat down on the ground next to an old bookstore.

He felt really scared and didn't know what to do next. He was only nineteen, and now he was homeless, broke, and the police were looking for him. He felt completely alone and whispered to his dad that he was lost.

"I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

Suddenly, a football rolled up to him. He looked up and saw three boys playing nearby.

"Sorry, mister!" one of them shouted.

"Can you kick it back?"

Elias picked up the ball and remembered playing with his dad in their backyard. His dad used to laugh and give him advice on how to kick properly. Elias smiled a little bit and kicked the ball back to the happy kids.

"Look where you want it to go."

"Thanks!"

As the boys ran away, they pointed at an old, crumbling apartment building across the street called Thorne Apartments. Elias saw a sign that said there was a room available. He checked his pocket and realized he had enough money for a night or two. It wasn't much, but it was better than staying on the street, so he decided to head over there.

THORNE APARTMENTS

VACANCY

He walked up the creaky stairs and felt nervous. He wondered if the people inside would recognize him from the news, but he knew he didn't have any other choice.

He took a deep breath and pushed the door open, hearing a small bell ring above him.

A small brass bell chimed above him.

He heard footsteps coming his way, and an old voice called out that they were coming. Elias stood up straight as an elderly man with silver hair appeared. The man looked at Elias quietly, but he didn't seem mean or suspicious. He just looked at Elias in a way that was hard to describe.

"Coming..."

"You look like you've had the longest night of your life."

Elias swallowed.

"I... I'm looking for a room."

The old man looked at him for a few more seconds.

"Let's see if I have one."