A good man plants seeds for a garden he'll never get to see,

Those were words spoken by my father a few days before passing.

Despite my perplexed childhood, I feel nothing but gratitude for all the struggles I went through as they made me the man I am today.

I've devoted my life to planting as many seeds on this Earth so one day it'll create a beautiful garden

And no I don't mean literal seeds for plants

Rather, I mean planting seeds of goodness in people.

Living my life for others, some people will see fit to be enslavement and torturous, but I find it brings true meaning to life.

And the God upon this world has blessed me in so many more ways than I can count so the last thing I feel is certainly enslavement or torture.

Not to say I haven't worked hard for what I have, I surely don't feel undeserving but I know people who have accomplished twice as much as me and have less than half of the beautiful blessings of this world.

I work hard at a decent job that doesn't contribute much to the world besides its ability to supply office workers with paper. 

Most find purpose in their work, but I find it better that my job is minimally taxing on me so that I may put my effort elsewhere outside of work. 

For a job whose only prerequisite is a high school diploma, I work fantastic hours;

Being able to start work at 5:00 am is tough but it's all the more rewarding since I can spend the rest of the afternoon with my family and helping others.

I work hard at my mediocre job and it has certainly paid off as I get to live in a better house than I probably should.

I let off a little chuckle when reminiscing on how far I have come and what I have now. It seems my life after high school has been smooth sailing leaving me with slight anxiety that it could come crashing down any second.

“Alright, Manny I'm clocking out, need anything before I leave?” 

Manny has been managing this place since before I was born, even though he's been working for so long he surely has not grown bitter like most managers.

“Nope I'm all good here Avid see you tomorrow!” he spoke in a raised voice to reach me from across this empty cubicle-filled room.

He always spoke to me and my colleagues with a tone of polite consideration, a man with so much on his shoulders is rarely like that but it is refreshing to have such a delightful boss.

He's probably so cheery because of this job's fantastic benefits, I mean if I'm happy with what I got I can't imagine what kind of life he's living. 

Although, he seems to be working a lot longer than I remember,

I'm usually the last to leave here but as of late Manny has been working overtime, seems about right though since the economy has been crashing amid the recent war talk from European countries.

I didn't really think it would have much impact but seems to have really put a dent in our supply lines.

Tomorrow I’ll have to see if I can help take a load off of Manny’s back.

As I grabbed my light brown coat from its rack Manny shouted once more

“And tell Abigail and Clem I said hi!”

I waved him off with a smile and a “Will do!”

Manny has been to my home for dinner a plethora of times so it's nice to know he cares about my family.

After I grabbed my coat from the rack and put it on I headed out the front door to start my venture home.

Truly the highlight of my day has always been seeing my two beautiful girls.

To this day I'm embarrassed that when I and my beloved Abigail met I was dirt poor;

Even though the circumstance was out of my hands most of my time in high school kids would use this as a way to demean me.

When others couldn't find a pocket change of pity she found a way to love me, even after all the things her friends in school said about me she saw something in me

Now it wasn't like I fell in love with her just because she was the only girl to give me attention

Although being poor made an easy excuse for people to avoid me, mainly because I cycled through the same pairs of clothes week by week, I was still quite attractive in high school and was somewhat of a lady's man; at least that's how my wife likes to recall how I was before we started dating.

She was the first person in my life who defended me when peers spoke badly of me.

I had dated in the past and I would find an odd influx of rumors spoken of me when I did

My own girlfriend once openly trash-talked me in front of a group of her friends and I just laughed it off scratching the back of my head and biting the mixed feeling of betrayal and embarrassment.

I guess that's a good reason as to why she is my ex-girlfriend

Even then I didn't blame the people who used my predicament to bash me, it's easy for others to find friendship through hatred

Ironic or not it's true, and I'm sure that they eventually grew out of that behavior anyhow but at least they had friends to bash me with.

“Oh”

All this reminiscing on my walk back home made it feel like it didn't even happen

I'm already almost halfway home now

Approaching a crosswalk I noticed an older woman standing at the light post waiting to cross.

She seemed old and brittle from behind and as I got closer it was someone I most certainly knew.

A neighbor of mine well over the age of 80

Her husband died a few years back and ever since then, we have been helping her around her house since she's limited in what she can do at that age.

She must know the rhythmic clack of my shoes as they softly tap the concrete upon each step from how much time we have spent together as she wasn't too startled by my approach when I called her name

“Hey, Ms. Ari!” 

I am still very young and haven't quite got the hang of speaking with the older generation but I'm putting on my best effort.

“Oh, Avid, it's so nice to see you, it's been a while since you have been over.”

“I know, I've been meaning to stop by to put that new shelf up I’ve just been caught up with Clementine; she just started kindergarten” 

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

I always do my best to speak with a smile even if it's tiring at times, with how much Ms. Ari has been through I'm sure the small things can help over time.

“Already?” She said with a childish surprise

“I can't believe she's already starting school... It feels so soon”

“Trust me I know, I feel like in the blink of the eye I'll wake up and she'll be eighteen,” I said with a chuckle

Despite our humor, it does really feel like she's growing up so fast, ever since she was born I swore to spend every second I could with her.

Before I worked under Manny I had a reputation as a ‘Job Hopper’ and got put on a list by employment groups making it really difficult to find a job.

I simply could not spend my days at work and risk missing the entirety of my daughter's life, even though it cost me there was nothing more worthy to me than seeing her smile each time I enter the front door.

After a really bad interview feeling hopeless, I ended up meeting Manny at a bar, he's stopped drinking since then but at the time you could always count on him being there from 5:00 to 11:00pm

He told me about this company he worked for and ended up offering me a job

He said he understood my predicament, and we ended up bonding over the course of a few years becoming pretty good friends.

The light for the crosswalk finally turned green

I offered my hand to Ms. Ari and helped her across the street

After we reached the end we said parting words and made our own separate ways home

I stayed later than usual at work today, so Aby has probably already started cooking dinner

Even though I'm excited each day to see my family when I get home

I couldn't seem to help myself waiting outside on the corner street and somewhat admiring the home we built

The white furnished door and elegantly spaced window pains make up the same distance of some walls allowing a large flow of natural light.

From the outside, even with all the curtains closed, the house looks surprisingly lively. Even though the sun is starting to set into a beautiful orange haze within the sky.

A semi-clear sky only holding clouds that seem to complement the sky in a dispersed and thin manner

It would be a perfect day tomorrow to go on a picnic

I'm sure Clemmy would love that.

Opening the front door I was rushed by a soft warm color made by dispersed lighting evenly set in the corners and walls of the house. I always liked it this way, overhead lighting always seemed so corporate.

My eyes pleasantly meet the blue eyes of my wife, the smell of my favorite dish hits my nose, and I can't help but grin like a child on his birthday

“Daddy's Home!”  Clem yelled running from around the corner singing praise of my arrival until she finally jumped into my right arm.

Before I could even get one hand off the door she's carried on my chest.

It won't be a good day when she is too big to be held in my arms.

I closed the front door with Clementine in my arms my wife hollers for me from the kitchen

As I suspected, she's making my favorite dish in the world,

Chicken curry!

If I wasn't holding my daughter right now I'd strike a pose in achievement as if I had just earned a new level in a video game.

“I missed you”

“And I missed you,” she said snarkily as we got together for a cheeky peck of the mouth

“Ewwwww” Clem said covering her eyes and shaking her head in bashful disapproval

Laughing, I set the table and we ate.

Abigail and I have started sitting like King and Queen where each other sits at opposite ends of a long table instead of side by side like usual

For no particular reason other than it seemed a little silly and pretentious 

With each bite, I get to look back up and take a gander at my beautiful other half

Hazel brown hair and childishly large eyes sparkled with blue demanding my attention at all times

Looking back at Clementine she playfully eats her meals with complete negligence to standards in an admirable way.

After everyone has eaten my wife takes Clementine to the bath and I gather all the dishes to the sink for washing.

I'm quite comfortable with life, the everyday routine with rare excitement is peaceful. Certainly, a much younger and adventurous me would be disappointed and bored to death but I’ve learned to love the mediocre day to day.

My wife comes up behind me as I'm spacing out the window doing dishes.

Her arms wrap around me up to my chest.

Bringing her body up to mine in a warm embrace, it's comforting. 

She tells me, “Clems waiting for you to say goodnight” in a soft caring voice.

I can tell she must be worn out as the sensation of her succumbing into my back for comfort grows.

After I finished washing up I tucked Clementine in feeling her peace overcome me as she fell asleep.

Closing her door I holler at my wife who is already in bed “I'm gonna run these leftovers down to the shelter, I won't be long”.

For context, we don't like to keep leftovers since we cook just about every single meal at home, plus it's nice to do something for those less fortunate, especially considering my past.

Leaving the house it's a quarter after eleven o’clock.

I don't feel bad about not kissing her before I left, the shelter is only up the street so it won't take too long.

The streetlights provide a nice aesthetic

Truly I tell you, I like to walk at night; The atmosphere has no comparison.

The way the air feels and how peaceful it is at night compared to the busy work days.

Despite being an adult I still take pride in my childish self, even though I work hard and I have all of these big responsibilities I still have the same silly thoughts I did as a teenager.

Making it to the Homeless shelter they have a big cooler outside for food donations they collect each morning to prepare in the evening. 

Typically they only accept canned goods but the people here have known me for a long time and enjoy home-made meals.

As I was walking away looking both ways across the street, the local convenience store caught my eye.

I remembered I want to surprise Clementine and Abigail with a picnic this weekend, I should go ahead and get the stuff now so they won't see anything and make it a big surprise.

I'm so glad we moved to this country early on in my life. From what I remember and read online, convenience stores are nothing like what we have here. 

Never understood why convenience stores in other countries lacked actual “convenience”.

After grabbing a few snacks and food for the picnic I head to the check-out line.

Even though it's pretty late somehow there's still a small line of two average males in front of me.

After waiting a few minutes, awkwardly staring around the store ignoring most eye contact, I finally make it to the register

“Hey, how's it going?” I said to the employee manning the register, he couldn't be any more than 17 years old and already working, late-night shifts too. 

“Doing the best I can!” he said with slight monotone sarcasm and a sigh.

While he's ringing up my items and I'm opening my wallet a chill runs up my upper spine to the bases of my hair.

It's odd, there's no cold air in here, it's actually quite cozy, I don't think I'm anxious or worried, this chill seems so sudden… so random…and yet I feel an urge within me that it is important. I always jump to childish conclusions like that I thought to myself laughing it off in my own head.

As the cashier rang my final item the buzzer went off I heard an ear-piercing scream, one with such a high pitch it had to be from a young female.

I feel my heart rise and adrenalin kick in, the scream felt like it rattled from my own brain, and in my panic I look out the complete glass wall and door the gas station has, looking back with my blood full of adrenalin, senses heightened, the underage worker isn't phased whatsoever.

His face still down putting my last item into a bag and tapping the iPad-like device he says in monotony

“18.12 Is your total sir, would you like a receipt?”

…

Looking at each other I am speechless.

He's making me feel like I'm crazy, the way his eyes lack total care for the woman who sounds like she was fearful of being killed or assaulted and he's completely fine with it.

“Did you hear that?!” I said panicky, eyes wide open with my sudden urge of energy,

“I didn't hear anything, sometimes the scanner makes a weird noise, sorry can't do anything about that.” 

So nonchalantly he says this, “A beeper?”, really?

I feel almost angry that he is in such denial of the horrible screech.

Despite all the thoughts running through my head, it had only been a few seconds since I heard it.

I threw the twenty dollars out of my pocket 

“Keep the change,” I said, running out with my grocery bag in hand.

At this point, while I was in the store it had started raining, rather harshly in fact in a manner that seemed unnatural.

I couldn't recognize where the scream had come from when I heard it sounded like it came from all directions filling my head. 

*Screaming in the near distance*

This is a scream that enters your being and scratches your senses; a scream that by itself opens and penetrates your peaceful mind and leaves you angry.

Despite it being just as nerve-racking to hear the second time I could at least locate where it was coming from.

A small alley left of the store, dark and eerie, the street lights that cover the street seem to have no effect as the light is consumed by the walls of two buildings stretching high enough to block the night sky.

Despite what would typically terrify me beyond repair because of the adrenaline my body graciously poured into me I turned into an almost instinctual state.

Running into the alley I feel like I'm not even controlling my body.

In my head, I had decided that no matter what happens I will protect and help this girl.

Inside the alley the light is bare but what light is produced finds its source from blue emergency lights kept barely lit due to state safety regulations.

After a few seconds of running in the alley, there develops a turn to my right, it's even darker than my current condition.

I can't tell which place the screaming could've come from, panicked and breathing heavily. I do my best to isolate my senses and focus on hearing anything to indicate whether I go forward or to my right.

All of a sudden I heard a slight rumbling to the continuing alley on my right and like a starved animal I sprinted into the darkness. 

This part of the alley is riddled with trash cans, litter, and unmentionables creating a mold-like smell.

As I continue I see less and less till there is nothing to see at all.

Reaching the end of the alley blocked by a large brick wall I stop confused at the lack of action I expected.

*sifting through trash* 

*soft footsteps*

Panicked I turned around quickly, the sounds I heard were one of which a person didn't intend for me to hear.

*Thud*

…