Thanks for checking out my work, any help is appreciated as this is the first fiction I've ever written. This chapter is a Prologue and an introduction to the character of Renn and a bit of his back story.
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Prologue
Winter nights in New York are tough. Only the odd rattling of shutters and the wind whistling through narrow alleyways break up the eerily quiet nights. The usually bustling city was almost abandoned, the normal inhabitants bundled up in their warm blankets next to their fireplaces, singing Christmas songs with festive cheer. The time of year is supposed to be merry, but the bitter cold and thunder make for a sharp contrast.
Renn occupied his normal spot behind the small dumpster in one of the quieter side streets. He was barely visible in the dark of the night, only illuminated via the short bursts of lightening in the distance. The cardboard box underneath him, the patchy winter coat and his thick facial hair were all Renn had to protect himself from the extreme conditions.
Across the street was another man of similar stature lying on the pavement. However, his face was blue and emaciated. Renn knew he would soon be joining the other man but he wasn't sure if it would be the cold or the cancer that killed him first.
Just a mere year prior Renn was a successful Doctor. He would often go to travel to more impoverished countries with colleagues through an association known as Doctors Without Borders. Renn considered himself lucky to have seen the world in all it’s glory; the godly views and the beauty of mother nature. His cause was noble, facilitating treatment of those who needed his care the most.
On his travels, Renn also witnessed man and all its deplorable acts; famine, disease and pollution just to name a few. He tried to save as many as he could but the ill arrived in droves, too much for just a few men. The lives of those lost weighed heavy on his conscience. Renn soon came to understand the ignorance of the government and of those who ran it. They spent their time enjoying luxuries at the expense of so many others. He had seen too many die from problems that could be fixed with the change you could find under a sofa.
After Renn received news of his diagnosis his resolve was set. He had planned to spend every penny he owned to improve conditions wherever he could while earning just enough to survive and his diagnosis only helped him solidify these plans. It brought joy to his face to see the impact he created and the lives he saved, even though he couldn't save his own. Renn created a legacy across the world as an inspiration to others.
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Renn’s initial diagnosis placed him with only 3 months to live. However, he exceeded all expectations, travelling the world for another 6 months before he returned to New York penniless, homeless and dying.
Renn had chosen the site of his grave long ago. He sat in the cold, numb in his extremities, looking across the river towards the statue of liberty. He liked to watch the waves crash against the man-made island. It reminded him of everything he fought for and against at the same time. Fighting for a better world, yet ironically now fighting against those who erected the monument, hiding behind their mass media and stacks of money.
“She was meant to represent so much more.” Renn said.
His gaze drifted from the monument of freedom to the man across the street once more. He had spent so much time and effort all across the globe helping people live better healthier lives, yet here in the world’s richest city homeless men lived and died in the street. How tragic. Looking at how the homeless could still suffer even here of all places, Renn couldn't help but feel helpless. A doctor, of all people, was only a few feet away from where the man lay, and yet Renn didn't have the capability to help anyone anymore. His equipment was worn out, his strength had left his body and Renn doubted he could even stand anymore.
Renn was left with only one regret in his lifetime; that he couldn't do more.
As the light in Renn’s eyes began to fade, the sky rumbled more frequently, releasing flash after flash of lightning. Thick dark clouds spread beyond the horizon releasing their fury on the land. The intensity of the event grew several magnitudes until there was not a moment left where electricity was not streaking across the sky. The whole continent was enveloped in these sinister clouds. However, they continued to spread, enshrouding the world in their fury.