back to the real world: Hunter part IV

-today on the real world-

it has been nine months since the day in which Beau died. Hunter has started to let his beard grow. to not do his hair he has been cutting his hair really short. he has been investigating everything that he can investigate about Son of Sun industries.

winter started since last week so the days had been cold lately. Hunter puts some gloves on and he feels sorrow when he remembers that those gloves were a gift from Beau. he promises to himself that he is going to do everything in his power to bring Beau back to life. he puts a winter hat on before leaving his house.

since two months ago Stewart (the student that he saved and helped) has been living next door with an uncle who actually cares for the boy and treats him with affection (unlike the mother who is no longer on his life.) Hunter and Stewart are always walking together on their go to the school. Hunter asks him every day to tell him if anyone bullies him at school again.

Hunter looks at the pale sky and he thinks about Martha who is always concern for him. she is always worried that he is not eating well or that he is not taking enough care of himself like he used to. Hunter accepted and embraced his destiny and long time ago and he told to himself 'if I am dying anyway then there is no need to make any effort in useless things like appearance.'

Stewart is telling him that he wishes to be a cryptozoologist in the future or something similar. Stewart is telling him about the things that he has been finding in the internet about different types of unknown animals that there had been seen in different parts of the world.

"today is a nice day, isn't it? I wonder what Beau thinks of a day like this one."

whispered Hunter talking to himself.

Stewart knows that Hunter is still feeling guilt for saving him when his best friend was been burn alive on an accident. Stewart tells to his teacher to smile more. he tells him that there are things that are worth living for like health, friendship or even love. Stewart asks him when is he going to give an opportunity to Ms. Cole (that is Martha's last name.)

Hunter tells him that he is not sure if he has time to love. Stewart asks him how can be so sure about something without trying. Hunter laughs thinking in how much Stewart has change from being a quiet boy who never show any sign of joy he has become a more friendly and joyful kid.

Stewart tells to Hunter that he has been talking with two kids on school and he thinks that they are going to be his friends soon. Hunter is happy for him and he congratulates him for that. there were times at first that Hunter felt regret for saving the life of a kid that didn't wanted to live but now he is even feeling guilt for ever doubting in that kid.

they arrive at the school. Stewart goes to his classroom. Hunter walks in front of Martha and she says hi to him with enthusiasm. Hunter felt a small pain on his heart. he doesn't dislike the small doses of peace that comes with Martha's lovely personality, but it was painful for him to know that he has to die and he can't be with her.

"he has change for the better, don't you think so?"

those words were sweet for Hunter's ears and jet he wanted to get away from her as soon as possible. it was too much for him to talk with an angelic person like Martha knowing that he is just wasting her time and he is probably hurting her.

"yes he is a great kid. he has a great future."

said Hunter wishing for the conversation to end there.

at first Hunter only saw Martha as a great person but slowly he has started to see all the good things about her and he has started to like even the bad things about her. he has been avoiding her because the more he sees her the bigger grows the strange feeling that gives him hope, fake hope that he doesn't need.

"please stop, this is too much for me."

those are the words that Hunter never dares to say but he wishes to say to her. those are the words that he repeats in front of the mirror or even in his head but he has never dare to say to her.

"I don't know if is right for me to say this but..... will you like to go out with me some day to eat and talk."

said Martha with the little courage that she had hidden.

in a few seconds Hunter was thinking in many different explanations to justify a no. he wanted to go out with her once but he knows that there is the possibility that one single date can make it harder for him to accept his unavoidable fate. he has already understood that his time is coming.

"yes, why not."

said Hunter with a smile.

Hunter wanted to say no but in the end his feelings were stronger than his reasoning. he starts to tell to himself that maybe he is over thinking things and in the end nothing might happen in between him and her. he tells to himself that there is no problem if they are just friends for the time that he has left to live.

Martha goes to her classroom. Hunter walks towards his own classroom. he enters in the room with a fake smile. the female students like always were charmed by his good looks. Hunter continues with his class like always.

while Hunter was giving classes he was thinking about many things. he was thinking about the guys and about the guild. he is curious to know how are those guys doing. he is a bit worry for them. if the chapters that they finished before were just a test to prove if they were worthy then the following chapters can be the end of the whole guild. they have to be cautious about every move.

the class ends. Hunter tells to his students that there is a test coming. he tells them that if there is something that they don't know they can ask him for help any time and he promised to help them with anything. the guys are annoying for the test but the female students are happy.

the students leave and the students for the second period are entering inside of the classroom. Hunter takes a book from his desk and he opens it. he reads as he awaits for all the students to arrive. he has been reading an interesting book from a strange author who writes a book once or twice in a decade. the latest books from said author are strange and have darker plots unlike his early work.

"he is probably in his late nineties by now."

said one female student.

Hunter looks at the student unaware of what she is talking about. the student point at the book and she tells him that the author is probably in his late nineties base on the time of his first work and the age he was at the time.

"are you also a fan of this author? I didn't know kids of your age would know about a legend like him. I started reading his work when I was on high school. one day by accident I found a copy from his early work on a classroom. I tried to find the owner but neither students nor teachers knew who the author was. I eventually kept the book and after reading the book I felt this desire to read more from that author and ever since then I had been reading every single book of his."

said Hunter with a genuine smile.

Hunter was thinking about his days of youth for a moment and that gave him a reason to smile. it has been so long since the last time that he thought about his days of youth. one student asks him about the name of the author.

"he is a man who is secretive with his life. his actual name is unknown to everyone and even his appearance is unknown but he always uses the same pseudonym, Ryker Wright."

said the same girl who told Hunter that he was in his nineties five minutes ago.

Hunter change the subject and he tells to his students that the class is about to start. he keeps teaching like he has always done but he is curious to know how can a modern kid know about an author that is basically unknown.

the class was quiet and peaceful until the end when the bell rang and every student left the class room expect the girl who knows about the author Ryker Wright. she stays in the class for a moment looking at her teacher with an strange look on her face.

"don't worry for the author. he is only known by his fans because that is the choice that he made. he didn't wanted fame but he wished for those who read his books to be loyal that is why he only writes one or two books by decade....."

said the student with an emotionless face.

Hunter was about to say something but he stops and he only looks at his book. he is waiting for the kid to leave his classroom. she seems to be angry for no reason.

"....it seems like Charon likes you. is usually seem as a good thing to be like, but when we are talking about a mortal with an unusual contract that force his life to be shorter than it is meant to be. then that liking is dangerous and the mortal is foolish when he accepts said deal."

said the girl feeling anger.

she leaves the classroom. Hunter stays in the classroom speechless confused for what just happen. the Ferryman sits in one of the chairs in the back. he is reading a math book. Hunter wants to asks him what is he doing but he is afraid of the answer.

Hunter takes his backpack from the floor and he opens it. he takes out of it his food. he is going to eat a torta de chicharron and drink horchata water. Hunter is eating peacefully but there was a bit of uncertainty at the thought of the Ferryman being in there with him.

he is used to have him in front of him at all times or the usual talking, but this time is different because he isn't saying anything. he is just in there looking at the book. also the more time passes the less time he has left to live. Hunter is starting to understand the position in which he is with no remedy.

there is a nervous laugh that comes out of Hunter. he looks at the Ferryman who is still reading the math book. Hunter finishes eating. he puts his things inside of his backpack. Hunter stands up and he starts to walk slowly towards the Ferryman who is still reading the math book and ignoring him. Hunter stops in front of him.

"who is he? is he from this school?"

asks Hunter with nervousness.

"who is who? what are you talking about? my good friend."

answered the Ferryman feigning ignorance.

"that book belongs to a student. the other things in that table seem to also belong to the same student, so I believe this is what you were talking about when you told me that you receive things before a person dies. this is your taking..... who is the boy? who is going to die?"

said aloud Hunter looking at the Ferryman with anger and anguish.

"oh, that is what you meant. bravo you finally stop pretending to not see. there were many times in which I did my job in front of you. if you want to know about the boy who is meant to die. his life was short and no god took it from him, I can admit that there were many occasions in which other Immortals intended to guide him to another path to avoid his cruel tragic end but he never took that other path."

Hunter feels powerless to think that maybe he can save another kid but the man who already stole his soul refuses to let him save another soul. Hunter wants to save the kid to feel better with himself. if he saves another kid maybe he can die with no regret knowing that he did everything to save Beau and to tell to himself that in the way he was able to save a few more souls.

Hunter asks the Ferryman multiple times about the kid. he keeps asking who is the kid and in which way is he going to die. the Ferryman doesn't answer any of the questions. the Ferryman is serious about the 'destined end' that the kid is meant to have.

"you don't understand. you think that I am killing your kind which is the wrong idea mortals have about me and those on my profession. we Immortals don't kill the mortals. we don't choose your death, you do. we created mortals and the world that the mortals live in. we gave you free will. your kind dies because your kind kills each other, they treat badly their own bodies with no concern for the future. they aren't careful with their own lives or the lives of others. if your kind dies is either by their own hand or because it was the expiration date of their bodies."

Hunter was silent. he wanted to argue or denied the truth that was told by a Deity. Hunter was crying in silence and he didn't felt his tears until he saw the facial expression of the Ferryman. Hunter felt ashamed for being crying for something so natural as dying.

"I could tell you everything about the boy but you would never be able to save him. he is going to die no matter what you do. if you try to stop his death you are only going to become a suspect on his death or an insane person in the eyes of others. just take care of those who are important to you and forget about the others while you are still breathing."

Hunter cleans the tears from his face. he goes back to his desk to work on the grades of his students. the strange girl enter on the classroom and she gives him a piece of paper. she looks at the Ferryman and she lives. Hunter looks at the piece of paper and he looks at a note that she wrote 'don't trust Charon, he isn't on your side.'

lunch ended and Hunter continue with his job until the last class of the day ended. Hunter took his things and he put them on his backpack. he was about to leave the building when he was stop by Martha who wanted to talk with him for a moment.

Martha asks him when could be a good day to have that date. Hunter couldn't pretend to not be happy and he show her a smile before letting her know that he really wanted to have that date with her. he starts to think that maybe there is no crime in letting his feelings exposed until his last breath.

they are getting out of the school and for some reason Hunter is looking at a group of boys. one of them seems to be the bullying victim of the other kids. Hunter wants to do something. but then something is telling him to avoid those kids.

"so, this weekend I am going to be busy with something personal and you told me before that you have somewhere to be the next weekend. so, what about in two weeks from now?"

asks Martha.

Hunter listens to every word that she had to say. he is thinking about the Ferryman and his eyes are in the bullying victim and the group of bullies that are walking with him. he looks at the strange girl getting out of the school. Stewart walks behind of him. Stewart is asking her if they are a couple.

"yes, let's have that date."

said Hunter with a smile.

Martha is surprise because he said the word 'date' so casually that she started to see hope on a possible future with him. Stewart is congratulating her for her accomplishment by winning Hunter's heart.

one blonde kid is hitting really hard the bully victim and the other kids are witnesses of the violence but none of them dares to judge the abnormal acts of violence of a kid. they are either too scare or they think it is just a kid's game. Hunter feels uncomfortable.

"hey, kids what are you doing? violence is forbidden in school. what are you....."

yields Hunter trying to stop the kids.

the bullying victim pushes the blonde kid who falls on the road and a bus passes over the boy. there is a scream of horror. everyone is in shock. Hunter is looking at the Ferryman guiding the soul of the blonde kid to the underworld. the bullying victim is trying to explain what happen to others while everyone is judging him when no one dared to help him a few minutes ago.

Hunter turns around to look at Martha who is crying for the dead kid even when she didn't know the kid. Stewart covering his face runs towards the bullying victim and he pulls him far from there. Hunter is looking at the lifeless body of the dead kid.

"fuck that was gruesome."

the Ferryman is walking around of Hunter asking him if he still thinks that he did the right thing by giving his life away in exchange for the life of the kid he saved that dark night. Hunter doesn't know anymore how righteous were his actions but he regrets nothing.